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Is HRT Or Synthrod Advisable When Suffering From Severe Menopausal Symptoms?

Posted on Mon, 24 Mar 2014

Question: hi I am post menopause for about a year. I have extreme anxiety in the morning. I wanted to stay away from HRT - mom mom died at 70 from breast cancer and I have had melamona 10 years ago. So I went to a Nurse practioner who did a saliva test for Bioidentical Hormone Creams. Cortisol 17 8:30 a.m 4.1 1:30 pm 3.0 6pm and 2.9 10 pm Estradiol 1.8pg/ml Estrone 37pg/ml progesterone 2,430 pg/ml - I had bee ntaking progest crème testerone 18.2 pg/ml She said to get my cortisol down first before going on Bioidentical cremes- with natural B12, Cortisol manager, Fish oil, d3 Also my TSH is 3.8 Would I benefit from HRT or Synthrod? I take Klonopin when needed. But if HRT could help I would take it -

Answered by Dr. Jorge Brenes-Salazar (1 hour later)

Brief Answer: If no symptoms stay away from HRT Detailed Answer: Dear XXXXXXX Thanks for your excellent question. As a cardiologist, I only recommend HRT in patients between 50 and 55 years old who have severe symptoms of menopause, for the shortest period possible (eg. 5 years); if you are feeling well in that respect, with issues that can be treated with topical estrogen cream (eg. like vaginal dryness or atrophy) then I would stay away from HRT, particularly since you have a first degree relative with breast cancer. Hope this helps, wish you the best, Dr Brenes-Salazar MD Mayo Clinic MN Cardiology

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Jorge Brenes-Salazar (2 hours later)

Would sythroid help my depression and anxiety - my endo gave me synthroid and said I was hypo My symptoms are anxiety and depression not hot flashes etc - so HRT would not work for that?

Answered by Dr. Jorge Brenes-Salazar (3 days later)

Brief Answer: Thyroxine will help if underlying cause Detailed Answer: Dear XXXXXXX Sorry for the delay in response, I'm currently overseas. It is quite rare for menopause to cause true depression, but it is quite a frequent symptom in hypothyroidism, which could be the main cardinal manifestation of this disorder in elderly patients who tend not to present typically. If low thyroid levels are the cause, then thyroxin replacement should correct the mood disorder; if it does not then it may be an independent primary depression, and may warrant a trial of antidepressants. I highly doubt that HRT would be beneficial. Warm regards

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar