# Estratest Anyone??



## Patty (Mar 18, 1999)

My new dr has put me on Estratest HS for perimenopause. I know, I know the risks with HRTs now, but this one is very low in estrogen and has Methyltestosterone. I've not been able to take anything previously because it raises my blood pressure and this one seems to be doing the same....







Just wondered if anyone had any success stories with this med??


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## Sdove (Jan 13, 2002)

Hi,I take estratest and was told it is fine to take. Not like the other HRT. I will ask you one thing. My gyn nurse just put me on Promeetrium which is natural yam. Progesterone. If you have a uterus you need to take this too. I have taken Estratest HS and just found out about this - this week. I wanted to let you know. Apartently estratest alone can build up the uterine lining and Progestrone and keeps it in check. Not a prb. but needs to be done. Hope this helps. I found estratest really helped my perimenopase symptoms so much.Polly


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## Tiss (Aug 22, 2000)

I took Estratest HS (half strength) for a couple of months. It helped with hot flashes and libido but my face broke out really bad (that's the testosterone in it). Now I use a bioidentical (plant derived) estrogetn (tri-est) and natural testosterone with no problems. I also take Prometrium (natural progesterone) everyday because I have a uterus-a real must according to my doctor.


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## Patty (Mar 18, 1999)

Makes me wonder why my dr doesn't know about this Prometrium (sp?) because I have my uterus still...


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## HipJan (Apr 9, 1999)

Tiss, could you let us know what the "natural testosterone" is, as compared to other testosterone? Thanks.


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## Persistance (Jul 11, 1999)

HipJan, here's a link to just one of the transcripts of sessions from Power Surge that includes info on it (near the bottom). http://www.power-surge.com/transcripts/rako1.htm


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## Sdove (Jan 13, 2002)

I just started Promoetrium and not sure why my doctor didnt give it to me three years ago with my estratest hs. dud.. but am on it now.Polly


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## Tiss (Aug 22, 2000)

I think the testosterone in Estratest is called methyltestosterone (synthetic form of testosterone). The testosterone I'm taking with the tri-est is a plant derived bioidentical form of testosterone. It has helped with my libido and I do not have the problem of facial breakouts from it. A compounding pharmacist can help you to determine what kind of hormones you need. My pharmacy gave me a 2 hour free consult to help decided what I needed to be on and then they called my doctor and advised him. Then, my doctor okayed the order. Has worked well for me.


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## Patty (Mar 18, 1999)

Persistance,Thank you! That link was sooo informative; I read forever!! But, she does say that the amount of testosterone in the Estratest HS is way too much. Makes you wonder if you'll grow facial hairs or something.


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## HipJan (Apr 9, 1999)

P and Tiss, thanks!







what to do, what to do?


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## Persistance (Jul 11, 1999)

Patty -- did you click on a whole bunch of transcripts? Pete Heusmann, for instance, is the pharmacist at the College Pharmacy in Colorado.Thing is, they ALL tell you something different. There's docs on those transcripts (I ended up just reading about all the transcripts), that say methyltestosterone is the _only_ way to go. My GYN wanted to give me Estratest awhile back when I asked about taking male hormones, and I said "Er, isn't that too much?" "Why, no," he said. Strangely enough, you have to take MORE of the natural, which is less easily absorbed, so maybe it comes out the same.You can even go to their search there on Powersurge and put in "testosterone." I know, I know







I did get confused reading all the different opinions there. But it sure is interesting. Why does your doctor even want you on this? What about just the estrogen patch (I swear, I think it doesn't raise blood pressure). Then ask the doc for some kind of progesterone to go along with it?


