Thank you Michelle for your story in Paradise Mag. I like you have been tearing my hair out wondering what is going on with me. I finally put my foot down and demanded answers. I am 49 yrs old and was just told I am in menopause! I am reseaching the product SottoPelle the Bio Equivalent Hormonal Replacement Therapy. If anyone has some insite to the use of SottoPelle I would love to hear about it.Thank you Barbara
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This is Hera, I have switched from pellets to the oral one of estradial and a synthetic progesterone--mostly because I could not tolerate the prometrium--you may want to try the prochieve if you stay on pellets, it's a vaginal prometrium you for every other day for 12 days--it made me bloated and crampy so decided to forgo pellets. As for testosterone, I am trying the dissolvable tablets in AM. Have just started so not sure how it will go--I like the testosterone but like you it's a bit of a roller coaster--the couple of weeks when you're peaking are pretty intense. I am beginning to think that the women who have such a wonderful response may have never been on anything--the estrogen pellet did nothing for me that the prempro I used to take did--just wanted off oral but now back on. Will keep you posted about oral estradial.
September 22, 2009 - 2:01pmThis Comment
I'd like to hear an update as to how you feel. I'm considering these and want to know what are of the states you live in unless you are willing to provide your physicians name. Thanks.
June 16, 2009 - 12:52pmThis Comment
Gee, too many of us are 'anonymous'.... I live in Bloomington, Indiana & we have one doctor here trained in using the pellets. There are others in Indianapolis. It's between $250-$300 & supposedly lasts 4 months or maybe more if one's been using them for a long time. The progesterone is oral & covered by most insurance other than the copay, and one has to take a daily progesterone pill if one still has a uterus.So far I haven't been thrilled - have previous posts - but am sticking with it for now because it's supposed to alleviate the need for other things like cholesterol meds, osteoperosis meds, etc that have their own side effects. I figure the cost breaks down to nearly the same monthly. My good experience so far is no bladder incontinence, my skin looks better, & I'm dreaming more. I also seem to have a bit more energy to exercise. However the testosterone makes my face hair grow quicker & I've already commented on how it drove me nuts when it spiked (had very low levels pre-insertion).
June 17, 2009 - 4:33pmThis Comment
I am Hera--see above posts--I also sent the one about being from Philadelphia--don't know why it came up as anonymous--maybe because I came to site from my email rather than logging in. ANyway, to update, yesterday the dr. inserted another estrogen pellet as she felt my estradial was not as high as it should be and that my FSH was still too high. She said some women take time to get it adjusted. We will see. I remain disappointed but plan to do it through one more cycle to give it a fair chance. However, unless I see much more of a noticeable difference I think I will go to the creams as the pellets are awfully expensive. I also don't understand how they say it keeps you so steady as it appears that you have them inserted--then you peak, then it levels off for awhile and then it drops and you start over--to me that isn't particularly steady state. When I was peaking, the testosterone really had me going--I imagine if you were in a relationship it would be confusing to the man--you are horny as can be for a couple of weeks, then you level down a little--still interested but not as much, then you really lose interest, then you get it back in spades. I don't know, would really like to hear more about women's experiences as mine certainly doesn't sound typical as far as most others are concerned. I am still holding out hope that it will get better but in all honesty right now I don't know that I would recommend the pellets over the creams unless money is absolutley not an issue--a friend who has been listening to me said she is glad I did it as she feels she will now stick with the creams when the time comes for her. HOpe this helps.
June 16, 2009 - 4:50pmThis Comment
I would like to say I have the same problems and the creams may be less expensive but they didn't do a thing for me. My estrogen was so low, my FSH was so high, thyroid low, Testosterone low and the creams do not address all of these problems and even applying twice a day could never be enough. I had the first pellet inserted in the middle of March this year, a booster in April and again in May. Additional test were run each time proving my estrogen levels were as low as when I was first tested. In July (when it was time for the normal second round) an increased dose was inserted. I am not saying it will be the answer but we are on the road. My sister has been using the pellet for a few years and the one thing she told me is, it took about ten months to get her prescription correct. No one can guess how you or any one else will respond to the pellet or for that matter any prescription, but if you are will to get your prescription right you will be rewarded. Remember it is not a miracle, you will not feel like you are 20 over night, but it is a process to improve your life. You did not stop making hormones over night and you will not replenish over night either.
