Prempro question? Options

[cat58]

Hi everyone, I started Prempro yesterday to hopefully help my hot flashes, palpitations, and mood swings. Has anyone has success with hormone combo and how long did it take until you started to feel better?

[malkachava]

I have been taking Premarin and progesterone since November 1st. I started to feel better within 2 days. I had severe depression and anxiety following a menopausal psychosis. I tried antidepressants alone for more than a year before I opted for the HRT. I decided to take the synthetic hormones because, after much research, I did not find that BHRT was any safer.

I know this is a controversial stance here on PS--but I was so sick I decided to take the advice of 3 excellent physicians who recommended the P & P. I have not regretted it.

Marcy

[lizardlover42000]

Hi i been on prempro since april and it helped me like 60 percent but i cut my dose down and gradually weaning off and feel even more better. but i'm giving the credit to the 50 mg of zoloft i'm on. Oh the prempro usually take a few weeks to feel the affects. I wish you luck Terry

[cat58]

thanks for the quick answers. I too have done alot of research and soul searching before going on HRT. But I feel so bad I can not live a normal day to day life. That's why I decided to give it a try. I'm trying to take it a day at a time and not think too much about the negative press hormones have received. I'm desperate, have tried antidepressants and ativan, nothing has worked so far.

[lizardlover42000]

thanks for the quick answers. I too have done alot of research and soul searching before going on HRT. But I feel so bad I can not live a normal day to day life. That's why I decided to give it a try. I'm trying to take it a day at a time and not think too much about the negative press hormones have received. I'm desperate, have tried antidepressants and ativan, nothing has worked so far.

i also take my prempro and night. TERRY

[DesRothchild]

My only thought is. . . whether bioidenticals are safer or not, why not use something the same as your body makes rather than all of those extra horse hormones your body has never had? That's the part I don't get. You can take a bioidentical pill, like Estrace, or a patch, like Vivelle, or lots of others in the same strength as Premarin. Premarin won't work better because it is from a horse.

Also, bioidenticals have not been studied enough at this point to say they are not safer. I just could not put a horse's hormonal profile into a human body. I mean, why?

I hope I don't sound antagonistic; I guess I get so disturbed because I think doctors and Big Pharma are pulling a big one over on us!

[Anna]

I have been taking Prempro for about 3 years now. It is certainly doing its job controlling the hot flashes and night sweats. I can really tell if I forget to take it.
I am happy with it.

Anna

[cat58]

I know biodenticals work for some women, but they didn't help me. Believe me, I thought long and hard before trying prempro. Spoke with several doctors I trust and decided to give it a try so I could have my life back. I'm feeling so much better, it has been worth it for me. I will be very diligent with breast exams etc to monitor my health. I know the risks. I am a Registered Nurse and part of the medical community. These docs are my friends and I believe what they are telling me , plus I've done alot of research. I have tried everything else and this what I have decided is right for me at this time. I do not endorse it for anyone else. I know there are alot of side effects.
Thanks for all the thoughtful answers, we all have to get through this in our own way, but it is so nice so have this board and not feel alone.

[Cookie5589]

I started taking the lowest dose of Prempro the beginning of December...the hot flashes were unbearable and I wasn't sleeping, it helped within 2 days... but I noticed after about a month that I was dreaming very strange and disturbing (negative) dreams at night, so I started skipping to an every-other-day dose. The hot flashes are still gone and the dreaming has improved somewhat, but I just wondered if anyone else out there had similar side effects, and if so, what did you do? Thanks...

[Floater]

I read somewhere in my research regarding hormone replacement...that if you are using bio identical progesterone, like prometrium it doesn't really matter what estrogen you use. There were many more problems related to the provera than the premarin.
.
Although studies in north america may not prove that bio-identical hormones are safer, Europeans have been using them for decades and don't have the same issues as we do here. I opted for Estrogel and prometrium and felt a difference in ONE HOUR. My body was so low on Estrogen that I had immediate relief. I am about 5 weeks into it now and feel better and better. For me this has been the answer.

[lizardlover42000]

I started taking the lowest dose of Prempro the beginning of December...the hot flashes were unbearable and I wasn't sleeping, it helped within 2 days... but I noticed after about a month that I was dreaming very strange and disturbing (negative) dreams at night, so I started skipping to an every-other-day dose. The hot flashes are still gone and the dreaming has improved somewhat, but I just wondered if anyone else out there had similar side effects, and if so, what did you do? Thanks...

