HRT questions

I'd like to hear from those of you who successfully used HRT (synthetic or natural), those who did and did not like it (for whatever reason), and those who never tried it for whatever reason:

I've been trying lately to figure out if, when, and how to use HRT...it's often said that you should talk to your mother to find out when she went into menopause and how it affected her. My mother never noticed anything (she's now 75). She never had any hot flushes or anything. But, then again, my mother does not have thyroid disease. I, on the other hand, have Hashimoto's. I remember reading, when I was first diagnosed, 15 years ago, Mary Shomon's book "Living well with hypothyroidism", where she said (quoting from memory): "Menopause can wreak havoc on an already unstable endocrine system"...

Anyway, for many years, I had no problems at all, so did not really care. Today, however, at age 49, it's different, and I realise I need treatment. The question is: what kind of treatment???

The Hertoghe doctors will only prescribe natural HRT. This means Estrogel and Utrogestan.

My gynaecologist will only prescribe synthetic treatment (Femoston). However, I've read that synthetic HRT today is not at all what it used to be, and that today's alternatives are safe and actually close to human chemistry. No drugs I've ever been prescribed even seem close to pregnant mares' urine (Premarin). Whenever you read about synthetic HRT, and all the warnings, it seems to be about Premarin.

Some say: menopause is natural, just a stage of life, so just get through it and, if it gets really bad, try exercising or yoga or whatever makes you feel good. In other words: do not use HRT.

Others claim HRT is a safe and natural way to go through menopause without suffering needlessly.

At the moment, I suffer terribly and it's only been six weeks since my last period...which is longer than in the last 30 years...! My Hertoghe doctor only prescribes Estrogel and Utrogestan. My gynaecologist told me Femoston is both safe and superior when it comes to symptom relief. I have not yet started it so I wouldn't know...but I do know that, in the past three or four months, bio-identical HRT has not provided optimal symptom relief either. I have used Estrogel and Utrogestan for the past five years, for a total of 25 days per cycle, but that is no longer enough.

Therefore, I'd appreciate any input from members. What worked for you, and what didn't? Do you know why?

Does anyone else have the impression hypothyroidism (I have Hashi's) makes menopause more difficult...?

[Clairewalker751]

I was diagnosed with menopause and hashimotos just over a year ago aged 44 it was/is difficult to know what causes which symptoms so I have put off exploring HRT until I've got my dose and nutrient levels spot on?

[Angel_of_the_North]

I use bioidentical HRT - creams were no good, so I have sublingual lozenges (every day, not faking a menstrual cycle) and it took away my terrible symptoms in about 6 months - they gradually got better but it took that long before they all went. Hot flushes and vaginal atrophy went really fast, fatigue, sex drive and mood took the longest. I really think I'd have killed myself without it. My mother didn't have obvious symptoms, but I was away at school and uni so probably wouldn't have noticed, and she wouldn't have told me anyway. My maternal cousin had dreadful symptoms, too.

[Hidden in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

Are those lozenges prescription only? What do they contain?

[Angel_of_the_North]

Prescription only. Mine contain oetrogen, progesterone and DHEA but they are made specially for me personally.

[Hidden in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

I see. Great for you that you found something that works for you!

[Hidden]

There is another thing I've been asking myself lately...I went to see my first Hertoghe doctor in Belgium in 2004, at age 35. My only complaint at the time: the thyroxine I had been taking since 2001 was not working. I had been reading about Armour and knew the Hertoghe doctors prescribed that.

At H's clinic, I was diagnosed with adrenal fatigue (among other things) and put on progesterone (Duphaston). After two years, I stopped going there as I felt no real improvement and did no longer want to pay those horrible fees, plus quite a few of the drugs they prescribe at that clinic are not covered by health insurance. So I ended up paying a lot for something that did not work optimally. I was also put on Medrol for adrenal fatigue but went off that at the same time as Duphaston, for the simple reason that it did not make me feel better.

A few years later, just before I turned 43, I consulted another Hertoghe doctor who came highly recommended in another forum. At the time, I was still having regular periods and no problems whatsoever (hot flushes, excessive sweating, disturbed sleep, etc). Yet, I was put on both estrogen and progesterone (Estradiol cream + Utrogestan) because I was diagnosed with adrenal fatigue and told that I'd need not only cortisone, but also sex hormones.

So, I've been on Estrogel and Utrogestan for the past six years, and am now beginning to wonder if it was such a good idea to start HRT (because that's what it is, even if it's called a cure for adrenal fatigue) seven years before the actual menopausal symptoms appeared...back then, I did not know what I know now, and I thought the world of these so called hormone specialists...they have a year's waiting list or are even unable to accept new patients so for some reason they are very popular even though many patients have to save money to be able to pay their fees. However, I've consulted two of them, with several years in between, and I have to admit I'm not that impressed...they will hand you a dozen of prescriptions, you spend a fortune on hormones, but may not improve the way they say...and, when it comes to (peri)menopause and the many symptoms I'm having right now, I am really wondering if it was such a good idea to start messing with my own hormones when I was only 35 years old...

[Hidden]

PS. I have also been wondering lately about oral vs transdermal estrogen...the Hertoghe doctors will only prescribe transdermal estrogen, claiming oral estrogen carries too many risks, but I've read that applies to estrogen from pregnant mares (Premarin), not to modern drugs...if anyone has successfully tried oral estrogen, I'd like to hear about it!