Posted by SA on August 2, 2001, at 8:55:57
In reply to Re: Estradiol Treatment of Post-Menopausal Depression » anita, posted by Lorraine on July 12, 2001, at 12:16:55
> > > >I may have to go on the pill (in addition to bromocriptine) .
>
> Is the bromocriptine good for your sexual response? (if so, I'll put it in my bag of tricks for sexual dysfunction.)
>
> > > > >since going on risperidone I have not had my periods (hyperprolactinemia), and I've heard that estrogen only, not progesterone, should be used for depressives
>
> Here is the scoop so far as I have been able to determine. Yes, progesterone is considered to be a depressant. With synthetic estrogens (those most commonly prescribed), your estrogen needs to be "opposed" by progesterin to prevent uterine cancer. With natural estrogen---estriol (which you get from a compounding pharmacy) you do not need to oppose with estrogen. Estriol does not provide the same protection against heart attack and osteoporosis that synthetic estrogen does, but it also does not have the association with breast cancer.
>
> Right now, I am on estratest (estrogen and testosterone combined). I have a period every 7 months or so. the estrogen does not help you have periods, the progesterone does that. They say that if you are going to do estrogen and progesterone and are worried about depression that it is best to use a natural progesterone and to take estrogen and progesterone together throughout the month instead of cycling on estrogen for most of the month and then progesterone for the last week or so. Hope this helps. The web site to go to for this info is:
>
> www.womenshealth.com
>
> Lorraine
Lorraine, thank you very much. The natural v synthetic info is helpful. I'll check the Web site you gave.SA
poster:SA
thread:69568
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010731/msgs/73085.html