#progestins

[butchsquatter]

Is there anybody out there on the internet that had their libido disappear after taking DMPA(depo-provera)/progesterone pills/testosterone? I stopped taking any kind of hormones years ago, but my libido just won’t come back and I’m getting really desperate. For clarification: I’m comparing my current situation to before I used any kind of hormones. Anyone got their libido back? How? Or how long did it take? Any advice? I’m so afraid I’ve damaged my body irreversably.

[wonderofscience-blog]

Contraceptive Pill Associated With Changes In Brain Structure

Contraceptive Pill Associated With Changes In Brain Structure

Since its advent 50 years ago, the pill has helped revolutionize contraception and transform women’s lives. The pill is so popular today that over 100 million women worldwide currently use this method of contraception, and the majority of users report high levels of satisfaction. Many women, however, experience unpleasant side effects, ranging from mood changes to androgenic effects, such as acne…

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[physicianformulas]

Progesterone

   Here is one example: "The January 2009 newsletter Supplement Research Update discusses the disastrous effects of conjugated equine estrogens and synthetic progestins uncovered by the Women’s Health Initiative study in terms of increasing breast cancer risk. My understanding is that the WHI did not study the use of bio-identical human estrogens and progesterone at all. Everything I’ve read indicates that they have a completely different effect on women’s bodies, and in fact progesterone (the real thing, not synthetic progestins) may be protective against breast cancer."

   Over the past few decades doctors have prescribed horse-derived estrogens and synthetic progestins to women in order to relieve menopausal symptoms and as a way to potentially reduce the risk for osteoporosis or heart disease. A few years ago doctors began suspecting that, in many or most women, the harm from this treatment in terms of increased breast cancer risk and heart disease risk outweighs the benefits. Many women stopped taking these medications, others turned to herbs and supplements, and still others turned to natural hormones such as bioidentical hormones. Many of you may not be familiar with this term. Bioidentical hormones differ from traditional hormone replacement therapy since they are chemically identical to hormones found within the body -- such as estradiol and progesterone -- rather than molecules that are similar, but not identical to human hormones (such as Premarin, derived from the urine of pregnant horses) or synthetic progestins (such as medroxyprogesterone). Many women believe that these bioidentical natural hormones are safe, or safer. These bioidentical hormones are promoted by compounding pharmacists, some alternative medicine practitioners and even a celebrity, Suzanne Somers. Estradiol is also available in many FDA-approved pills, patches, creams and gels from traditional pharma! ceutical companies. Is there evidence to support the safety or superiority of bioidentical hormones over standard hormone replacement approaches? I will focus most of this newsletter on this important issue. 

www.raysahelian.com and

www.physicianformulas.com

[hormonepuzzle]

When Bioidentical Therapy Becomes an Accidental Fertility Treatment

From the file of unintended consequences: a lady in her late forties visited a "hormone therapist " of dubious science and was given a combination of estrogens, and progesterone, all identical to the hormones made by the adult female body. This lady was not post-menopausal, but perimenopausal, meaning she had not yet stopped having periods.

Unfortunately, the "hormone doc" forgot to tell her that this can boost fertility, and despite the odds, it IS possible to get pregnant in your late forties. OOPS. Her periods stopped, and she thought it was menopause-it was an unplanned pregnancy instead.

Moral of the story-you need birth control right up until you stop having periods, and are confirmed as being in menopause. A birth control method like Nuvaring, which uses progestins and a synthetic estrogen will often be a better choice because the progestin in it can reduce heavy bleeding, decrease ovarian cysts and prevent uterine fibroids-all problems commonly experienced by women in their forties.

The bioidentical hormones aren't strong enough to suppress ovulation and prevent pregnancy. A pregnancy in the late forties presents a number of serious risks to the mother, risks that are much higher than most birth control methods. That's why the synthetic progestins and estrogens will often be the best choice for a perimenopausal women who needs extra estrogen for her body and brain, but doesn't want to have more children.

A nice blog piece that covers this comes from Dr. Elizabeth Vliet at:

http://www.newsmaxhealth.com/dr_vliet/progestin_NuvaRing_safe/2010/07/26/335358.html