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## Patty (Mar 18, 1999)

Persistance, I did read all the transcripts for the dr but not the pharmacist. The dr is the one who said she was taking only .5 testosterone and that anything more was way too much. My dr did blood work and said that on that particular day my estrogen levels were low. He also stated that just because the estrogen levels were low that day, they could be up the next day. I do recall dr on powersurge stating that blood work was inclusive and the only way to determine perimenopause is by symptoms. I am exhausted most of the time and can barely get out of bed (for NO apparent reason), I have infection after infection (from UTI to yeast to bacterial). Even tho lubrication is fine, I don't seem to reach orgasms as easily as I used to (although I didn't inform dr of this!) Dr. suggested that low estrogen can cause body not to be able to fight off infections and that the Estratest might help, if I was willing to try it.I must admit that my energy level seems to have increased somewhat. But, I have only taken the Estratest for two consecutive days and when my bp went up, I started taking it every other day. Haven't conferred with dr on this yet.


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## Persistance (Jul 11, 1999)

Maybe someone else can answer this, or maybe you can? Does the estrogen in BCP cause the same rise in blood pressure? If so, that's out. Because that is many doctors' solution today to perimenopause.If you are in perimenopause, you are not ovulating some months. Do you skip periods? Have extra long days of bleeding sometimes? For that, they usually give natural progesterone, to even out the periods and make you feel better. How's your sleep? Any sweats yet?But all those infections do point to low estrogen. I just don't know why the testosterone was recommended. Estrogen alone with progesterone would seem to do it....Anyway -- did you see the other interviews on that Power Surge site? YOu might have to do a lot of hunting. There is also an Ask the Experts feature, in which you can ask questions of a medical doctor, a midlife specialist, GYN and so on.The site, again, is www.power-surge.comHere's a list of authors and specialists who have transcripts here (Only a very, very partial list.)Alan Altman, M.D.:Harvard Professor, Gynecologist, Author Bob Arnot, M.D.:NBC-TV's Chief Medical Correspondent, Author Robert Atkins, M.D.:Cardiologist, Nutritionist, 'The Atkins Diet' Denise Austin:TV Fitness Guru, Author of "JumpStart" Steven Carter:Relationship Guru, "Men Who Can't Love" Covert Bailey:Fit Or Fat," Book Videos, PBS-TV Series, Lonnie Barbach, Ph.D.:Women's Health Advocate, "The Pause" Linda Dano:Emmy Award-Winning Actress & Author Barbara De Angelis, Ph.D.:TV's Relationship Expert, "Making Love Work" Nancy Friday:"The Power Of Beauty;" "My Mother, Myself"Ann Louise Gittleman:*Medical Author, "Before The Change" Rona Jaffe:*Author, "Class Reunion," "Mazes & Monsters" *Ruth Jacobowitz:"150 Most-Asked Questions About.." Series*Susan Lark, M.D.:"The Estrogen Decision" John Lee, M.D. :"What Your Doctor May Not Tell You..."Susan Love, M.D.:Surgeon, "Dr. Susan Love's Hormone Book"Christiane Northrup, M.D.BS-TV, "Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom" Linda Ojeda, Ph.D.sychologist, "Menopause Without Medicine" *Susan Rako, M.D.sychiatrist, "The Hormone Of Desire"* Isadore Rosenfeld, M.D.:Cardiologist, Author, "Power To The Patient" Judith Sachs:Medical Journalist, Author, 20+ books Gail Sheehy:The "Passages" series, "Silent Passage" Elizabeth Lee Vliet, M.D.hysician, "Screaming To Be Heard"


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## Patty (Mar 18, 1999)

P,I had to stop taking Loestrin bcp last Nov because they couldn't get my bp down. Old GYN prescribed Prempro just a couple of months ago and ONE pill shot bp dangerously high!So, here I am with new dr and Estratest HS. I have never skipped a period. My last two periods were 17 days a part and very heavy, but they have always been very heavy when not on the bcp. I used to have a problem sleeping, but that seems to have passed. Now, I can't get enough sleep! I had night sweats for a while, but not lately.Gosh, that's quite a list of physicians on powersurge! I could spend forever on that site and it's sooo interesting. Thanks again for posting it.


