Anyone else taking "hormone shots"?

I have been going to the dr for hormone shots for over a year now. It is a combination estrogen & testosteone, but I am not sure of the proper name. I go every 3 - 4 weeks and it has helped tremendously with the night sweats, hot flashes & libido.

I don't know if I still need progesterone or not. I am not myself - I don't feel the same "zest for life" that I used to. Also I have gaine 20 lbs and blood pressure is high.

Would love to hear from anyone taking injections and hear pros and cons to switching to either the patch or pill form.

Thanks for all your support!!

Laurie in Michigan
TAH 3/1/00

Hi Laurie. I seem to be taking the same injection you are. I'am
also on the vivelle dot .1mg patch. I've only had three injections,
dr. is trying to get my levels up, I'm not that far from surgery.
My shot also has B6 in it. I'm not too happpy about being dependent on the shot. I'm alittle concerned about the testosterone in it, don't want to get hairy. I just started back on the progesterone cream for hot flashes which seems to be working so far. I too have gained a few pounds which I needed
like a hole in the head. I'm not sure of the name of the shot, dr. just said it was TEM or TME . You might try the prescription progesterone cream and see if that helps. I would gather all the info you can on this first though as it seems when you first use this things can get worse before they get better. I tried this before & after 2 wks had problems (didn't understand this would happen) so I quit using it and hot flashes started, put up with this for about month or so and started using it again and right away hot flashes quit. Now wondering if I even need the shot because for the first few days it feels like too much estrogen and had to use more progesterone to balance it out. Anyway sorry this is so long. I may talk to a compounding pharmacy if I have to continue with the shot for another option. (cream or Tri-est maybe) I'm sure other ladies will be a long with more advise
as they have all been a tremendous help to me. Take care, Karen
Love my patch!

Hi there,
I have been getting depo-estradiol...not testosterone for a year and a half. I felt good and liked the shots...I enjoyed not having to do anything daily about the hormones. As time passed though I had increasing problems with anxiety and sort of everything bothered me...where I used to be very easy going. I started using progesterone cream and that is helping quite a bit, but now I am noticing the fluctuations of the shot...I think since the ratio keeps changing between the estrogen and progesterone it gives me a sort of swing that I am not liking very much. I am thinking about attempting to go on vivelle dot or maybe compounded estradiol cream or troches(sublingual) and seeing how that does. I have gained weight also since my hysterectomy. It seems that the low estrogen causes weight gain most for me....I am hoping that when I get things settled that I will be able to lose weight. I have to say that the weight is the most frustrating thing since my surgery.
Love
Becky

Hi Laurie...
I had terrible problems with oral estrogen. For whatever reason no matter what I tried it didn't work for me. Finally my doctor started me on delestrogen shots (15 mg) every 2 weeks. I do not use progesterone...when I did try it, it made me sick to my stomach. I use testoserone cream every other night and also estrace vaginal cream on the nights I'm not using the testosterone cream. My bloodwork finally came back normal and my doctor is very happy with both my estrodial level and FSH level. He did tell me he thinks I will have to have shots from now on since oral estrogen was not working for me. I know that every 2 weeks sounds like a lot, but I am hoping that as I get older that I will need less shots. I am 43 now and for whatever reason every 2 weeks is how often I need to have these injections for now. I really haven't had any side effects from the shots. I hope that this method works well for you. Best of luck!