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Getting off compounded hormones

by Vickie
(California)

Hi Wray, I have been taking compounded hormones for about 8 years. I am now 56 and post menopausal. I had the worst peri-m and menopause ever! I have a history of lots of female problems, and have had multiple surgeries for infertility, so menopause was just another misery in a long list of pain over my lifetime. I believe now that I have always been estrogen dominant.

Anyway, I now think that the compounded hormones are starting to have some side effects. For one, I now have borderline hypothyroidism. My skin is getting dryer, and my hair is getting thinner. I am also depressed and I have panic attacks. Can natural progesterone help reverse the thyroid problem? My Dr. says it is considered borderline. I do not want to take thyroid medication.

Also, can estrogen cause stomach aches? For a short while I was using the est-ring and had to stop due to severe stomach pain. Was wondering if you can direct me to any articles about that. Thanks.

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Nov 12, 2010
 Getting off compounded hormones
by: Wray

Hi Vickie I imagine the compounded hormones contained oestrogen, plus progesterone? Or was it a progestin? Either of these could have caused problems. If it was progesterone, the amount would have been too low to counter the oestrogen, in fact it would ramp up oestrogen's affect. See our page on Oestrogen Dominance for more info. If a progestin, it would merely have increased the misery. Please see our page on HRT. Oestrogen does slow the thyroid, so hypothyroidism doesn't surprise me. Oestrogen does nothing for our skin or hair either, whereas progesterone does, see here, here and here. If progesterone drops, depression can set in, high oestrogen suppresses progesterone. Plus you were using the estring, which increased it further, see here. Oestrogen causes water retention, bloating, nausea and is a known inflammatory agent. So your sore tummy doesn't surprise me either! We do have info about panic attacks, depression etc, please see this page on Anxiety. Progesterone can certainly suppress the excess oestrogen you have, which would gradually help sort things out, thyroid included. But it can take time, it took 6 months before I came right. But then I was using the standard 'dose' of 20-40mg/day, as I knew no better 14 years ago. I recommend between 100-200mg/day, dependant on symptoms. Please have a vitamin D test done, if low the thyroid slows. For more info please see the Vitamin D council website. You might like to see our page on Menopause too, it explains how and when to use progesterone. If you are still on the hormones, and wish to come off them, please see our page on Coming off HRT Take care Wray

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