I am wondering a few things about people’s HRT experience. I’m 53, live in the US, just recently menopausal, have been on various types of HRT. No hot flashes but other common symptoms. I have a fabulous gyno who is willing to experiment and up on treatments, and very safety concerned. Have been on Duavee (premarin + a SERM so no progesterone needed) with a supplemental .45 estradiol patch. The duavee covered the basics, the patch really was miraculous (general well being) and I use testosterone cream (compounded) that is also fabulous (general well being, energy, libido). I was feeling the need to up the E. dose a bit after about a year.
However, Duavee has been on backorder and not expected in til 2021, so she put me on prempro (premarin + progestin) along with same patch. As a result of that, I have been feeling emotionally flat and totally wrung out/lethargic which i assume is from the progesterone (felt this way on the low dose pills I took in peri and a long time ago.
Anyway, as I said, just to see what to rule out, and to stick with what I was already trying, she put me on Premarin .9 tablet on a three month regimen with prometrium vaginal capsules for 12 days every three months. Once Duavee comes back we’ll go back to that, if it doesn’t, we’ll evaluate.
My question is, i’ve heard oral estrogen can dampen libido due to its binding to free testosterone or something like that. Loss of libido was one of the things i was trying to fix, and it got a lot better with addition of the T and the estrogen in the patch/Duavee didn’t hurt (i also take vaginal topicals such as estring and estrace).
Have any of you been able to compare libido effect between Premarin tablet and/or other oral estrogens and transdermal ones such as the estradiol patch? I have read about the effect above but not heard much anecdotally.
Also, question about weight gain. I started gaining weight in peri when i went on low dose bc pills (lo lo estrin) and then when I started the latest regimen of prempro I swear i put on a few more pounds. Yes, i know it comes with age, but I’m thin, athletic, eat very well and do IF etc. So I mean like unshakeable pounds? I’m wondering, again, if anyone can compare the effects of premarin vs patch vis a vis weight gain, and possibly any thoughts on the cyclical prometrium if anyone’s done it, on the same topic.
Much appreciated!
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Topic: Premarin pill vs estradiol patch re libido, weight gain (Read 895 times)