Hi fab women,
Maybe late to the table here but had to chime in. I've been on bhrt for about 4 years--what a life saver. I had been on Tri-Est in a pill, very low dose but recently switched to Bi-Est cream for two reasons. 1) to get rid of the Estradiol which is the potentially damaging one and 2) to get rid of a pill which the liver has to conjugate which has some concerns associated.
I also swear by Progesteron cream (Although just to be contrarian I'm on a pill for 6 months only, trying to remedy something) It helps with weight gain, deep sleep and balances the estrogen just like when the old ovaries were working.
Midlife women's is my area of expertise and I just did an audio postcard on what one should include and take out of their diet for bone health. I was really surprised but dairy is not the best for bone health.
On the home page of my blog there is a graphic for a book I recommend called The Bone Health Revolution. It's a great resource for all of us at this age.
There is a link in my signature to the blog if anyone is interested.
All I know is my life is so much better in so many ways since I started on them!

Hi MsCoach

Thanks so much for the information...I've got an appointment with a holistic MD next week and he ONLY uses bio-identical approaches. I've reached my limit with the various aspects of this stage of my life, although I swore I was going to go au naturale. After suffering my extreme exhaustion, serious weight gain, a better goatee than my son, and a host of other conditions, I decided I was DONE....grin. Although I'm just weird enough to get a kick out of playing martyr...at least sometimes...(Teashing)

I'm so grateful for the wisdom in this forum and will take a look at your blog!

Have an amazing day filled with passionately powerful possibilities.

Mama, your post reminds me of all the boomers who gave birth au naturale the first time around, and then changed their minds with the second child.

Absolutely! Grin...funny how living an experience can change the most strongly held decisions prior to being in the middle of the fray! Kinda like those folks who don't have kids telling those who have them how to raise them. They suddenly realize, when *they* become parents, that it ain't so dadblasted easy!

Question: Is it the pill for 6 months or the cream(s) that help with weight gain, deep sleep and estrogen balance? I'm reading it to be the Progesterone cream, but want to make it clear in my mind (for future reference).
Would you share with us what is?
I hope to hear such positive claims from others.
I have a couple of issues I need to remedy (or at least get help for)... but, I don't want to take pills.

Thanks shipmate for bringing this topic up once again. It's one of the things that seems to get put on the back burner for some of us.

Another question... have you noticed a change in the quality of your hair with the bhrt?

Anyone watch Oprah yesterday? Suzanne Sommers was on there talking about bio-identical hormones. I'm still confused on all of it. Is it safe, not safe? Whom do you believe when there is so much disagreement on the topic of hrt and bhrt. Also, the average person does not have the resources to run to all the doctors that these women have gone to, to get their hormones back on track.

The NABBW did a teleseminar about this. If you're a member, you can go to the Members Only section of the site and listen or read. It was rather informative.

Cookie,
Everything I read says to avoid the bio-identicals. Progesterone occurs naturally in plants and it can't be patented. The bio identical stuff is a way to make money== once again -- by endangering women.

I saw this on Oprah. Were these things available 15 years ago? Is it too late for me at 62? Not one doc ever mentioned this to me. I have to demand blood tests every year and I have to ask for specifics. I'm angry because now I have to pay big time for my insurance since losing my job. I'll make extra demands because I'm paying so much.