My endocrinologist has recommended me to take DHEA slow release 12.5mg. I'm 46 and female. Wondering what other people's experiences are. Thanks.
Current bloods:
Testosterone <0.4 nmol/L (Range: 0 - 1.8)
Free Testosterone - Calc. 0.00185 nmol/L (Range: 0 - 0.03)
Free Androgen Index Unable to calculate.
Prolactin 413 mIU/L (Range: 102 - 496)
DHEA Sulphate 1.7 umol/L (Range: 0.26 - 11)
I've been taking 15mg for the last 2 months, nothing bad has happened 😅 I've actually slightly reduced my estrogen and testosterone doses... overall I'm feeling good and my tracking device tells me my recovery and readiness have been steadily improving over this period 🤷♀️
My DHEA levels was 74 (106 -300) when I started
Eeyore100,
Good to hear a positive story. How exactly are you feeling good? Looks like you have a different ref range. Are you getting it prescribed or from elsewhere?
This was my last result:
DHEA Sulphate 1.7 umol/L (Range: 0.26 - 11)
I'm also wondering if I'll need to continue with Prasterone. I'm taking 3 pumps oestrogel and 3 capsules of Utrogestan.
That's hard to summarise... a little less Eeyore 😅 generally all round more balanced, better energy levels and endurance, little more tolerant of people 😏... sleeps good, feel a little more upbeat... finally booked myself in to see the osteopath which I just haven't felt up to for the last few years... so a rise in self worth?
I was on 4 pumps Lenzetto which I have dropped to 2 and dropped testosterone to 3 days a week from 5...
My DHEA result pg/ml from a saliva test so presume this is free level? Is yours from a blood sample?
Had to google Prasterone... isn't it an vaginal form of DHEA?
Just had a rummage about and my blood serum DHEA was 7.5 umol/L at the time of the saliva test... though the range has lowered since I last took it 2 years ago (0.51-5.56) I'm 55 now 😕
Eeyore100,
That sounds really good and positive. I could do with a lot of that! Wish you all the best with your osteopath appointment. I'm lacking in a lot of those areas and have been for a long time.
How did you know you needed less of the HRT? My testosterone levels are close to 0 at the moment. Yes these are all blood levels. I've updated my original post with results.
Yes Prasterone is vaginal DHEA as the standard oestrogen pessary stopped working for me 😢I wonder if taking oral DHEA will do away with the need for Prasterone.
Remind me have you tried using testosterone?
I've been using HRT for a few years now and have tuned into the signs
Your DHEA is considerably lower than mine as is your testosterone mine is at 1.65 free 0.019 (0-0.02).... my prolactin is 380 (102-496)
Certainly looks like a trial of DHEA would be a good thing to help raise your levels and give you a base to build up from
First visit to Osteo a triumph and my neck is now realigned... not one joint sitting correctly!
I haven’t tried testosterone. Why do you ask? I’ve been on HRT for a year now. So oestrogel which I’m quite fed up of due to having to apply it and Utrogestan. Why do you need testosterone if you’re using DHEA? Do you take Utrogestan?
You'd normally add testosterone when your levels are low and as you have been on HRT for a year it ought to be an option as the NHS certainly won't offer you DHEA ❌ banned substance! Get your testosterone levels up and it works as a back up reservoir that the body can change to estrogen if needed as you seem to be struggling to get it high enough
It's another option to try... adding DHEA is a little harder to judge what it might choose to become... maybe estrogen maybe testosterone or a bit of both 🤷♀️
I've added a bit of DHEA to see how it smooths things out as it has other benefits like keeping us youthful 😏 hence lowered the HRT... just experimenting really
Yeah I'm not keen on the slime so Lenzetto and Utrogestan... I've never had my progesterone levels tested... 🤔
I've added the DHEA along side hydrocortisone to help with low cortisol and tired adrenals
I found this site rather useful... hormonerestoration.com/Cort...
My salivary cortisol levels are very high. I was quite stressed when I did the test which probably doesn’t help either. Think I’ve seen that website before but thanks for the reminder.
Hmm... so adding DHEA would make sense... "DHEA is the body's natural cortisol antagonist and prevents many of the negative effects of cortisol."