I WAS ON THE PREMPRO MEDIUM DOSE AND IT WORKED OKAY FOR FIVE MOTNTHS THEN I STARTED HAVING DEPRESSION AND WEIRD THOUGHTS AND DREAMS, SO I DECIDED TO CUT IN HALF AND NOW I HAVE IT IN THIRDS AND SLOWLY WEANING MYSELF OFF. I TAKE ZOLOFT NOW WHICH I FEEL ALMOST MYSELF AGAIN. I WISH YOU LUCK. TERRY

[carousel]

I just stopped taking Prempro a few days ago after being on it for about 6 months. My breasts are so sore! I get shooting pain in the right one mostly at night. Not sure if I should have just stopped "cold turkey" but I did. I see my doctor next week.

What a worry!

[DesRothchild]

I read somewhere in my research regarding hormone replacement...that if you are using bio identical progesterone, like prometrium it doesn't really matter what estrogen you use. There were many more problems related to the provera than the premarin.
.
Although studies in north america may not prove that bio-identical hormones are safer, Europeans have been using them for decades and don't have the same issues as we do here. I opted for Estrogel and prometrium and felt a difference in ONE HOUR. My body was so low on Estrogen that I had immediate relief. I am about 5 weeks into it now and feel better and better. For me this has been the answer.

I agree, definitely stick to the Prometrium, at the very least. The progestin in Prempro was the problem in the study, because the estrogen-only part was allowed to continue. The drug with the progestin was halted.

But I can't imagine how the estrogen in Premarin would be any better than any of the other prescription estrogen pills and patches (the bioidentical estrogen prescriptions, not the compounded type). Why would additional horse hormones be better for a human? Did nature do something wrong in its creation of human women and forget that she needed horse hormones (like dozens of extra ones)? The mind boggles at that.

And with all due respect, I can only say woe to anyone who actually thinks doctors know anything about what Big Pharma is doing to us, when the bottom line is profit, not health.

[Floater]

Des,

I obviously totally agree with you! I would not be comfortable putting horse based hormones into my body either, however I don't think the hormones have been left in their original form. Just like Yams are used to make bio-identical hormones, there is nothing "yam like" by the time the process has been completed. I believe it is the same with the premarin, the difference is, the Big Pharma has altered the molecule slightly from the human molecule in order to be able to patent the medication and make the huge profit!

What I find fascinating, though, is before they started using horse urine to make hormones, they used to use pregnant human urine! I have always thought they should have kept that up...extra money for pregnant ladies!!!! And how safe would those hormones be!!

[DesRothchild]

Des,

I don't think the hormones have been left in their original form. Just like Yams are used to make bio-identical hormones, there is nothing "yam like" by the time the process has been completed. I believe it is the same with the premarin, the difference is, the Big Pharma has altered the molecule slightly from the human molecule in order to be able to patent the medication and make the huge profit!

That's not what I have read. I read, in Dr. Reiss' book and another, that you get the extra horse hormones. I'll go check the 'net. But I'm against animal abuse, at any rate, especially when it is for profit, and completely unnessary when it can be made from plants. Nonsensical to me, and really kind of a psychotic idea in the first place. I really believe some day even the medical community will look back and say, "What the @%$# was up with that, and why did women actually believe us?"

[DesRothchild]

After a quick search, I found this under CancerProject.

"While Premarin contains estradiol and estrone, two types of estrogen which are made in humans, it also contains an enormous amount of equilin, a horse estrogen that never occurs at all in humans."

.

[Floater]

Des, I stand corrected...and happily so!!! I had not realized the Premarin contained estrone either....my reading suggests that estrone is the most deadly and cancer causing of all the estrogens. (Man, I hope I am right this time!!!). I also did not realize there were actual horse hormones left in the premarin.....ewwwww!!!!!

I use estrogel...so no worries!! I don't like animal abuse either. You sound quite passionate about this subject, and well educated on it as well!! I knew, once I was going through menopause, that Premarin was never going to be an option for me...so didn't go out of my way to learn about what was in it, ya know?

But some women believe the risks with the bios are the same as with the synthetics....and whether you and I agree with their decision or not....it is their right to make the decision. I don't know if I ever told you Des, by my doctor wanted to give me Premarin when I said I wanted hormones!! I told her NO! Told her exactly what I wanted...she had never even HEARD of it!!! So I am a big believer in educating ourselves and not blindly following doctor's orders!! Just my humble opinion.

Floater