Natural Hormones

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DianneMS
DianneMS Member Posts: 105
edited June 2014 in Complementary and Holistic Medicine and Treatment

Good morning everyone,

   I haven't been here since I finished radiation last Jan.  This week one year ago I was diagnosed with DCIS with micro invasion, ER/PR neg, Her2 pos.

  Now a year later I am working on getting my energy back.  I have looked at a variety of ways. 

  My questions are:

       Has anyone ever had their hormones test through saliva and found different results then a blood test?

      The saliva test showed my estrogen  very high, so this Doc wants me to use a plant based progesterone to help balance the estrogen.  Has anyone run across this concept?

       My radiologist was rather upset with the thought of me doing this.  He does not believe an the saliva test. 

    I am confused the herbs are helping me feel better and have more energy.  But I'm not willing to risk the recurrence of the cancer


Thanks for any help and thoughts

Dianne

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  • Rosemary44
    Rosemary44 Member Posts: 2,660
    edited October 2007

    Dianne,

    That's the concept of hormone replacement therapy.  It has both ER & PR, but how would you know you need extra PR?  Plant based PR?  I wonder what that is exactly?  You really wouldn't want to do anything synthetic, but he is saying plant based.  Very interesting.

    By any chance, do you drink soy milk?  That seems to up the estrogen in saliva.  This was interesting:

    http://www.herbalgram.org/metabolicmaintenance/herbclip/review.asp?i=42266

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  • Naniam
    Naniam Member Posts: 1,766
    edited October 2007

    I think I read something or saw some, that the plant based PR comes from yam.  The theory behind all of this is that the estrogen and progesterone that we took as HRT from the drug companies has been altered and not what is naturally occuring in our bodies.  You can't "patent" natural occuring things thus the drug companies don't make the billions off their drugs so they alter the chemical composition a bit and can get a patent. Natural hormones at one time was thought to be rather radical stuff; haven't heard much about it lately.    Most MD's get really upset over this and call these folks quacks or worse.  I do understand the theory behind this but I'm not sold on it. I did however, go to an estrogen vaginal cream that is considered more closely to what our body produces than the synthetic one Estrace.  I just figured if any got absorbed in my body, being highly ER/PR+ that I wanted the better one.  

    We have very few doctors here that agree with this "natural hormone" stuff.  They don't believe in the saliva test - and no, I've never had one.  Understand they are expensive.   

    Brenda 

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  • sonrisa
    sonrisa Member Posts: 10
    edited October 2007

    Dianne,

    I have heard of the saliva test.  My husband is in the process of doing one this week due to some health issues he is having.  I have not had one done.  I am familiar with natural hormones.  There is a doctor who has written several books on the subject.  His name is John Lee.  I do not agree with everything in the books, and am not necesarily advocating following his protocol to the letter, but he does have a lot of information about hormones that may be of interest to you.  There is also a website, southriverrx.com that may have some information on natural hormones.  I hope this helps.

    Sonrisa

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  • pod1257
    pod1257 Member Posts: 262
    edited October 2007

    Hi Diane-

    I was going to post a similar question about the safety of natural progesterone creams, as I just started reading a book by John Lee, MD. It's titled,"What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Breast Cancer." - How Hormone Balance Can Save Your Life.

    It basically addresses hormone + breast cancer with the theory of "estrogen dominance." In the book it states that estrogen dominance may occur in perimenopause when estrogen levels (causing cell proliferation) are high but progesterone levels (dampering the effect of estrogen) are too low. He states estrogen dominance is one factor setting the stage for breast ca and causing it to grow. He advocates using progesterone creams to balance the hormones both for premenpausal women and women who have had er/pr+ breast cancer.

    He states, a saliva test is more accurate than a blood test, as saliva tests measure the bioavailable hormones in the blood.

    I personally would be very wary of using any hormones, creams or otherwise, after having hormone positive cancer. I don't know how the progest cream fits in if your br. ca. has progestrone receptors?

    I was 75% + for progesterone. - Anyway, it is a very though provoking book. - Very detailed. - I am only 1/3rd through it.

    Julie

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