ADRENAL ISSUES,HRT AND PREGNENELONE

[Jollypolly]

Does anyone have the same issues as I have, and found any solutions ?

I have low cortisol and take Adrenavive ...x 250 mg daily. This barely meets my need, and I still don’t feel well...have tried taking more than this but it’s not the answer.

Without any professional advice,..and the right advice at that,...I’m feeling that I may get somewhere on Pregnenelone rather than Adrenavive, but you can’t take Pregnenelone as well as HRT .

The Problem is, I can’t manage without the HRT..Estrogen only patch...been on it since total hysterectomy 25 years ago....it’s low dose..37.5..

But without it..or in any smaller dose..dryness everywhere is very bad...and worse, I can’t stop wanting to spend a penny...indeed the symptoms are like having cystitis...without actually having it. I’m a little inclined this way as it is...and have to avoid too much citrus etc.

Does Anyone out there understand all this...?

And if so..do you know if there is a way round things. Dr Frey of Ipswich , suggested the sex hormones will take care of themselves if the adrenals and thyroid are right ..

But how to achieve that ?! Been on Adrenavive a long time now and. To really getting anywhere

Haven’t yet spent money with Dr Frey....( all be the fourth private doctor ..not made of money ) so haven’t spoken of all this in depth...

Just wonder if there is a way to get off the HRT ..which has done me a great deal of food I feel...and I would stay on it..But would those symptoms ..urinary and dryness ...clear up...if I got off the hrt and started Pregnenelone ...

Sorry about the length of this post....maybe someone out there has trodden this road and found a way through.

[Angel_of_the_North]

I'm on (bioidentical) HRT but my oestrogen is only 2mg a day so I don't think that's a low dose!!! You probably need progesterone and testosterone and perhaps DHEA as well to balance it. It has nothing to do with whether you have an uterus or not - you still have other organs including breasts and a brain that need the other hormones. I find adrenavive is now good enough for me, but i spent a lot of time when it wasn't, using meditation etc to support my adrenal function. If you have vaginal atrophy, you need that oestrogen and you can't be sure that any other hormone will convert to it.

[Jollypolly in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

Hi Angel

Thanks for replying.

Please explain how you take the 2mg of estrogen daily...my 37.5 dose is indeed considered low by the doctors...the lowest patch is 25 mg ..on that dose I’m drier than ever and start the urinary symptoms...I don’t think I have the atrophy though...or not enough to worry about. I use Superdrug version of Femfresh to wash with...this also helps prevent the cystitis like symptoms,

Interesting that you USED not to find Adrenavive so good, but now do...what dose are you now on ?

I agree that I probably need the other hormones, but there seem to be issues with taking these alongside HrT...I must look into it..yet again.

A while ago I bought Progestrone cream...can’t remember why but didn’t seem to suit me. I have new bottles of DHEA ..can’t use as on hrt.

I’m so tired of having to Investigate everything and not really understand it easily and knowing you really need a good professional to sort you out..I know, everyone feels like this. Are you staying permanently on Adrenavive...at what dose...?

I’ve been on it at least a year now....I sometimes feel it sorts things a little..but then I don’t feel so well in other ways. It’s so hard to know what’s what isn’t it.

Thanks again..and all the best to you.

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to Jollypolly]

HRT is ALL the sex hormones - or should be - the ones you need at least. So DHEA is part of HRT. I have a sublingual lozenge especially compounded for me and take half a one a day in divided doses. Each one is 4mg oestrogen, 250mg progesterone and 25mg DHEA (I get 'roid rage when I take testosterone, - it's the one thing I can make). When I first had problem I used 10mg vagifem (oestradiol pessaries) a day for 14 days, but after that I didn't need a higher dose.

I was taking 3 Adrenavive III a day and still ending up lying on the ground with nausea etc after doing anything physical (so I thought I was going to need hydrocortisone), but now I'm pretty much fine of 1 Adrenavive III, but it's taken a few years. I'll stick with it as it looks though my pituitary just doesn't much like producing anything.

[Jollypolly in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

Hi Angel, what you’ve told me is fascinating.

