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Archive through March 21, 2007

The TVClubHouse: General Discussions ARCHIVES: Jan. 2007 ~ Mar. 2007: Health Center: Misc Questions (ARCHIVES): Archive through March 21, 2007 users admin

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Mak1
Member

08-12-2002

Monday, February 26, 2007 - 1:25 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Mak1 a private message Print Post    
It really stinks that you have to be on it all day!

Luvmom
Member

10-17-2000

Monday, February 26, 2007 - 2:17 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Luvmom a private message Print Post    
I know,but they are stuck at work..We are so short staffed.

Mamie316
Member

07-08-2003

Monday, February 26, 2007 - 9:47 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Mamie316 a private message Print Post    
I had to get a walking boot from the doctor because I couldn't put regular shoes on for quite some time after I broke mine.

Emeraldfire
Member

03-05-2003

Wednesday, February 28, 2007 - 8:20 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Emeraldfire a private message Print Post    
I have a question that I hope someone can answer. I'm 43 and I had a hysterectomy about a year ago and I was put on hormones (Premerin (sp)). I was told I would be taken off of them in my 50's.

My question is have any of you been on hormones and just quit taking them? What effect would it have and would it be dangerous to do so?

I'm sort of worried about being on the hormones and I'm not sure why exactly I'm taking them.

Any help would be appreciated!

Seamonkey
Moderator

09-07-2000

Wednesday, February 28, 2007 - 10:52 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Seamonkey a private message Print Post    
Emerald, I went off hormones but did it very very gradually and even then my gyn was a little ticked I didn't call her first. I went to 6 days a week for awhile, then 5, and slowly down. I don't think mine were cuttable and you would have to make sure that was okay.

I'd just ask whoever prescribed them for you.

I've read that they think there are far fewer problems with patches for hormones as opposed to oral meds, so that might be an answer. Sounds like an appt for a good discussion of why you are on them so you can weigh the advantages?

Emeraldfire
Member

03-05-2003

Wednesday, February 28, 2007 - 10:55 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Emeraldfire a private message Print Post    
Thanks Sea!

May I ask do you feel that it was a good decision for you when you took yourself off of them and did you notice any bad side effects from not taking them?

Chiliwilli
Member

09-04-2006

Wednesday, February 28, 2007 - 10:59 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Chiliwilli a private message Print Post    
Having a hysterectomy puts you right into menopause from what I understand so I don't know if there would be a problem if you just quit taking them other than you will have instant symptoms. These symptoms are not bad for some to horrible for others. I was well into menopause when I was prescribed hormone replacement. I stopped taking them and the hot flashes returned for a while. That was it. My friend quit taking hers with the same results. Talk to your doc but IMO if you can live with the hot flashes and whatever symptoms you may have then don't take them.

Emeraldfire
Member

03-05-2003

Wednesday, February 28, 2007 - 11:01 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Emeraldfire a private message Print Post    
Thanks Chili, that's sort of what I've been thinking of doing.

Seamonkey
Moderator

09-07-2000

Wednesday, February 28, 2007 - 11:09 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Seamonkey a private message Print Post    
Emerald, I never had a hysterectomy, so no cold turkey cutoff of hormones and I was also in my fifties. I was on Prempro for 18 monthes. I went off gradually and didn't see any major effects until later when I had gained weight, then had some hot flashes. I have always taken calcium. I had watched for bone loss because my mother had surprising early osteoporosis and I did have some loss but since I've been on Fosamax my bone density has improved.

I went on the hormones more for the bone density issue,

So I would talk to your doctor about going off and keeping the patch as a possibility and also getting a bone scan now as at least a baseline so you can see if you should be very alert for those issues. And yeah, see what your symptoms are.

Cndeariso
Member

06-28-2004

Wednesday, February 28, 2007 - 11:17 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Cndeariso a private message Print Post    
i had a hysterectomy when i was 33 that left my ovaries. i've never been through menopause - yet. but, my left ovary has atrophied.

i'm a natural witch so i may not be able to tell when i do go into menopause. LOL actually, my doctor runs hormonal assays to check my levels every couple of years and he says i'm fine in that respect.

Texannie
Member

07-16-2001

Wednesday, February 28, 2007 - 11:33 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Texannie a private message Print Post    
Emerald, did they take your ovaries?
I had a complete hysterectomy at 42. When you go through natural menopause, your body adjusts to the dropping levels of estrogen naturally PLUS (and this is a biggie) the ovaries still produce some estrogen even if it is just a tiny amount. When your ovaries are taken it's much harder on your body because the drop in estrogen is almost instantly.
You can use vitamin therapy and have some success. www.hystersisters.com is a great resourse. go to the Hormone Jungle.
I was initially on oral estrogen, then the cream and now I am on the Vivelle patch. I love the patch!!!
I tried to go off hormones and the hot flashes weren't awful, but it was the joint pain (even with extra calcium, which you should be taking 1200 mg a day btw), insomnia, & brain fog were just too hard to handle.
I figure I might try again at a later age when my body would have started menopause naturally.

Emeraldfire
Member

03-05-2003

Wednesday, February 28, 2007 - 12:16 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Emeraldfire a private message Print Post    
Thanks for the websites Texannie! I'll definitely check them out.

All of you have brought up good points to consider. I had never even thought of how it would affect my bone density.

Yes, I had a complete hysterectomy (including the cervix) so I have no ovaries left to produce any type of hormones.

I have worried about the link between hormones and breast cancer which made me wonder why take the chance with hormones. However, all of you brought up some excellent points to consider regarding the hormones (lord knows I don't need to add to my brain fog - it's already pretty dense!).

I guess I will do what Sea said and talk with my doctor and see if I still want to get off of them or at least have them lowered.

