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In a post (can't remember where) you stated that Hormones also affect MC, which means that HRT can prevent remission, and so can BC pills. Does this include bio-identicals? I take sublingual bio-identicals, no estrogen, just DHEA, progesterone, and pregnenelone. Did/can taking my hormones cause MC? As I seem to remember, I didn't start the diarrhea before taking the sublinguals. I've only been taking the bio-identicals for a month, so do you think I had MC before taking HRT? I want to think so, cause I can't imagine being peri-menopause without my bio identicals!Calling Mr. Tex!
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Calling Mr. Tex!
Hello, oracle of all! In a post (can't remember where) you stated that Hormones also affect MC, which means that HRT can prevent remission, and so can BC pills. Does this include bio-identicals? I take sublingual bio-identicals, no estrogen, just DHEA, progesterone, and pregnenelone. Did/can taking my hormones cause MC? As I seem to remember, I didn't start the diarrhea before taking the sublinguals. I've only been taking the bio-identicals for a month, so do you think I had MC before taking HRT? I want to think so, cause I can't imagine being peri-menopause without my bio identicals!
In a post (can't remember where) you stated that Hormones also affect MC, which means that HRT can prevent remission, and so can BC pills. Does this include bio-identicals? I take sublingual bio-identicals, no estrogen, just DHEA, progesterone, and pregnenelone. Did/can taking my hormones cause MC? As I seem to remember, I didn't start the diarrhea before taking the sublinguals. I've only been taking the bio-identicals for a month, so do you think I had MC before taking HRT? I want to think so, cause I can't imagine being peri-menopause without my bio identicals!
Well, these are pretty much uncharted waters, I believe, and I'm certainly no expert on this topic, but I seem to recall seeing mixed results on that particular option. The outcome may depend on actual hormone levels, and how they are balanced, and genes could certainly play a part. Since this is not something I'm familiar with, I Googled for information, and the following two links came up. Apparently there's not much data out there on HRT for women with MC, and I couldn't find anything specific on bio-identicals. The first link is a post by our resident expert on HRT, and the second is a link to a site selling hormone pellet therapy:
http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=9876
The second hit was because of the following quote, but somehow, I don't feel totally convinced by the sales pitch, because of the fact that the placebo effect is very powerful, and it virtually guarantees that a few people will be helped by almost any treatment. The overall success rate is what counts, and while that might be implied by this statement - it actually only claims that in some cases, the treatment works. If it works so well, why are 80 to 90% of her patients using HRT, or bio-identical HRT?
Anyway, the bottom line is, not much information is available. FWIW, here's a thread by a long-time member who is using bio-identicals, and who has not been able to achieve remission, (we don't know if the hormonal treatment might be playing a part or not, because we were never successful in being able to persuade her to even try doing without the treatments for a week or two, to see if they were preventing her from achieving remission).
http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=13862
The only way to tell for sure, is to stop taking them for a while. For someone who has been on the GF diet for a while, results would probably show up in a couple of days or so, but early on, you might not be able to tell the difference, because we will always react to gluten first - it's the dominant trigger for most of us, and the other triggers are subordinate, in a specific hierarchy, in virtually every case. Gluten, (anti-gliadin), antibodies have a very long half-life, so it takes a long time for them to fade away, so that the reaction can come to an end.
Sorry I couldn't be more helpful,
Tex
http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=9876
The second hit was because of the following quote, but somehow, I don't feel totally convinced by the sales pitch, because of the fact that the placebo effect is very powerful, and it virtually guarantees that a few people will be helped by almost any treatment. The overall success rate is what counts, and while that might be implied by this statement - it actually only claims that in some cases, the treatment works. If it works so well, why are 80 to 90% of her patients using HRT, or bio-identical HRT?
http://www.noaw.com/HRT%20Pellets%20for ... n-Men.htmlShe has seen HPT help women with almost psychotic behavior normalize, women with chronic microscopic colitis decrease their symptoms and go into remission when properly replaced.
