Hi I am new

[Casvroa7]

Hi I have been taking Levo for 5 yrs , plus HRT , GP no longer prescribe HRT , I am 68 , since then have hormonal probs i.e. Not sleeping, hot flushes etc GP now prescribed fluoxetine , when should I take this , ensuring it doesn't effect levo

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Casvroa7 What has your GP prescribed the fluoxetine for? Surely not purely for the hot flushes and not sleeping?

You might be better off with a bioidentical form of HRT, maybe you need progesterone cream only. Has he tested your hormones?

A previous thread about fluoxetine and levo has some replies which might be of interest

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[startagaingirl in reply to SeasideSusie]

We are meant to go through menopause and the associated decline in oestrogen & progesterone - the use of HRT to delay this has associated health risks. I acknowledge that there are many competing views out there on its safety - whatever the form, bioidentical, synthetic, animal origin - but all of them have a certain degree of associated risk. It is now thought that it is generally safe to use, with a minimum extra risk, up to and maybe a few years beyond natural menopause age. A five year limit is generally recommended. Beyond that the extra risks - principally breast cancer - increases substantially. That risk peaks anyway in 65-69 age range, without the extra risk factor of HRT. Since that natural menopause age is an average of 51, at the age of 68 I can understand why Casvroa's doctor has refused to prescribe it any more.

I have another condition which means that many women have preventative hysterectomy & ovary removal at around 40. They are recommended to have HRT as protection for heart & bones till 50 - but not beyond that. This policy has been arrived at by some of the best gynae brains of the country. Yes I know, doctors can't always be trusted and I have had a bad experience with senior gynae myself, but I certainly would not be comfortable with HRT at 68.

Gillian xx

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to startagaingirl]

I agree with you. I haven't used HRT, nor had any intention of doing so. I had my sex hormones tested and am using bioidentical progesterone cream under the guidance of a hormone specialist to balance hormones. My point was what has the GP prescribed the fluoxetine - an antidepressant - for?

[startagaingirl in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi - yes I have heard of anti-depressants being prescribed when HRT is not suitable, but with varying success.

patient.info/health/menopau...

xx

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to startagaingirl]

Crikey! Considering it can be difficult to come off SSRIs I wouldn't have thought that's a particularly good idea

[startagaingirl in reply to SeasideSusie]

Yep! I suppose it all depends on your perception of how bad the flushes are and what risks you are prepared to take to overcome them. xx

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

A couple of articles that explain it far better than I possibly could

johnleemd.com/cgi-johnleemd...

womenlivingnaturally.com/ar...