I use bioidentical hormone pellets implanted in my hip. The drastically changed my life for the better. There is a thread titled: bioidentical hormone pellets. That will give you more information.

I can't find my original post so I'll post it here again.

I had a complete hysterectomy in 1987 when I was in my 30Âs. I managed my menopause symptoms with different estrogen pills. But no doctor ever mentioned the loss of sex drive or the benefits of testosterone. For 16 years, I had no sex drive. None. Then came the estrogen scare several years ago. I tried to get off of the estrogen and couldnÂt. The night sweats were the worse. I was in a miserable place physically. Then in 2003, I read a newsletter from my gyn about Bioidentical Hormone Pellets. I did some research and what caught my eye was one of the symptoms of low testosterone is thinning/loss of pubic hair and loss of sex drive. That was me! I also felt like my name was after every symptom. There was a ray of hope! I talked to my dr about the pellets. She does thousands of women and has them herself. So I decided to get them. I get 2 estrogen pellets which are 25mg each, and 1 testosterone pellet of 75mgs. I will get these pellets as long as I am able.

Here is the procedure: My doc numbs a small area on my hip with lidocaine. Then she makes a very tiny incision and then inserts the pellets. She puts on some steri-strips, a Band-Aid and off I go.

I have to say they drastically changed my life for the better. First of all the menopause symptoms went away. But the absolute best was the increase in sex drive. Desire, lubrication and orgasm went through the roof. My whole self-image has increased. I'm more confident. They have been a blessing.

Hopefully this information helps.

I am taking FemHrt 0.5/2.5. It has restored my sanity --- well, most of it. lol. FemHrt is a soy derivative.

Well the sex thing I could care less about and I don't think its hormone related.
And I don't have problems with vaginal dryness etc., at least not yet.
njw - is this the kind of Dr. you can only find in big coastal cities?

Cathy - Feb/Hrt - this being a soy deriative - did your gyn prescribe it?

I've been on Activella since last November. My hot flashes are gone; the "dryness" is gone. Gotten some of my libido back. It has not gotten rid of my anxiety, but I'm trying to handle that myself. Small amount of weight gain, but I like to eat, so I can't really blame it on hormones.

Mary, there are pellet doctors all over the US in big and small towns. I have a list of doctors from one pharmacy that makes the pellets. Where are you?

Funny you should say you couldn't care less about the sex. That's how I felt before the pellets!

Sexuality has never been my focus. I'm in Dayton. Is that what they call them? "Pellet Dr's"? Do you have a good website on these?

Yes, This doctor is in dayton.

http://www.hormonebalance.org/pellets_info.asp

Hey Mary,
Been on HRT now over 3 years ,done estrogen creams, troches, didn't absorb them. Now on estrogel it works but have had lots of side effects, mostly swelling and hard time having an orgasm. Been on estrogel for a year now. My doc did not tell me that you are supposed to put estrogel on the outside of your arms from wrist up to shoulders and you are supposed to take a break from them once a month for 5 to 7 days. This is important stuff and ticks me off big time that I wasnt told. In the research I have done most women arent told alot about hormones from their docs. Every womans body is different, hormones of any kind effect each of us differently, including natural suppliments, do your research on what ever you decide. Any one out there who is on estrogel I would like to hear your experience, any who would like more info on estrogel I will be glad to share. Good Luck Mary let us all know what you decided and how you are doing.

I had total hysterectomy 1989. I was only 28. For following 12 years I was on Premarin and I also suffered w/ migraines since I was about 18. I started having migraines as a side ffect from birth control pills-those I was taking to regulate my periods.After 12 years of the Premarin, my doctor took me off it b/c I had the abdominal pain again and she told me I might have endometriosis again b/c the Premarin might feed it.I could not afford laparoscopy so I stopped the hormone pills.From that point I had about two years of hell.Hot flashes and night sweats were bad enough,specially at work in the kitchen but my whole body went in some sort of shock. I had pains all over,numb legs on and off, I felt like I was over 100 years old.My memory was bad and emotionaly I was wreck too. I couldn't take it no more so I did search on line for some info on HRT and than found me new doctor and now I'm on lower dose of Vivelle Dot-the patch.I feel like new person and I swear I will be on it forever. I even tried testosteron gel but got heavy acne and facial hair started to grow so I stopped. My migraines are gone now too.

