His and Her Health

Ok, here goes. I feel like I am going insane. I had a complete hysterectomy 1 1/2 years ago to alleviate fibroids and endo. I have always struggled with hormone imbalance but it is now at a point that is making my life unbearable. I was on Femhrt for awhile, then the combipatch and both made my mood swings and irritability even worse. I am currently taking black cohosh, vitamin e and evening primrose. Over the last 6 months I have seen the quality of my life go down the drain. I can't concentrate, my memory is shot, hot flashes, migraines, aching joints, tiredness, leg pain, and the feeling that I have lost myself are with me everyday. My fiancee has been tolerant because he believes 100% that my emotional instability is not me. He compares it to being "under the influence". I am willing to try anything....please help. Thanks....

You may find some answers on our website and companion site.
www.menopausewise.com
www.redhotmamas.org

Check out Oprah on Thursdays. You and I share similar physical and mental issues. Hormone therapy is the answer...I'd bet my life on it. I've been treated for depression and fibromyalgia for 14 years. Antidepressants, pain meds, head ache pills,psorisis meds, allergy complaints, etc. So bad Im disabled by Soc. Sec.
Guess what? My symptoms read like a checklist for Hormone imbalance!!!!!

I had my levels done today. Cant wait to see the results.

Oh my dear God, both of you have my story down path! I am 42 and had a hysterectomy about 10 years ago, but she left me an ovary. I have all the symptoms of menopause but I think my doctor is stupid. I just got my fsh, estradiol and testosterone levels checked and the nurse called me today to give me blood results (other stuff too) she says everything is fine. I ask her, ok, what's my estradiol #, she says 3! Isn't it supposed to be like 200? My testos is 1.5, isn't it supposed to be about 50? Progres is 0.2, it's supposed to be 10-20! I asked her if she thought this was normal, she was stuttering, well, well, I'll have the doctor call you! I want something, anything to alleviate all my symptoms and I am going crazy so I want Valium! I've never taken any pills or drugs or alcool, but right now i'm ready to take just about anything before they have to put me in a loony bin! (sorry about my English, i'm French). Can anybody help!?

Christine42, here are links to a couple of our websites with information I think can help you.
www.menopausewise.com and www.redhotmamas.org

The best information I can give you is that you have a medical condition that is completely treatable. Medically, menopause is called profound hypogonadism and if your doctor would see it for what it is you would get the treatment that you are seeking. Further, you would be much healthier for it.

Since your ovaries can’t supply your hormones to your body any more, now you have to do it. Your ovaries made lots of hormones in very specific amounts and if you supply those hormones in those amounts you should feel much better.

Tell your doctor that you want to supply your ovarian hormones back to your body and you need his help. You can request estradiol cream (2-3 mg/day), testosterone cream (2-6 mg/day), dhea (25-50 mg/day) and progesterone cream (30-40 mg/day). If your doctor is reluctant to prescribe testosterone cream then increase your dhea, which you can get online from a vitamin store.

Menopause is not unique to women. Men with profound hypogonadism suffer from the identical symptoms, mood swings, periodic episodes of sweating (hot flashes), loss of sexual function, and weaker bones, for the same reasons. Their gonads, or testicles, are no longer working or have been removed.

In a perfect world you would have been transitioned to this regimen at the time of your surgery but that didn’t happen. Tell your doctor that you have profound hypogonadism, a perfectly treatable illness. Also, tell your doctor that this is lifelong treatment. If you ever stop treatment the ill health of profound hypogonadism will return.