Hormones are confusing enough without getting lost in all these topics. Here's a brief outline of what is in each, with a clickable link to take you there.
The basics
- Surgical Menopause: definition; endogenous & exogenous hormone sources; why hormones?
- What hormones do: general definition of what hormones are and what they do
- Estrogen: roles of estrogen in the body
- Progesterone: roles of progesterone in the body
- Testosterone: roles of testosterone in the body
- Hormone Replacement Therapy: definition; decisions involved in selecting HRT
- What type of hormones?: bioidentical, synthetic, and alternative defined; that tricky term "natural"
- Which hormones? estrogen use; adding progesterone; adding testosterone; use of hormone precursor DHEA
- How much? factors influencing dose amount selection
- What route? oral; transdermal; patch/cream/gel; transbuccal; vaginal; subdermal
- Take it when? time of day; cycling
The HRTs
- Estrogens: the different brands of estrogens
- Combination estrogen plus progesterone: the different brands of combination products
- Estrogen interactions: what interacts with estrogen, and how (smoking, alcohol, St. John's Wort, foods, antibiotics, nutrients, thyroid)
- Progesterone supplements: the different brands of progestogens
- Over the counter progesterone creams: perils of otc use; picking a brand
- Testosterone supplements: the different brands of testosterones and testosterone-containing combination products
- HRTs in the UK and elsewhere (coming: New Zealand, Australia)
Balancing
- Balancing your hormones: definition of balance; tools
- Balancing during the post-op period: why perfect balance isn't reasonable now; what is reasonable?
- Principals of HRT balancing: start low and go slow; change only one thing at a time; listen to your body
- The balancing process
- Oh joy! hot flashes: mechanism; interpreting; coping
- Balancing estrogen
- Symptoms of estrogen imbalance
- Balancing progesterone
- Symptoms of progesterone imbalance
- Balancing testosterone
- Symptoms of testosterone imbalance
- Hormone level testing: blood estrogen norms; blood vs saliva testing; limits of testing
- A few final words on balance: Premarin-or-nothing; other factors affecting balance
HRT and special situations
- Diabetes
- Endometriosis and post-hyst HRT
- Looking for a new doctor
- PolyCystic Ovary Syndrome
- Stress
- Thyroid
- Women who can't take hormones
Menopausal health
- Life with HRT: other hints and tips
- Monitoring your health
- Menopause is not a disease
- Can't you just recommend some vitamins and herbs to take care of all this?
Advanced topics
- Comparison of ingredients in Premarin and Cenestin/Enjuvia
- Deciding to keep your ovaries: post-hyst ovarian cancer risk
- Generics: are they okay; why they may perform differently from the brand name
- HRTs and dose dynamics: another variable in how we experience HRT actions
- Menopausal brain chemistry and SSRI antidepressants
- Natural vs surgical menopause: what is the difference? how perimenopause differs from the surgical menopausal transition; how transition differs from background hormonal adequacy
- Researching it yourself: how and where to find scientifically solid information
- The three estrogens: estradiol, estrone, estriol
- Transbuccal use of Estrace:
- Delivery efficacy: how to convince your doctor to let you try this
- Mechanics of taking transbuccal tablet HRTs
- Troubleshooting patches:
- Adhesion
- Adjusting dose: cutting, changing frequency
- Location
- "Runs out early": how patches actually function to deliver hormones
- Skin irritation: what does that rash underneath the patch mean for using this hrt?
- Are all patches the same? why Climara and Vivelle Dot may perform totally differently
In the news
- Fat may be a factor in vitamin D needs
- FDA approves two new hrts: Endometrin and Evamist
- JAMA weighs in on the WHI reappraisals
- HRT and breast cancer
- Ethinyl estradiol gets up to some odd tricks; getting enough vitamin D from the sun?
- Depression and osteoporosis
- New gel HRT; lower cardiovascular risks by using HRTs
- New guidelines from the International Menopause Society
- Testosterone alone is not enough to provide for libido
Book reports
- Strong Women, Strong Bones by Miriam E. Nelson: osteoporosis monitoring, prevention, and treatment
- Women's Moods by Deborah Sichel and Jeanne Watson Driscoll: how hormonal disruptions affect brain function
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