Texannie
Member

07-16-2001

Wednesday, February 28, 2007 - 1:32 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Texannie a private message Print Post    
Emerald, I do think considering the link between breast cancer and HRT is valid, from what I understand, the testing was done on women who went through menopause and still had their uterus intact, and were using a combined therapy of estrogen and progesterone. No testing has been done on the effects of estrogen only to women without a uterus.

Emeraldfire
Member

03-05-2003

Wednesday, February 28, 2007 - 1:42 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Emeraldfire a private message Print Post    
Annie, I had a couple of friends who have suffered through breast cancer and both were taking hormones before diagnosis. I think they took the combined therapy of hormones but the thought is always stuck in the back of my mind. It's scary.

Texannie
Member

07-16-2001

Wednesday, February 28, 2007 - 2:42 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Texannie a private message Print Post    
It is very scary. It's also frustrating that the research is incomplete.
My aunt is a survivor so I understand the fear completely.

Colordeagua
Member

10-25-2003

Friday, March 02, 2007 - 9:30 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Colordeagua a private message Print Post    
EMERALDFIRE, you is me or me is you!!! I had hyst (everything out) at age 43 on March 1, 1990. On March 2, 1990 (17 years ago today!), I took my first Premarin tab (0.625 mg / next to lowest dosage). I took Premarin for app. 12.5 years. On November 18, 2002, shortly before my 56th birthday, I got DCIS diagnosis (ductal carcinoma in situ). I stopped Premarin cold turkey that day. Did Premarin have anything to do with diagnosis? Who knows for sure? Premarin is estrogen only, no progesterone which is supposed to be the real problem. But it is not reccomended to take estrogen for an extended period of time.

If you're going to be diagnosed with BrCa, DCIS is the best you can get -- although there's various scenarios with that. I had kinda middle of the road case -- lumpectomy (clean margins first go), radiation (virtually no problems with it), and five years of Tamoxifen (a little over four completed with only occasional mild side effects). Took me about two years to get over what hearing the "C" word does to you mentally / emotionally. I am fine today.

Twinkie
Member

09-24-2002

Wednesday, March 07, 2007 - 9:49 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Twinkie a private message Print Post    
For the last 3 or 4 nights I've had terrible night sweats. I wake up each morning with my hair and clothes soaking wet. I haven't done anything different so I don't know what could be causing it. I take Estratest(a low dose) and have for at least a year so that hasn't changed. I set the heat at night down to 58 degrees and I still end up throwing the covers off of me during the night. Any ideas?

Twinkie
Member

09-24-2002

Wednesday, March 07, 2007 - 11:25 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Twinkie a private message Print Post    
Nevermind. I called my doctor and when she asked me how I have been feeling the rest of the time I had to think about it and say "like crap". She said I probably have a bug. I'm to call again if its still happening in 2 days. No wonder all I've wanted to do lately is sleep. It never occured to me that I was sick. LOL

Colordeagua
Member

10-25-2003

Wednesday, March 07, 2007 - 2:59 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Colordeagua a private message Print Post    
Are you running a temp, Twinkie. Many years ago (so it was not a hormone thing) I was really sick. Running a temp of 104.5!! I was sick. Took aspirin which temporarily made my temp nosedive. It was during the night. PJs and bed linens were soaking.

Twinkie
Member

09-24-2002

Wednesday, March 07, 2007 - 6:36 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Twinkie a private message Print Post    
Color, I wish I knew. I have no idea where the thermometer is but it does feel like I do.

Emeraldfire
Member

03-05-2003

Monday, March 12, 2007 - 1:26 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Emeraldfire a private message Print Post    
Colordeagua, Talk about you is me or me is you! Our surgery history mirrors each other! Good lord reading your post confirmed my worst fears! I'm actually taking a pretty high dose of Premarin and it has me quite nervous.

When you stopped taking the Premarin cold turkey, was it difficult (night sweats, etc..)? The last thing I want to deal with is cancer again (my oldest daughter just had a scare this year - cervix). I am seriously thinking of quitting the drug. Although the thought of hot flashes in Louisiana is not very appealing, it's better than the "C" word.

I hate to hear what you went through, it sounds like a major scare that could have possibly been avoided. I thank you for sharing with me.

Kristylovesbb
Member

09-14-2000

Tuesday, March 20, 2007 - 8:25 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Kristylovesbb a private message Print Post    
Ok, had mammogram less than a year ago and everything was ok. Now all of a sudden I have little wet spots appearing on my tops. When I gently mash my breast a small amount of milkish looking stuff comes out of both breast.

Urgrace
Member

08-19-2000

Tuesday, March 20, 2007 - 8:42 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Urgrace a private message Print Post    
Kristy! Here is some information for you From Kellymom.com:

If you stop producing milk after weaning and then start again, it could be due to a new pregnancy (or a recent miscarriage).

Schedule a visit with your physician if...

-you are still producing a significant amount of milk at 6 months after weaning or re-start milk production spontaneously (not associated with pregnancy).
-you start producing milk and have never been pregnant.
-you have breast discharge that does not appear to be milk. Discharge may be multicolored and sticky (color is generally green; this is usually a benign condition called duct ectasia), purulent (containing pus; this is generally due to mastitis or an abscess), clear/watery, yellow/serous, pink/serosanguineous or bloody/sanguineous.


Mocha
Member

08-12-2001

Wednesday, March 21, 2007 - 5:08 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Mocha a private message Print Post    
Kristy if you haven't just had a baby then I'd get that checked out by your doctor.

Kristylovesbb
Member

09-14-2000

Wednesday, March 21, 2007 - 12:18 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Kristylovesbb a private message Print Post    
I am going to call my doctor Mocha and Urgrace. No babies had a hyster 30 years ago and besides I am 53 LOL