Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Support Group

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) describes a sense of exhaustion and post-exertion malaise, even when you have gotten enough rest and sleep. The disease is characterized by six months of incapacitating fatigue experienced as profound exhaustion and extremely poor stamina, and problems with concentration and short-term memory. The cause is unknown, but it is a...

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Hormone therapy

Ruby30
Ruby30
Hi all
My new Dr has started me one hormone therapy due to my symptoms, I have a blood test today but she has still ordered me these hormones to get started:
Testosterone
DHEA
Whole thyroid
Melatonin

I am a bit concerned that if I do not need them then will it harm me to take them? Especially the testosterone!
Does anyone else take these and if so could you let me know who they work for you? I have read that a lot of people take DHEA.
Thanks in advance for you advice!
lynx49
lynx49
Hi Ruby -

I'm on the bio-identical hormones DHEA, progesterone, and estriol. I love them & can't imagine being without them. That and thyroid support is what got me out of bed/off the couch when I first got sick.

Testosterone is important for women too. We just have less of it than men. Melatonin is certainly a big help with sleep issues.

As to safety - my Doc retests me ever so often to make sure I'm within limits - not too hi or low. She uses saliva testing, but a lot of Docs use the blood testing. I've read that both types of testing are valid

The big issue for me personally is that the hormones are bio-identical, so that they are chemically like our natural ones. Any hormone made out of horse urine I wouldn't touch! Don't get me going on "Big Pharma"!
Ruby30
Ruby30
Yes well I just had a blood test today but she has ordered them anyway without seeing the results.
They are bio-identical ones apart from one which is from a pig, can't remember what one though.
countr
countr
I too am on bio-identical progesterone. All of my other labs were good. My physician does monitor my labs for hormones as he strongly believes that hormones are a building block for your whole health. I would never take anything other than bio-identical hormones. And it is equally important for men to have there hormone levels checked. My physician gave me an article that explained that most women who have heart attacks is due to an imbalance of hormones. Some researchers also believe that hormones not being balanced causes alot of alzheimers. (This is from reasearchers at Columbia, US.) I do take natural DHEA 7 after I was diagnosed with adrenal fatigue from a blood test. Melatonin, I take 9 mg at night, and it does help me sleep more like I slept when I was a child.
lynx49
lynx49
Ruby -

Sounds like you are on the right track. My Doc sometimes adjusts my hormones without retesting because she's had so much experience with the bio-identicals I think the thyroid would be from the pig. (bless them for helping us!) . I too am on a natural/animal whole glandular thyroid. I did try Thyrolar (T4/T3 combo-synthetic) early on with another Doc. It brought my TSH down, but did nothing for my symptoms of hypothyroidism.

Good luck!!