The two replies I’ve had to this post have made me to look again on Dr Lams website...I read a whole thing last night on the website..I’m convinced my problem lies with the hrt ..which I feel I can’t give up...I’m now thinking there is a way perhaps..

May I ask you where you get your tablets...who helped you with this ..a doctor ?

Who ? If not a who...can you tell me how you went about all this...is there someone I can see...something I can do to get sorted ? Any ideas ?

Private message me if you like.

Grateful for just what you have time for...I don’t expect the Earth..just a few clues would be good.

Many thanks .

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to Jollypolly]

I go to a private doctor for biohrt.

[Jollypolly]

Thanks Paula, for your reply. I tried progesterone cream a while back and didn’t feel good on it...not sure why.

As for HRT it’s been a life saver for me...has kept me young and my bones are those of a young woman ! A scan showed that ..

But no , it isn’t perfect and I’m sure things are out of balance. I have been on more Adrenavive...I reduced as I didn’t feeel so good ....all this keeps you on your toes doesn’t it !

Thanks for your opinion and suggestions..I appreciate 🤗

[Jollypolly]

Thanks again Paula, as I’ve reread your words to me and I’ve started looking yet again at Dr Lam and Dr Lee etc...I do feel the answer is something to do with weaning off the hrt and going onto the progesterone cream...so I’ll be looking into this avenue.n

Thanks again.

[Jollypolly]

Hello Paula ,

Yes , hashimotos ..on NDT. Also adrenal fatigue ..that’s the main problem I think...but I sense there is an overriding issue affecting everything,,,I’m sure this estrogen thing is it...

Am thinking of going with the dr Lam thing,,.free telephone call and then maybe go on his programme ...it’s that or Dr Frey Ipswich, OR

DIY !

I’m put off dr Frey by ONE thing...what do you think...? ( I live near him so would be convenient.)

I had the free fifteen minute phone call with him...German accent and breakneck speed to negotiate...and when he asked me what my tsh was I told him... 5.8.....he said that’s a bit high...and I knew he’d suggest I drop my thyroid dose of 2.25..... but I’m on the floor if I go down to two grains...I just feel that as a functional doctor he should know that anyone with hashimotos should have their free t3 at the very top of the range which would be 6.8....

So I’m concerned he didn’t know this,.and it would have really messed me about further if I’d done it ..

I’ve only understood this about the t3 from everything I’ve read here and there..it must be true I feel,..all the thyroid people can’t have this wrong. Would this put YOU off seeing a doctor ? Seeing him and doing all the tests won’t be cheap so I have to get it right,,.my fourth private doctor ! Let me know your thought on this...DIY is Calle going for my bird brain and so exhausting and a bit scary to say the least.

Id have to juggle my thyroid treatment, hrt, adrenal issues and supps all on my own ! I’d rather pay the right professional !

[Alanna012 in reply to Jollypolly]

Some doctors have to keep it on the cautious side officially. Unofficially.......Doctors even in the UK stand to risk their licence for treating their thyroid patients according to symptoms. It takes one patient to make an official complaint. It's understandable that some err on the cautious side (especially if they have large volumes of patients) whether they believe it or not, in order to be able to still help some. Some doctors actually just advise as non-practicing doctors to get around the problem, but it means they can't prescribe.

I would seek a different doctor for your hormone issues. You are unlikely (imo) to get real indepth support and help with those with DF. But it is good as a place to have where you can get your NDT prescribed. But you already know a lot from this forum and so you likely need deeper holistic support now. Problem is it all costs £££ of course.

[Jollypolly]

Dry I tersting Paula..and well done you did it yourself !

Ok..

I’ll have to do some serious thinking !

Kind regards and all the very best wishes for you.

Jolly Polly

[Paulaw22]

I was taking a combined hrt after my hysterectomy but had the same issues. I had to have a repair done and a tumour removed from my cervix as everything else was removed and the new gynaecologist said I should have been given high estrogen hrt and was much better with that! My adrenal glands are ok although I am on low dose thyroxine as half of my thyroid was removed.

I’ve been on HRT now for 12 years but I did have everything removed

[Jollypolly in reply to Paulaw22]

Gosh ,you’ve had a lot Paula,you must be an expert now 🙄 well done then !