HRT for my wife?

[SPEEDY]

Hi, my wife is 45 and suffering the following -

Legs feel very tight, water retention we are presuming
Occasional sore breasts
Poor memory/ scatterbrain like
Gradual loss of libido over last five years, now its zero libido
Poor response to sexual stimulation / loss of feeling ' down there '
Weight gain even with good diet and going to the gym
Last six months she has had irregular periods

From what I have read this is classic hormone problems and the irregular periods may be her entering menopause?

She is currently taking the combined pill which I don't think helps. Appointment booked with Dr in 3 weeks, should they do a blood test or get her to stop taking the pill first?

Any advice would be gratefully received. We are in the UK
Many Thanks

 

[Vince Carter]

Id keep takling the pills and draw blood so you can see exactly whats happening NOW, if the pills stopped then you do bloods its certain to show a different landscape than what she may be experiencing now.

 

[Saxon]

My wife has run low dose test for over a year now. Started with prop to manage sides and now she takes 11.5mg every 6 days. Her test levels are above "normal" but there is no virilization and she loves the results: She's leaner and harder and her mental state has improved (less anxiety), nails and hair seems healthier. Interestingly also is that her periods are more regular and she says they feel and look like they did when she was in her twenties.

 

[SPEEDY]

Thanks fellas. What are the things she should have checked in the blood test?
Saxon - is your wifes protocol from a doctor or is that self medication?
Thanks

 

[CoastWatcher]

CBC, CMP, total and free testosterone, estradiol, estrone, total estrogens, DHEA-S, progesterone, LH, FSH, TSH, ft3, ft4, rt3, and both thyroid antibody panels.

 

[ratbag]

Typically pre-menopausal women become estrogen dominant and progesterone is counteracts that... so until you get to your physician, progesterone would be good therapy because it cannot harm anything. At best it'll help balance her estrogen, and at worse do nothing for her. Buy the cream if you can get it. It's available OTC in the USA

 

[SPEEDY]

CBC, CMP, total and free testosterone, estradiol, estrone, total estrogens, DHEA-S, progesterone, LH, FSH, TSH, ft3, ft4, rt3, and both thyroid antibody panels.

Thanks Coastwatcher

 

[Saxon]

She self medicates. Bloods before and regularly. Pharma grade test only.

 

[SPEEDY]

So my wife had her appointment with her GP. Explained symptomns and they agreed to give her a blood test. She asked for all her hormones to be tested at which point the Dr told her they do not test women for Testosterone. A week later we get the results and are told everything is normal. I requested a copy of the blood tests and cannot see Estrogen or progesterone so she called the Dr, the reply........"we only run progesterone and estrogen in pregnant women, her LH and FSH are fine so there is no problem with her hormones"

 

[ratbag]

This is typical response from mainstream physicians. They do not test for anything more than they have to. Go see Defy and they take it to the next level.

 

[Dr Justin Saya MD]

So my wife had her appointment with her GP. Explained symptomns and they agreed to give her a blood test. She asked for all her hormones to be tested at which point the Dr told her they do not test women for Testosterone. A week later we get the results and are told everything is normal. I requested a copy of the blood tests and cannot see Estrogen or progesterone so she called the Dr, the reply........"we only run progesterone and estrogen in pregnant women, her LH and FSH are fine so there is no problem with her hormones"

They wasted your/her time and, unfortunately, offered no insight whatsoever. Probably for the best as even IF they tested and discovered deficiencies it is highly unlikely they would (A) address the deficiencies and (B) address the deficiencies appropriately.

 

[SPEEDY]

They wasted your/her time and, unfortunately, offered no insight whatsoever. Probably for the best as even IF they tested and discovered deficiencies it is highly unlikely they would (A) address the deficiencies and (B) address the deficiencies appropriately.

Yes, thankyou for confirming what I thought. Unfortunately I am in the UK so it looks like I am going to have to find a specialist here.

 

[Systemlord]

So my wife had her appointment with her GP. Explained symptomns and they agreed to give her a blood test. She asked for all her hormones to be tested at which point the Dr told her they do not test women for Testosterone. A week later we get the results and are told everything is normal. I requested a copy of the blood tests and cannot see Estrogen or progesterone so she called the Dr, the reply........"we only run progesterone and estrogen in pregnant women, her LH and FSH are fine so there is no problem with her hormones"

Unbelievable, mainstream doctors make it extremely difficult to get treatment and overuse the word normal to deny services do cost and the medical system in the UK doesn't have the capability to offer complete male/female hormone replacement. Their a long way off from being able to properly manage hormones therapy, the private sector will likely be where those types of services are rendered.


Sarcastic rant - Men don't have estrogen, women don't have testosterone.

 

[ratbag]

Can she go to Belgium? because one of Europe's leading MD's is there. Lots of men and women from the UK go to see [FONT=&quot]Dr. Hertoghe.[/FONT]

http://www.hertoghe.eu/en/

 

[Dr Justin Saya MD]

Can she go to Belgium? because one of Europe's leading MD's is there. Lots of men and women from the UK go to see [FONT=&quot]Dr. Hertoghe.[/FONT]

http://www.hertoghe.eu/en/

Dr Hertoghe would be an excellent option if geography and cost are not prohibitive.

 

[SPEEDY]

Thanks for the info fellas - Dr Saya, would there be any harm in experimenting with progesterone cream or is that not advised?

 

[Dr Justin Saya MD]

Thanks for the info fellas - Dr Saya, would there be any harm in experimenting with progesterone cream or is that not advised?

I can never, in good faith, encourage experimenting with any hormone treatment (even progesterone) without adequate and competent monitoring and adjusting from a healthcare professional. The challenge often is (as you’ve discovered) finding such a provider.

 

[SPEEDY]

I can never, in good faith, encourage experimenting with any hormone treatment (even progesterone) without adequate and competent monitoring and adjusting from a healthcare professional. The challenge often is (as you’ve discovered) finding such a provider.

Thankyou for your reply.