Anyway, the bottom line is, not much information is available. FWIW, here's a thread by a long-time member who is using bio-identicals, and who has not been able to achieve remission, (we don't know if the hormonal treatment might be playing a part or not, because we were never successful in being able to persuade her to even try doing without the treatments for a week or two, to see if they were preventing her from achieving remission).
http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=13862
The only way to tell for sure, is to stop taking them for a while. For someone who has been on the GF diet for a while, results would probably show up in a couple of days or so, but early on, you might not be able to tell the difference, because we will always react to gluten first - it's the dominant trigger for most of us, and the other triggers are subordinate, in a specific hierarchy, in virtually every case. Gluten, (anti-gliadin), antibodies have a very long half-life, so it takes a long time for them to fade away, so that the reaction can come to an end.
Sorry I couldn't be more helpful,
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Thanks for the info Tex! I take sublingual bio indenticals, and I don't think I would feel comfortable using pellets injected under the skin. One of the reasons i take the HRT trokes is because blood work showed I was low on DHEA, etc. and that those hormones drained my adrenals, hence adrenal fatigue. She wanted me to take HRT so that my levels of DHEA, etc would come up and stop stressing my adrenals. Not sure if hormone replacement therapy stifles MC remission, but I sure don't want to struggle with periomenopause/menopause issues if I had to go off them. Shudder! 
Oh, btw, could bio identicals have gluten in them?
Oh, btw, could bio identicals have gluten in them?I have no idea. It might be a good idea to check that out with the manufacturer, (there's a chance your pharmacist might know), and if it should turn out that they do contain gluten, you have a couple of choices.Mandy wrote:Oh, btw, could bio identicals have gluten in them?
1. You could have them custom made by a compounding pharmacy. Of course, they may not be able to produce a sublingual lozenge, but they could formulate a powder, (which might be usable sublingually), capsules, or a liquid).
2. You could try a cream, salve, or gel formulation, for transdermal use, as Pat is doing.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Mandy,
You are going to get to the bottom of this, because you're asking great questions. Many of us react to ingredients (gluten for sure, but also some soy-based, and many others - especially when we are first healing) used to formulate all kinds of medications. So... maybe you will find a way to continue to benefit from the bioidenticals and also eliminate the risk of inactive ingredients, PLUS figure out what there is in those bioidenticals that might be a culprit. I know that's a lot of sleuthing, but I wish you much luck. A friend is really benefiting from her transdermal progesterone formulation from a compounding pharmacy, and as I am using topical magnesium, I can imagine that might be one helpful approach.
Many medications use lactose as a 'filler' ingredients. I've found that problematic at times, but also seem to tolerate it in other medications (go figure - maybe now that I have stopped eating casein, the milk protein, a tiny amount of lactose, the milk sugar, is less troublesome?).
Good luck,
Sara
You are going to get to the bottom of this, because you're asking great questions. Many of us react to ingredients (gluten for sure, but also some soy-based, and many others - especially when we are first healing) used to formulate all kinds of medications. So... maybe you will find a way to continue to benefit from the bioidenticals and also eliminate the risk of inactive ingredients, PLUS figure out what there is in those bioidenticals that might be a culprit. I know that's a lot of sleuthing, but I wish you much luck. A friend is really benefiting from her transdermal progesterone formulation from a compounding pharmacy, and as I am using topical magnesium, I can imagine that might be one helpful approach.
Many medications use lactose as a 'filler' ingredients. I've found that problematic at times, but also seem to tolerate it in other medications (go figure - maybe now that I have stopped eating casein, the milk protein, a tiny amount of lactose, the milk sugar, is less troublesome?).
Good luck,
Sara
OMG! I have been on HRT for a very long time. My OBGYN says I have to take it, AND I need added estrogen. One of the surgeries I went through last year was for my bladder, which had prolapsed. In addition to vaginal atrophy this caused almost constant UTIs, and non stop antibiotics. When I DON'T have D I am supposed to use and estrogen ring, but I have had difficulty with using it since the MC started.
My OBGYN is very open to new things, but my GE is NOT, as you have seen. I don't even know where to begin finding out about this issue.
My OBGYN is very open to new things, but my GE is NOT, as you have seen. I don't even know where to begin finding out about this issue.