bioidentical hormones safety

1. How many of you women are using bioidentical hormones? I go 'back and forth', trying to make up my mind if I feel they are safe to use. I have read multiple data on each side- some say 'not FDA approved= not safe. Other sites say research says it is safe. What is the latest data? Those of you who have been on it- how long? any problems?
   Thank you.
2. 

   About ilmbg

   Joined: Sep '07; Posts: 140; Likes: 68

   14 Comments

   Topic Closed

   1 2 Next »
3. 
   Apr 23, '09

   Joined: Apr '09; Posts: 22; Likes: 3

   I'm taking bioidenticals and love them. I am still cycling so don't need estrogen but take progesterone with just a whisper of testosterone to keep me frisky. I had night sweats, insomnia, and irritability. No more! Keep in mind, the pharmaceutical companies don't like bioidenticals because they can't patent them. One cannot patent anything that occurs naturally in nature.
   Do not go to the health food store for your needs. Go to a doctor for blood tests to measure your hormone level. Then see a compounding pharmacist.
   Good luck finding your peace.
4. 
   Apr 23, '09

   Joined: Sep '07; Posts: 140; Likes: 68

   student00- Thanks- but what did your doc say about the safety?
5. 
   Apr 23, '09

   Joined: Nov '07; Posts: 74; Likes: 5

   I have been taking bioidentical hormones for a couple of years now and I love them! The difference they made for me is more than night and day. My brother is my doctor and he tells me they are very safe.
   Amy
6. 
   Apr 23, '09

   Joined: Apr '09; Posts: 22; Likes: 3

   My doctor say they are the safest hormones because they are plant based. These plant based hormones are closer to our make up than than say, horse urine.
7. 
   Apr 23, '09

   Joined: Sep '07; Posts: 140; Likes: 68

   Amy- can I ask about how old you are, and how much 'post menopausal' you are? I talked with the doc today- she says the risk is the same as HRT, cardiac.clots, CA. The longer you are on it the more risk.
   In a study, of 10,000 patients, 8 will develop cancer, an elevation from those who do not use BIH. The longer you use it, the greater the risk, just like HRT. Women over 60 are not supposed to use it. You are not supposed to use it if you were a young age menstrual start and/or late ending menopause.
   I think I am going to take a stab at it- I am 55, so have a little time.
   
   This female doc believes that after menopause is 'done', you get your brains back, have memory, don't get fat and can sleep. I'm not sure I agree with that part- at least with myself- that's all the reasons I want to try it!! No brains, no memory, no sleep, gained a little weight, temperature intolerances (seems like 60-65 degrees is all I can handle).
   Here's crossing my fingers...
8. 
   Apr 24, '09

   Joined: Apr '09; Posts: 22; Likes: 3

   Hi I'm 52. I've never heard of those adverse affects your Doc mentioned. My period started at 12. I'm still flowing but not much. All I know is that my symptoms are relieved. Eight pts in 10,000 will get cancer? More people than that get killed in car accidents daily.
9. 
   Apr 24, '09

   Joined: Sep '07; Posts: 140; Likes: 68

   That is what the doc told me over the phone. I have an appointment May 11. If I remember, I want to get copies/read research results.
10. 
    Apr 25, '09

    Joined: Apr '09; Posts: 22; Likes: 3

    The doctor will be happy to give you copies and explain what the values mean. Actually my pharmacist sat me down and explained everything. I spent more time with her than my doc. The doc just approved the blood draw, my pharmacist explained everything. But then, my pharmacist is in the hormone business.
11. 
    Apr 27, '09

    Joined: Nov '07; Posts: 74; Likes: 5

    Hi ilmbg,
    I am 47 and have been taking progesterone for about 4 years. I took a capsule for about a year and now I apply a cream 2X a day. I think I am "perimenopausal" - not sure. My mom is 72 and began taking progesterone about the same time as me. I just got bloodwork done again and now I think my brother is going to add testosterone. I also never heard of the side effects you mentioned.
    I can tell you this - the difference it made for me was nothing short of a miracle.
12. 
    Apr 28, '09

    Joined: Apr '09; Posts: 22; Likes: 3

    Amen.
    Careful, not too much testoterone. You don't want to be the bearded woman in the circus. My pharmacist gives me 125mg progest/0.5mg/0.5ml testos. It keeps me frisky and interested.
13. 
    Apr 28, '09

    From: US ; Joined: Jan '09; Posts: 184; Likes: 217

    I'm a 21 year old male, so I've never used them, but I sat through a mock trial for a the lawsuit of a woman who lost her breast due to Premarin. the company that makes that drug had internal memos that said they know for a fact that HRT can increase the growth rates of breast tumors significantly, and after hours of listening to doctors and lawyers on both sides, I was completely, unequivocally convinced that the drug gave the plaintif breast cancer, aggravated it to the point she lost her breast and pectoralis major, and that the company knew all of this was possible beforehand and went out of their way to hide the information from the public.
    
    I am not a woman, so forgive me if I'm out of line by saying this, but I'm pretty sure menopause is a natural and healthy thing to go through, and that women have survived it just fine for thousands of years without paying sleazeball pharmecutical companies lots of money...and I know of at least one major company and one drug that is clearly dangerous.
    
    I have not seen a single advertizement or heard a single conversation about HRT since that trial that I have not gone out of my way to tell people that this drug can be dangerous. I may not know much about medicine or the law yet, but I have a pretty strong hunch the FDA knows which side it's bread is buttered on and the only reason the safety risks aren't more publicized is corruption.
    
    that's just my opinion as a juror in this mock-trial, not as a nurse or as a woman (I'm neither one at the moment...haha), but you should know that there have been well grounded suits against companies which produce these drugs.
    
    of course, I'm just biased against unnecessary medication in general...the muscle tic I got from an SSRI I didn't really need is to blame for that.
    
    Best of luck either way =)
14. 
    Apr 29, '09

    Joined: Apr '09; Posts: 22; Likes: 3

    Dear Feralnostalgia,
    I agree. Using Premarin (estrogen synthesized from pregnant horse urine) will unequivocally, without a doubt give one cancer. There is not one dispute over that.
    What we were talking about is progesterone that is plant based. Plant based hormones are much closer to progesterone produced by the human body.
    You are right about women surviving menopause for 1000s of years. I don't agree with the "just fine" part. Women have actually gotten away with murder because of hormonal rage. I think we can both agree that age-related impotence in men is a natural healthy thing to go through as well. But that doesn't stop Viagra at $10.00 a pill from flying of prescription pads.

Must Read Topics