Weaning & Tapering Off Prescription Synthetic Hormone Drugs

Possible Protocols:

NATURAL PROGESTERONE CREAM for women and men-(Delivers 20 mg Progesterone/use)
                        Pump & Tube USP micronized bio-identical formulas at 450-500 mg/oz.

If Having Periods: Use Days 12 through 26 of cycle (1^st day of period=Day 1)
Use ¼  tsp, 1-2x daily, for 2 weeks (days 12 through 26), rotating application sites.

If NOT Having Periods:  Use 25 days of a month, taking 5 days off.  (most take either first OR last 5 days of a month off just for ease of remembering)
Use ¼ tsp, 1-2x daily, rotating application sites.

Whether you are having periods or not determines HOW and WHEN you use hormone creams.  No exceptions.

NATURAL ESTRIOL E3 ESTROGEN CREAM  (Estriol 0.5-1.0 mg/application use)
                        For Women with known low Estradiol or Estrogen levels

Can be used Vaginally or topically in other areas, as you prefer.  Over the counter formula for women – This is a very hard to find product!  USP micronized bioidentical formula. Vaginal use deep insertion not needed.

Use full pump compression (1.0 mg) 3-4x/wk, or as needed.  Some use ½ pump (0.5 mg) daily.  Some less, Some use more.  Listen to your body.

IMPORTANT: Use with Progesterone Cream. Do not use without progesterone!
Remember: Progesterone maintains a cell's estrogen receptor sensitivity.
(Take breaks at same time as progesterone breaks, 5 days/mo.)

Other Tips:

Women should taper off  ERT or HRT because the body has become accustomed to the very high levels of hormone supplementation and going "cold turkey" can cause resumption of symptoms.

Go from one estrogen (Premarin) tablet a day to one every other day for a month, then twice weekly for another month, and then, once a week for 2-3 weeks before stopping.

Progestins (Provera) can be stopped immediately without effect... supplement with a Progesterone and Estriol Cream immediately.

Prempro (estrogen and progestins) weaning and tapering off is also best done gradually and these women usually do best taking a natural progesterone AND a natural Estriol cream.

To taper off the combo estrogen-progestin or estrogen patch, cut patches in half, tape the edges and continue using it that way for a month, then cut patches into quarters for another month, and even eighths if symptoms warrant.  Hold patches on with tape at the edges.

Begin natural hormone creams even before you begin to taper off health care provider's order HRT drugs.

If you not having symptoms as you taper off, you can speed up the process by accelerating your schedule.  No symptoms mean you can even stop abruptly.  Listen to your body.

Some women do well with isoflavones and estrogenic herbal plants, like soy, black cohosh, licorice, red clover, dong quai, etc..  Some get more symptoms.  Again listen to your body.

If you are still in menopause, your symptoms may resume. If you are past menopause, you may experience hot flashes, night sweats, or mood changes. If they occur, do not taper your regimen any further until they subside.

Vaginal dryness may return within two to three months. Women should use Estriol Cream vaginally and this will completely disappear.

Natural hormone cream supplementation of Estriol and Progesterone Creams speeds up the process and some have been able to totally HRT drugs in 2-3 weeks.

From Dr Hamilton Evans, Mayo Clinic

Free Online Hormone Imbalance Symptoms Tests

When symptom assessment profiles and testing indicate low levels or deficiencies, supplementation is indicated.  If your body is low on some level, balance can be attained by adding it back to your body to eliminate or relieve symptoms.  It's simple, but not easy.  First, find what's missing.  Second, add it to your daily health plan.
Common Sense:  If something is low or missing, supplement or add it back, striving for balance.

HIGHLIGHTS of the RESEARCH STUDIES

Women's Health Initiative & National Institutes Health Studies
Serious Health Risks of the Prescription Synthetic Hormones
Women's Health Initiative WHI Study site: http://www.whi.org and Studies: http://www.whi.org/findings/

New England Journal of Medicine: http://content.nejm.org
Journal of the American Medical Association: http://www.ama-assn.org
National Institutes of Health: http://www.NIH.gov

Statements made on this website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are for information purposes only. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.