Really I should have asked the Endo why he went for DHEA in the appointment but I was in my “I can’t be bothered mood” at the time which didn’t help. He also has me on a 6 week biphasic diet at the moment which is sapping my mood and energy. Might change to the small patches and I’m also tired of applying and waiting for the gel to dry. Does DHEA help with skin and hair? I thought it was linked to hair loss. My friends think I’ve shrunk and they don’t mean weight loss. I also have no libido. Actually I can’t remember the last time I ever did!
The Americans seem to class DHEA as the youthful supplement good for all elements... I can't help but think it's a very male thing to judge things on libido don't you? It seems to be the last thing that men lose but the first thing shelved by women when tired, hungry, good book 😏... unwell 🤷♀️
Eeyore100,
Yes I suppose it is. I wondered if you experienced any changes or symptoms switching from oestrogel to the patch? Do you use Estrodot?
I've not used Oestrogel as didn't like the slime application 😣 I started with tablets which made me nauseous then combined patches Evorel 50 which weren't strong enough unless I added several 💡swapped to Lenzetto, Utrogestan and Testosterone and then 18 months later added DHEA
Eeyore100,
I liked Lenzetto but I found it ran out too quickly. Even quicker than the gel. I think I used 4 sprays. It did dry quickly which was good. I was thinking of Estrodot as people say that’s the smallest and stickiest one. I was discouraged against oral tablets due to interactions with thyroid medications. Interesting how they didn’t say that to you. How strange they made you nauseous.
I think I reacted particularly badly to the tablets as at the time I was on T4 only, blissfully unaware that I still felt awful due to low fT3... took me another couple of years till I found this forum for the penny to drop 🤨 my surgery hasn't been much use when it comes to thyroid or menopause treatment 😒
I used to use 2 squirts morning and night with Lenzetto before I decreased to just 2 in the evening since the addition of DHEA
Does Estradot come in a decent size dosage? My surgery seemed unaware patches came in different strengths
Is this an NHS endo? Your endo sounds interesting and helpful.
No he’s private. He’s functional medicine trained. Very through but he can be expensive if you don’t have insurance. I do think he’s the best so far out of all the people I’ve seen over the years.
Just out of interest could you message me his details please? I’m thinking of looking for a functional medicine person but it’s difficult to know where to start. Is he an endocrinolgist?
Yes he’s an endocrinologist. I’ve messaged you.
I'm afraid my experience was not positive. I took DHEA for a while but it all converted into testosterone and I was covered in acne! Not a good look at 60! So, I had to stop it.
greygoose,
That is my fear too. Sorry to hear that. The endo did say it was very low dose and slow release. I guess I won't know until I try it. My testosterone levels are low too.
How much were you taking?
Oh, sorry, can't remember. It was a long time ago.
My endocrinologist has recommended me to take DHEA slow release 12.5mg.
This surprises me - is the endo going to prescribe it?
DHEA only appears in the BNF (British National Formulary) as a vaginal pessary, not a pill.
bnf.nice.org.uk/drugs/prast...
DHEA is not available for sale as a supplement in the UK. Compare this to the USA where DHEA is sold as an over the counter supplement.
DHEA is a controlled drug that appears on the government's controlled drugs list under the name prasterone :
assets.publishing.service.g...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prast...
Anyone importing it could, theoretically, get their DHEA confiscated and destroyed, and they could end up with a criminal record for importing an illegal drug.
DHEA was apparently controlled in the UK because it was classified as an anabolic steroid. I think whoever decided that made a stupid mistake. The fact that all humans have DHEA flowing through their veins, and the fact that it is one of the most abundant circulating steroids in the human body seems to be ignored.
So, back to my first question... Is the endo going to prescribe it, and if yes where will it be sourced from? If the endo won't prescribe where is he expecting you to get it from?
Sorry for getting so worked up about this...
The whole situation with DHEA is utterly absurd and illogical and it really annoys me. It seems likely to me that low levels are more of a problem for women than men. And nobody seems to be interested in removing it from the controlled drugs list and allowing it to be sold here.
😠
Hello,
Thank you for that information. Yes he will prescribe it. He recommends and suggests things. Hence why I said recommended. It’s up to me if I choose to accept his suggestions. It may come from Roseway Labs. I’m not sure yet as I’ve not sent the signed consent form. However, previous prescriptions for other medications also came from Roseway so it may be the same online pharmacy.
As for Prasterone, again this was recommended by the Endo, but the GP does prescribe this thankfully and it’s been incredibly helpful.
Main causes of Air Hunger?
Low DHEA
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