estrogen - Menopause Message Board

robinhy · 03-30-2005, 11:29 AM

I've been told I should start taking estrogen. I'm really against this idea. There's so much bad press out there. Plus I have so many other hormone problems I keep thinking my meno is a symptom and not a cause. But anyway, I'm trying to sort out the whole estrogen thing. Isn't this stuff really bad to take? Is there such thing as safe estrogen? Are there natural estrogen creams in the same way that there are natural progesterone creams?

Someone please, bring me up to speed.

Robin

mgraylorn · 03-30-2005, 02:41 PM

Estrogen can raise your blood pressure and can lead to breast cancer. I have a friend with no other risk factors for breast cancer and she took HRT and got the cancer.

Unless you feel really bad and can't find relief any other way, don't take it. If you must take it, take as small a dose as works and take it for the shortest time you can.

robinhy · 03-31-2005, 12:48 AM

I'm really sorry to hear that this happened. That's why I don't trust docs.

Thanks for this info. Cancer is certainly my fear. But what about natural estrogen creams (not vaginal)? Are these also high risk. I'm currently taking black cohosh. Do you have any experience with that?

I've been drinking soy milk for several years because I'm lactose intolerant. But soy is bad for the thyroid so I stopped.

Robin

spongebobgamma · 03-31-2005, 01:40 AM

Hi Robin,

Was it your Dr who told you that you need estrogen? Maybe you can have a talk with him/her about your risk factor.

Yes there are bio-identical estrogens. It still needs to be prescribed by a Dr. You can use compounded estrogen cream or use one of the estrogen patches. I use the climara patch which is bio-identical, or made to be like your natural estrogen. I have been on it for 4 years with no side effects, except total relief of menopause symptoms.

I know there is a risk with taking hrt but quality of life is important to me also so I weigh those risks. I was in surgical menopause so it was pretty drastic. Plus the estrogen I get from the patch is still less than what my natural ovaries produced.

I also use a natural progesterone cream that I get otc. It helps alot with my joint pains. Not to be confused with progestin which is synthetic. The natural progesterone can convert to estrogen so some women use that instead of estrogen.

spongebobgamma · 03-31-2005, 11:01 AM

Hi Newby,

I know that group of sisters!! Im on the .1 climara patch. I had a total hyst at 41 due to endo. So I dont have ovaries to produce any estrogen or progesterone. I had to go without estrogen for 6 months to kill the endo. When I went on the estrogen endo came back so I had to go off for another 4 months. But Im doing good now.

From what I've read progesterone can convert to estrogen or testosterone if its lacking in your body. But its not for all women, some dont do good on it.. or it builts up in the body too much. I feel really good using it.. do a search on it and see what you come up with..