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## Persistance (Jul 11, 1999)

Patty. Periods 17 days apart and heavy bleeding = perimenopause. Period (!) I had the very same thing the last year right before menopause!! That's because your body right now is making more estrogen than progesterone at certain times and so all the bleeding. At other times, it may not. That's what perimenopause is: erratic. But Patty, I just cannot believe it would be going off the BC pills that make you bleed every 17 days. No. They can control it, but your own body is telling you something now. And even if the sweats and the bad sleep are not happening now, it can still be what's going on. I had one miserable night waking up drenched in sweat two years before I ever hit menopause (and no sweats after that till I actually hit it).IF you are having the yeast and the UTI's and all that stuff -- has anyone suggested maybe just a little nightly hormone cream there to toughen up and moisten the vaginal tissue and ward off bacteria -- and strengthen the urethra a bit so it's not so open to infection? After about two weeks, after it builds a barrier, the cream stops being absorbed by the body...very little systemic absorption. Just a thought.


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## Patty (Mar 18, 1999)

P,You know you really ought to work on that MD; you're a wealth of knowledge!! I might ask my dr about that cream on my next visit.I've only had the ONE episode, just last month, of the 17 day apart period. BUT, my cycles have been extremely heavy since getting off the pill. Actually, heavy periods and pain during ovulation was the initial reason for going on the pill. I couldn't take the pill in my 20s because it raised my blood pressure (even before being diagnosed hypertensive), but was put on low dose estrogen in my 40s. I actually stayed on it safely for some years and then my bp started to remain high, even while on a regular bp med. I eventually had to get off the pill last Nov. for that reason.


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## Persistance (Jul 11, 1999)

Hmm...well, if the periods were so heavy before the 40's, then maybe it's something else. But then, I assume it's all been checked out (anything physical, I mean, like with a D&C). I started perimenopause at about age 41. Drat. awful early.


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## HipJan (Apr 9, 1999)

Also...Patty, didn't you tell me that you might have adenomyosis ('course, it's hard to get an accurate diagnosis of that unless you've had a hysterectomy)? That alone, or in addition to perimenopause as Judy says, can clearly cause heavy bleeding in many women. And/or perhaps you've always been slightly estrogen dominant (just guessing, of course)? BCPs can adjust your cycles, while you are taking them. You stop - and then back to the original problem. (Plus, truly, I believe in the case of adenomyosis, the bleeding can actually become heavier after using BCPs since more hormones have been added to the mix and hormones, esp. estrogen, may stimulate adeno. BCPs can, I understand, provide superficial relief in the case of adeno, but they are sure not going to stop the growth of adeno. At least that's the jist I've gotten.)A dilemma: HRT can make many women feel better overall yet can be accompanied by side-effects, such as higher BP in your case. You trade one set of problems for another. And there doesn't seem to be any clear solutions. Can you see men putting up with such a dilemma?


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## Patty (Mar 18, 1999)

Hi guys, I've been on vacation for a week; celebrated my birthday on Aug 2!You're right HipJan --- adenomyosis is what gyn diagnosed many years ago; maybe in 80s and, true, the bcp did relieve the heavy bleeding and pain. I talked to a pharmacist last week who stressed the severity of the hrt findings and he even talked against the herbal things. I am so confused now --- don't really know what to do! I'm more inclined to stop all hrt use.....


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## IMCBSHYGIRL (Aug 25, 2002)

Hello everyone, I'm new here in Womens Health, I know this sounds dumb, but i'm actually clueless. I had a partial hysterectomy 4 yrs ago. Dr. said I had endometriosis. Don't know why they didn't remove my ovaries, except they said they didn't want me to be force into the change (i'm 45). Well, I've been taking estratest for a little over a year now and in the last 3=4 wks, i haven't been able to sleep more than 3 hrs a night (and these aren't consecutive). and i'm also suffering from night sweats terribly, some nights, i have to change my night gown 2x i get soaked. Can someone help this clueless but wise in other fields friend... I'd appreciate you help.. Thank you so much,


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