Progesterone/Estrogen

I am 43, had a total abdominal hysterectomy, with both ovaries removed, last year, November 22. I have been using an estrogen patch since surgery, and nothing else. We recently went through a lay off and new job, no health insurance for a few months, and then a new health insurance, which of course doesn't cover the Dr. that did the surgery and prescribed the estogen. The new Dr changed the patch to a different one (brand and dose) because of course the new insurance doesn't cover the original one. I now have fibrous breasts, I had a huge cyst in my right breast, have had 3 mammograms and 2 ultrasounds in the last 2 months, and I have a biopsy scheduled for Nov. 1 for a suspicious area in my left breast. A friend told me about Dr. John Lee, and his natural progesterone replacement, but I can't find out how to do this with complete hysterectomy and b.o. It makes sense to me to replace the progesterone, and not just the estrogen, I think I am in estrogen overdose without the progesterone to oppose it. Anyone else going the natural route, and using progesterone cream? And if so, what do you do with your estrogen dose?
Thanks for any thoughts on this.
Nancie

Nancie,
I am using the compounded estrogen and progesterone creams. I use 1 ml of the tri-est and .5 ml of the progesterone daily. When I initially started I was using 1 ml of the progesterone and than bumped it up to 1.5 ml but since have felt like I was overdosing on the progesterone. I've been hearing alot about the progesterone cream building up in your system, so I have now cut back to .5 ml and am holding my own. Not totally balanced yet, but perhaps at least headed in the right direction.
If you will follow this link there is an article titled "Why Progesterone?" http://www.hormonejungle.com/progesterone.htm

Hugs :-)

I feel I have a tad of experience on this issue of progesterone or estrogen ONLY and some *unfortunately* experience with an overdose of each. I think this explains why many women cannot tolerate or are "moody" on birth control pills. Clearly a sense of mental well being relies on a BALANCE of hormones DAILY and that tinkering with extreme ups and downs by withdrawing one or the other is NOT in our best interest. Having taken PROGESTERONE only Depo for six years for birthcontrol I have found the "side effects" to be MAJOR damaging not only to ones body but to ones MIND. I have been told all hormonal medicines are STEROID in nature and mess with the adrenals in ways NOT healthy long term. Clearly all hormonal pills/patches can have a cumulative effect, though my doctor disputes this entirely (?). Now immediately on the heels of major progesterone overdose, and it messing with my body due to NO estrogen, I have this surgery and find I am overdosing on estrogen. Why oh why won't doctors work with us to achieve some balance? Clearly the right balance for each woman is in order? I think the major problem stems not from what we take, in itself, but from "narrow focus" doctors that think a woman comes in a pill have!!! Clearly we can no longer be "patted on the head" and told to go away, and more and more women are aware that antidepressants are just a cover up to what is REALLY wrong. Hormonal tinkering to the max with our systems, and worse NO one is really listening to US. They convince us the surgeries are needed (most probably are for optimum health) but fall short of helping us after surgery to retain our hormones at levels to sustain the rest of our bodily functions, including our MINDS. Perhaps some day such will occur. Can you imagine the outrage if we regularly physically snorfledoodled males and told them to "deal with it"? Not meaning to sound so "off the wall" but really why is it no two doctors can "agree" on what women need or simply agree that the solution may not be in ONE medication only? Off the soap box. Sorry

Did I say smundled males? How did that happen I KNOW I typed snorfledoodled males. Sorry

Does this site prohibit the use of the C word? three times I have typed the word used for cutting off reproductive parts in males and three times it has be changed to smundled, what is going on?

Please tell me I am not NUTS. I double check myself and yes I did type the c word. Why is this happening? I do not mean to offend but please don't do this to my already "foggy" brain.

Oh my, bless your heart. Yes, I do believe the site disaproves of the C word. Although I am not sure why.

It is not your brain fog and you are not nuts.

Kathy, you have got to be dieing of laughter. I must say its not really fair to be changing the words on us since most of us already think we're loosing our minds, heck I can't even spell any more let alone think. Last I checked, snorflation isn't a 4 letter word, at least not to gals in the jungle. I think she is just expessing her anger and fustration its ok with me for her to use ANY word or expession. I truely believe that this site should be an uncensered site as trust is of the utmost importance. There are voices that need to be heard and felt by others, and some words speak louder than others. I hate to have to write, "I had a Total Abdomial Hysterectomy and a Female Smungdle." sounds like something you put in the dryer. It just misses the mark. Kathy, I love this site, but I hate to think someone is correcting my post, except maybe to correct my spelling. I'm sorry I just had to say something. So often women are asked and expected to change and accommendate. I'd just like to say, lets not put any binders, or filters on anyone here in the jungle. I know I want to speak my mind as I'm sure others do as well.

I'm so sorry! The censoring feature of this message board is not to add to the frustration of the member.

There are a number of words that many members find offensive. These words are used in a few of the websites that are negative and inflammatory and quite frankly scary. To add to the the scare of those sites, women who have had a hysterectomy are referred to as C a s t r a t e d. Or N e u t e r e d or S p a y e d.

And so, because of the offensive of those words and to help with the occasional visitor from those sites who float in to post an ugly post, calling members names and blasting them with these kinds of words, we have them censored.

We don't hand edit these words. They are replaced with words as a feature of the software we use.

Thanks for understanding and sorry for the confusion.

PS...FYI....the original post of this thread was posted in 2000...several years ago. Its always a great idea if you would like to post something new...to start a new thread! Its a members ability to just start a thread to question, comment or suggest ideas. Thanks!

I like how they or the software corrected my spelling and tense. It is just to funny! Thanks for the evening smile!