Women's Int'l Pharmacy Doctors

I called and emailed, and also spoke with a pharmicist at the WIP. They were extremely helpful. And the information they sent was wonderful. I was shocked to find out that the first doctor on their list (in my area) is my original doctor who did the surgery! He knew how sensitive I am to meds..and yet never mentioned to me the alternatives.

Perhaps I never gave him the chance. Well, whatever the reason, I am better informed now than I was 8 months ago, and I am taking the list I received from WIP of HRT alternatives. He did not believe I needed progesterone after a Hyst, and so this may be hard to address with him. But I am going to try. (Couldn't take Progesterone before).

My appt is the 21st. When I spoke with the nurse and told her I had been thru 7 different estrogens and all the symptoms they had caused, and how I felt without ANY HRT's ( I tried that, too, for 3 weeks. Ugh.)-- well, I asked if they would PLEASE do some blood tests. She said, yes, they would do blood work to determine if I was menopausal. LOL!!!

But I've read the link about the symptoms if you don't have enought estrogen or progesterone and I've had them all except asthma. Maybe I should just print out the list and hand it to the doctor.

Anyone with any additional insight, I would appreciate. I have to be better informed, I think, before THIS appointment. He is a good doctor, he cares about patients, but it is hard to find out what he is thinking and you have to ask the right questions.
<<KathyLynne

Kathy,
I would definetly print out those lists and take them with you. You may wish to hilight those symptoms you are experiencing. You may also wish to note whether they are severe, mild, etc. Another idea may be to make a list of all the estrogens you have tried and the symptoms you experienced while taking them, and how long you were on them. This will give your doc some hard evidence to go by, versus trying to remember EVERYTHING while you are in his office. I know for myself, brainfog strikes heavily once I enter the doctor's office.

I located several doctors thru the PCCA and have found that just because they are on the list doesn't necessarily mean that they subscribe to the using progesteron theory and also does not mean that they know alot about hormones. But it is a place to start and it is up to us to educate ourselves and to press the docs for more info. And if one doesn't work out, than you go on to the next one. There ARE doctors out there who can help us, we just have to find them.

Good luck to you Kathy, I hope you find some relief and the path out of this place we call the jungle soon.

Hugs :-)

Dear Kim,
Thanks for all the helpful hints! My brainfog has been heavy, anyway, and I KNOW how I am when I go in the dr's office. I guess I get intimidated when I say something and they look at me kind of funny. But after being on this website since Oct, I have learned so much, and I realize that the symptoms I'm having are not freakish and it's not all in my mind....other women DO have these same problems!

I had already written down everything I've took (and in the process put all of it in a plastic bag--LOL). I think I will type it out, print out the symptoms, highlight everything--well, just do as you suggested.

Right now I am kind of "doctoring" myself..I am taking 1 mg of estradiol every other day....just enough to keep me halfway decent. Also, at Trish's helpful suggestions, I'm taking Evening Primrose Oil, Vitamin E, and an omega 3 (I bought fish oil, but she suggested flaxseed...what is the difference? I'm just wondering..although the fish oil gives a funny after-taste.LOL) And,I decided to take a B complex, too, in addition to my multiple vitamin and also Calcium supplement. I just started all this stuff yesterday.

Thanks again!
<<KathyLynne

Your welcome Kathy!
I've sort of been doctoring myself too. After going to numerous docs, I finally called my family doc (who by the way is an absolute saint ) who called my compounding pharmacist and he wrote my prescriptions. I'm currently dealing with some other medical issues and as soon as I have those resolved I will be on the hunt for a good hormone doc again. I am going to take my own advice and type everything out, print out those lists, and have a package ready to present to the new doc. It does help to know that we are not alone and that we are not crazy

I get initimated by my docs too (except my family doc ) I go in all ready to hit them with both barrels loaded and than I suddenly start stammering and turn into a little mouse. Squeak, squeak, squeak

Be sure and let us know how the visit with the doc goes.

Hugs :-)