NJW753, I'm new to this site, my Dr. recommended that I investigate. She has not been able to help me with my syptoms before or after my hysterectomy. I have muscle and joint pain and stiffness, burning, from head to toe. Foggy brain, I crave sweets like a mainiac and feel the unquinchable desire to eat constantly, and have gained 60 lbs. since my hysto. My hands will start itching and then they bubble up with tiny little blisters under the skin then my skin dryes out so bad that it start cracking open and my skin get really hard in different places on my hands and fingers and constanly itches. I also have problems with my skin getting extremely dry and cracking and burning in the rectal and vaginal area. I've had a great deal of joint pain in my pelvic area, deep in my buttocks area, my fingers and elbows are so stiff I can hardly move them and my knuckles have even swollen up. I stay axicious, sp? All of this an more has been worse since my hysto. I've been on prescribed creams, taken horomone pill and right now I am on the .05 FEM ring. Nothing has completely stopped my syptoms. I recently took another salavia test while on the FEM Ring just to see where I lacked. I have NO DOUBT that our hormones or the LACK of them is the cause to ALL of these syptoms as I have proven it numerous times to myself and my doctor. It's just finding the person or Dr. that knows what to do to end this fight! I've read about these pellets but had my reservations about them. I will go to the website you gave and check on this. If you have any other input for me, please chime in!

pleblanc, I know you posted this a while ago but I have just read it and wondered if you got the itching and skin dryness sorted. I have had exactly the same symptoms as you only on the soles of my feet which makes even standing up some days excrutiating. I have been near to tears on a couple of occassions recently. Mine started two years ago out of the blue and I thought it might be menopause related as I had some severe hot flashes start at the same time. My doctor doesn't think so and has been prescribing creams for Pompholyx excema. I am finally seeing a dermatologist next month so we shall see what happens. I also for a few months have had the vaginal and rectal itching. I thought it was thrush but I have no other symptoms. I have been using canesten cream which gives me relief. I find it worse during the night which could be related to feeling hot. Finally, I also get the joint pain deep in my right hip if I lie on it too long and it also wakes me during the night. I would say all my menopause symptoms started about 8 years ago but in the last 2 years it has been constant and I have been trying everything I possibly can to help myself. I am of the belief that if these problems happened to men there would be specialists in every major city in every part of the world. Unfortunately because it is the other half of the population, Drs with a special interest are few and far between. P.S I tried HRT but had a horrendous migraine which was really scary-thought I was having a stroke-and my doc took me off them immediately. My BP and cholesterol were also sky high. Sorry this is so long but wanted to let you know you're not alone.

HRT's Positive experience for sure. I see what you are all putting yourselves through.

Im 49 and started taking Femhrt about 2 mths ago.(mainly for the mood swings and hotflashes. I immediately felt better with no hotflashes at all, but I began gaining weight. I had read where a lot of women began at half the dose I was put on and most did fine, so I cut them in half about the 3rd week in. 2 days later I started my period(i had not had a period in about 6 mts prior to that) I called the nurse and she told me to keep taking the half and see what happens since i was still not having the hotflashes.I ended up having a full 7 day period like when i was a teen.So i kept taking half and 22 days after my last period, I have started again. Im not gaining weight like i was on the whole pill,Im not having hot flashes, but I dont want to have a period every 22 days. Anyone have anything going on similiar????

I asked a doctor about herbals versus the prescription drugs for menopause and she said, "if it stops the symptoms, it is just as dangerous as prescription drugs". Most of the herbal treatments for menopause are blood thinners and can be very dangerous. I guess I was lucky, I had no serious problems going through menopause.

Also I have never found a herb that helps me in anyway. Our local newspaper printed a study report that said vitamins/herb do not helped women at all.

vala55, your local newspaper is wrong because I have definitely been helped by phytoestrogens and with absolutely no side effects. I take a phytoestrogen made by a registered pharmaceutical company and I went from approximately 1 hot flash per HOUR to one or two hot flashes a day and sometimes none. The intensity of the hot flashes has also decreased significantly

Hi chzechick is the vivelle dot the patch actually hrt ive had hysterectomy because of severe endometriosis i was recently taking elleste solo 1 mg every other day but half a tablet for 2 weeks at a time but noticed a pain in my side abdomen where i used to get the endo pain , im really worried about the hrt sparking off the endo again but i cannot cope with all the problems of terrible sweats aches pains total fatigue etc that i have when i dont have the hrt dont know what to do whether to ask for something new what is the vivelle dot patch and have you had any recurrence of the abdomen pain by that i mean endometiosis recurring since you seem to have been on it a while are you still on it any advice or your opinion appreciated thankyou shelly

Hi marys1000, I have been o HRT for almost 2 years, I use vivelle-dot patch 0.075 and take 100 mg of prometrium (progesterine) This combination helped almost immediately with hot flashes, night sweats, lack of sex drive and vaginal dryness. Has not helped with anxiety and panic attacks and some other weird symptoms of dreaded menopause. I say give it a try. Lots of luck to you.

The only HRT that has helped me with hot flashes has been Prempro, which is a conjugated estrogen (Horse derived).

I have tried Activella and FemHrt, and they have not controlled my hot flashes at all.

I don't know why....