August 14, 2009 - 9:57amThis Comment
Thanks for sharing--my estrogen actually did go up and my FSH down to around 60 I think but I just didn't feel anything except for missing the hot flashes, the Dr. didn't know really understand it either. Right now I am pretty unhappy with the progesterone side of things as all the ones I have tried have either nauseated me or left me bloated and crampy. WHat are you doing for that. I did like the testosterone but am just not sure what I am going to do. Keep me posted as to how you do.
August 14, 2009 - 11:43amThis Comment
I like your sense of humor. (It's annonymous again). My doctor claims that once one's body is used to the hormones there's no more spiking, that it's more level. I plan to stick with it for another cycle, mainly because the creams don't offer testosterone & that's really good for bone growth, muscles and weight loss. I'm about 20 lbs over where I should be - have lost about 5 since using the hormones. One big issue is I still can't sleep - I'm doing good to get in 5-6 hours, and the word was I would be able to sleep like my old self. I was able to sleep well on the creams. Back to the testosterone - when I was spiking I was whining to a coworker who has now offered to set me up with someone to 'relieve my tension'. I had to explain to her that right now I don't need to meet the guy since I'm no longer in a frenzy - I needed him a month ago!
June 17, 2009 - 4:23pmThis Comment
I used the cream ...started in 2011 and the cream had testosterone and estrogen and progesterone...did that for 7 mos..then went to the sottopelle...had two times...facing my third set....have had bleeding issues..bled for 3 mos then took 200mg prometrium...tore my gut up..thought I had crohns or stomach cancer it was so bad...was bleeding out of rectum and vagina...took 27 pills and stopped..all I could endure...did eventually stop bleeding ...have not taken any progesterone in around 5 wks..and due to have third set of pellets in couple wks..thinking of going back to cream..but it takes so long to get to good levels..also the hormones helped my bladder condition...trigonitis...I lived on macrondantin for over 10 yrs..and haven't had take one for close to 4 mos now.
March 23, 2012 - 1:36pmThis Comment
Hera again,
June 19, 2009 - 8:45amThat's so funny about your friend setting you up. I know what you mean. Luckily I have my "toys" so I just took care of myself. I do like the testosterone part of the pellets but that's about it. Did you know you can take the testosterone as a patch--I didn't realize you couldn't take as cream. Did the creams do anything for you. I am still not sleeping well and no energy. Even when testosterone had me really going, it only affected libido, not energy in general. Like you will try one more cycle and see. I still don't see how you can have no spiking since you wait til you are getting depleted and then you get more. A friend doing it said she got really agitated after her second round--I'm assuming from the testosterone. Oh well, guess just have to wait and see.
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This is that annonymous chick again....yes I was using my toys so much that I'd almost get excited when I'd pass the batteries in the grocery store! I to, experienced only the libido side of the testosterone, not 'real energy' - nothing to make me want to jump up & clean house. I slept 4 hours last night - am almost sleeping worse than prior to using the pellets. When I used the estrogen/progesterone compounded creams I slept thru the night but they did nothing for skin tone, weight loss & when the doc would check my bloodwork the estrogen levels remained extremely low. I'm currently thinking my estrogen tank is empty again (tad over 3 months on pellets) because now the 100mg progesterone is giving me cramps/spotting. No, I didn't know there was a testosterone patch (I get a vision of teenage boys trying to stick them on girls) - I thought the pellet was the only way they could deliver the testosterone. I wanted to force myself on a frat house & it made me very depressed. I think I now know what it's like to be bipolar - my thoughts raced, I couldn't concenterate on my job or even a tv program other than "wow, that guy's hot". That's disappointing that your friend said her second round of pellets didn't work out either. And, I see your point that if we don't get another injection untl levels are depleted, then logically it would cause more spiking. I sort of feel like I've lost 3 months of my life riding a crazy rollercoaster.
June 20, 2009 - 5:32amThis Comment