Bio-identical hormones

Does anyone know of a physician who practices BHRT in Jacksonville,Florida?

A really informative book is Dr. John Lee's "What your Doctor won't tell you about Menopause"; he also has one for Pre-menopause. Either way, he has compounded a natural progesterone cream that is available from his site. The only problems I had during Menopause was not being able to sleep, now I sleep like a baby! There are many such creams out there, but he describes the right one, which he has compounded and his wife continues to sell after his death. It's worth a try and a good read!

Hello YHR
Thank you for your article, “A New Pathway for Menopause - Part 1.
Your comment, “Plant estrogens are different from the steroidal estrogens…” made me ask my pharmacist for some more specific information. She explained to me that the Estriol and the Estradiol that I am currently using (in a cream) is derived from yam and/or soy and that this steroid hormone, which is bio-identical, are natural to humans, and is not from an animal (as you have kindly pointed out, "that doctors normally prescribe such as Premarin, from pregnant mares”). My concern is that God has said to us what is food to eat, and among the animals, God has said what is clean and what is unclean. What I put into my body is important to me. I believe that I am following God and, as I understand my pharmacist, I am not in violation of the Word (as I see it). If you see that I am going in the wrong direction according to the Word, please advise me because I always endeavor to follow His Word. Thank you.

Hello all--I'm new to this site, don't know anything about bioidentical (creams?) Are they prescription only?
I'm 59, soooo tired all the time, wake up during the night (no night sweats tho) Prob. anxiety-ridden:) almost depression, I've tried taking B complex for tiredness, but they gave me such heartburn/stomach pain for 3 days, no more for me. I have IBS, so any vitamin pills cause problems!! I've given up on them. Also, my hair has been noticeably thinning in front just in the last 6 months:(
Any ideas, suggestions appreciated!! Thanks June

Hello. I'm 54. I stopped having a period for 15 months, then had one last October. I've taken care of myself, since my early 30,s by eating healthy and getting regular exercise. I've always been healthy and felt well. After a bout with hot flashes in my late 40's and declining energy, I started taking bio-identical progesterone cream two years ago. I felt well until probably the past several months. Seems everything began going downhill. I'm gaining weight around the middle (I've always had a small waist), I don't have the energy to run (I've run races including distance races - half marathons - since my 40's). In the past several weeks, in spite of taking 2000 i.u.'s of vit D, I've had such achy joints that I can't function past 3pm or so. I get bloated no matter what I eat. I'm generally feeling awful. I suspect that my estrogen is bottoming out. I hesitate to go to my regular doctor. He's not been trained in nutrition (is opposed to using supplements) and I don't want him telling me to take "fake" estrogen. The probem with going to a naturalpath doctor (at least those in this area) is that they don't take insurance. Can I get any help without paying "out-of-pocket"?

I am new to this site. I am 52 and in November was taken off my low-dose birth control pills. Doctor said he was sure I was menopausal and should more than likely be taken off the pill. I had been on them since middle 20's I'm sure. He did blood test and my FSH was 97 (I understand anything over 15 is menopausal!!). My estriadol was 25 (not sure what the normals are?). Consequently, I went to my endocrinologist who monitors my thyroid (as I have a hot nodule on my thyroid which he said was only a 1% chance it was malignent and pretty common). Each time I go, my thyroid levels are fine according to him and he tests it anually to make sure it has not grown too much. I took my GYN blood test results to him since hormones and thyroid are connected and asked his thoughts. He said, according to the "experts" even as of the week before, if your symptoms are "tolerable", not to take anything. I asked if he was going to test any other hormone when he tested for my thyroid and he said "no".....this was your levels according to your GYN and your menopausal and don't ever need to be tested again. I would like to know what my testosterone and progestin levels are?? And, if I would need bios to regulate anything. I go to male GYN and understand there is a female @ same office who possibly believes in the BIOs and prescribing something those those of us that might need something. About 7 years ago I went thru a period of night sweats that lasted approx. 6 months. It was horrible. Guess that was my perimenopause. I was so glad when they quit. Every now and then, I may wake up a little sweaty but not like before. I just have hot flashes (somewhat tolerable) and hate it when I have to fan while conversing with someone!! Also, my ENDO wanted me to undergo bone density test. He said my spine was good, but I had osteopenia of the hip and that concerned him since my GYN took me off the birth control. It's funny, because a couple of months after getting off the pill, my left hip started to give me problems.....feels like sharp pain sometimes when I walk. I used to be able to walk just fine until now. I am healthy and work out too! I find it strange that started after being taken off the pill. Also, I've noticed more new, short gray hairs popping up in my scalp. I feel as though without the hormones I'm changing before my eyes and it bothers me. I hear people on the hormones feel so young again. Not that I feel old, but just some of the symptoms worry me. I guess I just need to go to the female GYN and get second opinion. My present GYN said if I had any symptoms he would not treat it with a pill as it would be to strong.....wonder what he trests it with....cream?? I may call his nurse just to see what they would recommend and go from there and explain about my diagnosis of osteopenia. I don't want to have to take something for that for the rest of my life....it can also have risks just like hormones. At least the hormones would resolve my hot flashes!! WHEW. Sorry to be so long, but just grasping for some answers! Thanks for listening!

