Menopause Discussion > Alternative Therapies

No ovaries and alternatives to HRT

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Nas:
Hey vintagefiend,
Good advice from Crispy re: the cream; definitely worth a shot I would say!
Have you tried things like Red Clover and Black Cohosh ( I know you need to be careful with the latter, regarding any contraindications with other meds and/or health conditions). Not sure about bio identical products that you can just buy online. Probably quite weak in content I would think?

What about booking in with a private meno specialist ( finances permitting) and seeing if you can get testosterone prescribed, without the HRT? You can even purchase it from the online Superdrug pharmacy (I think!).

Yes, my ovaries were whipped out last November (TAH) but HRT is off limits forever now. Yes, mood, sleep, VA, sweats, you name it.
I feel completely stuck and am just ploughing through the day in first gear, most of the time! The hormone blockers, essentially do what they say on the tin - block any hormones which enter the body via adrenals/fatty tissue etc. God awful things. If I could get the VA and constant weeing under control, I may move up to second gear!

Anyway, you have options, so maybe think what could work for you?. I do like walking and I used to do a bit of swimming. I need to get fitter by the day!

vintagefiend:
Hi Crispy-

sorry you're feeling so awful.
that's really useful re the dhea as I have previously had normal, middling blood results for it by medichecks- I'm definitely going to try it.
to be honest I don't seem to fare any better on creams so I can try tablets- mind you, I like the bold assertion that onas makes, tempted to try that!
I guess I had my chem meno, then surgery for sort of the opposite reason to you in that I was intolerant of my own own progesterone/PMDD type of thing. Also of utrogestan/synthetic progs etc so wanted to eliminate the need for them.
But I do remember feeling bad all the time and the doc just focusing on the pmdd aspect- i remember there being fewer and fewer days of my cycle that I felt ok- i remember telling the doc but he fixated on the pmdd and din't really listen. makes me wonder now if it was the shifts of both hormones.
the chem meno didnt work out but a couple years later, I had the op. Frustratingly I could and should have kept my ovaries and just had womb out but doc said it would make no difference- it really did!! and I was officially menopausal-albeit early days -when I had ovaries removed but my world crashed 8 weeks later even though I'd continued with the oestrogel I was on prior to the operation- and I have not been able to tolerate it since. I'm at a loss as to what happened- but I have read similar accounts. it's all a bit confusing and i've been such a mess that i've just along with things.
however, what I would say is that everyone is definitely different and of course ovary removal does work for many.
I think the chemical meno is a really good idea- I feel like such a fool because I had it, felt suicidal, tried hrt, got nowhere and yet I still had my ovaries removed. I'm such an idiot- I was just in a such a low, vulnerable place that I just went with it. so it may be worth you trying that if only to eliminate surgery- just be aware it can be brutal- but is obviously temporary.
It's hard when you're in peri because you're all over the place! when I had my chem meno I went from prob v high oestradiol levels- as was taking fair amount oestrogel as well as mired in peri hell- to zero and it was horrible.
one other thing is that i'm not sure i really had success with hrt even prior to my op. every so often I would take it- the oestrogen- and feel wonderful only to lose that feeling swiftly. i was not a happy bunny even prior to the op- i'm not sure i've ever had meaningful success with hrt!! everything over the past decade's a blur. sorry that's a massive essay!
do you think you're vey far into peri?

vintagefiend:
Hi Nas,
thanks again
embarrassingly I think I've tried most things- this has been over many years. I even found ashwagandha difficult. thinking about it though- I havent tried black cohosh since peri and obvs I'm, at a v different stage now.
I didnt appreciate that hormone blockers block hormones from within as well- I really hope you find some respite.
I'm on a thread on mumsnet (i'm everywhere!) and there's a woman who had it all out and is doing just fine several years later- i cling on to experiences like that. I know that some women weather ovary removal without hrt really well- just want to know their secret! and I'll let you know when I find it.

bombsh3ll:
I take dhea for androgen replacement (I am also on combined pill Zoely) and it works well for me.

My free testosterone was almost undetectable before it, but is now in the upper half of the premenopausal range.

It has improved my libido, mood, cognitive function and lean body mass.

This is not medical advice, obviously do your own research, I am simply stating what works for me.

I take 25mg sublingual dhea daily. Others may need more or less than this, so it would be wise to check androgen levels once settled on your effective dose, to ensure you remain in the physiological range.

As an aside, have you considered tibolone? This is another option with both estrogenic and androgenic action which also protects the uterus (if you have one). All in one pill. Some women who don't get on with standard HRT really thrive on it.

CrispyChick:
Thank you vintage.

Hmmm I'm scared stiff of the chem meno. The mood is the bit that's stressing me. Big I'm just not getting anywhere trying to tame my horrific symptoms. It's been going on 7 years. I'm 48 now. But the last 4 months have been absolute hell.

Thank you for sharing your story.

So the problem with ovary removal is it removes even tiny doses of hormones, which you possibly still make far into meno???

Have u tried the otc (well, online) estrogen creams? Onas do one. Biovea. Wellsprings. Might be worth a try. You could do very low
dose.

Defo give the dhea a try. When I tried it. I'm pretty sure it made me nice happy, calm and relaxed. But unfortunately my E was killing me. And I couldnt really work out what was what.

It's all so heartbreaking that some of us end up in these awful positions. Xx

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