Total Hysterectomy 3 yrs ago

-52 yrs old
-TH with one ovary left only because i told him if it looked good to leave it, he did. Well according to my levels prior to my surgery I should have been having ns, hf. etc
-moving forward - i have had 3 good yrs of no ns, hf, or emotional crap.. suddenly I am having them all. WHICH tells me the one ovary that was left was producing and now has stopped.
- Any ideas as to which HRT is the best? I am at a loss
I am having HF every hour and night sweats every 30 mins, hence i am up writing to you guys. Insomnia? you bet.
Have an appmt in a week with gyn, I just don't want to play the let's try this game, and lets try that game.

-been taking otc stuff begins with an e something. what a waste of cash.. :hot flash: this sums it up.

I have ice packs on me all day and night.

thanks
Sharon

being i am not a crown member most of the smilies had to be removed.. ns, ht, insomnia, cold then hot, crying over stupid stuff.

Hi Sharon! to Hyster Sisters and the Hormone Jungle!

It sounds like you're miserable! I think it's good that you're going to see your doctor. There are a lot of choices when it comes to hormone therapy and unfortunately, there's no one right choice for everyone, which is why this is such a jungle.

I'm 50 now and I'm using the 0.1 Vivelle Dot for my estrogen. I like it because it is bio-identical, meaning it has the same estradiol that my ovaries made. It's a transparent, flexible patch which I change every 3 1/2 days and obviously since it is stuck on my skin there's no pill to remember to take. My preference is to use all transdermal hormones, so in addition to the Vivelle Dot I'm using compounded progesterone and testosterone creams. Oh, I also use Vagifem for vaginal dryness issues. I know that sounds like a lot, and you may or may not need all of those. It's easiest and most effective to start with estrogen, get balanced on it, then see if you have symptoms which would be helped by the other hormones. Using the too much/too little symptom list as a guide and keeping a journal of your symptoms along with any other medications and supplements you are taking are two good tools to use as you work to find balance.

Articles #10 - 13 in this link to the Hormone Jungle Articles will give you a good idea of what's available to help you decide what you are interested in trying. My bias is toward Vivelle Dot. There are many different doses--0.025, 0.0375, 0.05, 0.075 and 0.1. It's better to start low and work your way up, though the lowest dose is usually isn't going to be sufficient for someone in surgical menopause.

Good luck at your appointment! Let us know how it goes, okay?

s

P. S. - It would be very helpful if you would take a minute or two to complete the Member Survey and also change the date showing in your profile to reflect your hysterectomy surgery, which you can do using this link.

Sharon,
I'm sorry you've had to venture into the jungle. There really isn't one *best* method or form of hrt. We are all different, thus hrt is not one size fits all. That doesn't mean that you won't have success with your first choice, just that if it doesn't work out, you do have many options.

Do read thru the information in the links that April Dawn provided. Perhaps you could print the ones that interest you the most out and take them in to discuss with your doctors.

Good luck with your appointment. Do let us know how it goes and how you're doing.