how can i fnd a Doctor in Maine who also does this? sounds like a much needed product for us 'MIDDLE" AGE LADIES . thanks for the reply. sandra

Started out fending off imbalances for a few years with wild yam creams, then...I needed more. Been using bio-identical hormones for several years now.... They have been a God-send for me, yet safe. Saliva testing thru ZRT Labs (Dr David Zava) provides extensive and very detailed analysis of what's lacking, ample, and/or in excess in my system. Dr Zava (a published author) is a virtual encyclopedia on causes/effects/remedies for hormonal imbalance and gives you his recommendations. Bellevue Pharmacy (Pete Husemann) provided my bio-identicals for several years. I only recently began getting some refills from a local compounding pharmacy, only because I tend to wait til the last minute for refills.... Dr Zava/ZRT and Pete Husemann/Bellevue team-tagged to get my daughter (in her 20's) straightened out from horrible hormonal imbalances that were absolutely wrecking her young life....extreme hair loss/weight gain/extreme moods, etc. She will always be grateful to both of them, as will I! I do not concur with Suzanne Somers advocation of opting for periods again, via bio-identicals. I do not miss having them and have read a lot, heard a lot, against that option. We weren't made to keep having periods in the 60's and beyond and that certainly works for me. I just wanted relief from horrible nightsweats and day/night hot flashes that were making life very miserable. GP prescribed Zoloft for hot flashes. Didn't work for me. I have had nothing but GOOD side effects from my bio-identical hormones as assessed/determined by Dr Zava & Pete Husemann.... The hormones are pretty pricey at first, but once your system gets settled down a bit, you can stretch them out much further. What I used to use to combat symptoms in a week, now lasts me a month. Hopes this helps someone! John W Lee, MD is another good author to refer to about pre-menopause and menopause. Also, MEN SUFFER FROM HORMONAL IMBALANCES TOO....expecially in 40's and beyond. Dr Zava pegged my husband's imbalances and symptoms to a "t." Bio-identicals had him feeling much better very quickly.

Cland,

I have been taking bio-identicals since January 2008. I had such a drop in all of my hormones that I ended up in the emergency room and they thought I had a heart attack. However, the end result was that all of my hormones were bottomed out. My doctor wrote a RX for them and I went to my compounding pharmacist. I felt so much better however it actually took an entire year of tweaking until I hit "normal" levels for me. I finally feel like myself again. My quality of life greatly improved. All of my symptoms of up and down moods, heart palpitations, insomnia, lethargy, erratic periods, hot flashes,anxiety, etc etc are GONE! There is no amount of money that I would not pay for them. It has made me feel like I am in my twenties again. I think my hormones must have been out of wack for a while and then perimenopause slammed me. I highly recommend them and if you are having severe symptoms like I was...there is hope at the end of the tunnel. Do not believe it when someone tries to tell you this is just the way it is at this time in your life (I am 51). Bio-identical hormones gave me my life back and I have never felt better!!! I thank God for this life saving medicine.

The best way to find a doctor is to go onto the website that lets you find a compounding pharmacist. The pharmacist in your area can recommend a doctor who handles this. Thats how I found mine.
Go to:
www.iacprx.org

I am getting ready to get my bloodwork done next Monday to see where Im at and go from there with the bioidenticals. I am excited and have been since reading Suzanne Somers new book Breakthrough in which she discusses bioidenticals with many various doctors and it all sounds good to me! Very informative if you want more answers. I'll update when Im on them to let you know what I think of them!

Do you know a doctor near the Tampa area that does this?

Hello cland,
Yes, I've just started using Bio-identical hormones. I started out years ago with natural progesterone injections. It took me out of a pit of depression into the sunshine in just twenty minutes after my first injection by the Doctor. I did this as long as I could stand it until I heard about natural hormone cream by another Doctor I found on Christian T.V. This carried me through until recently when I found a Clinical/Compounding Pharmacist here in my home town who added Estriol and Estradiol to the mix because I could not find a remedy for my hot flashes, which were very extreme, with only the progesterone. She also gave me a lengthy explanation of Bio-identical hormones which now I understand is more identical to the human body than even things that were considered natural. This new stuff that I have is measured out exactly so I believe it will be easier to control as I'm figuring out the effects. I did really well the first week or so. I think we (this is a team effort between me, my Pharmacist and my Doctor) need to do some tweaking now.