Life After Hormone "Replacement"

This is my second week of quitting estradiol cold turkey after my
cancer diagnosis. It's been interesting, to put it euphemistically.
Luckily the weather hasn't been too hot, because it feels like Vegas
in July inside my skin. There's an assortment of niggling problems
By far the worst aspect is getting to sleep and staying asleep if I
happen to get lucky. I've alternated between low-dose benzodiazepines
and Ambien for a couple years, but they're losing their
effectiveness.

The physicians assistant has told me she will prescribe anything I ask
for. SSRIs like Prozac are supposed to help hot flashes, but I find
them disagreeable. Clonidine looks helpful, but the side effects are
off-putting. Amitryptiline may be worth a try. The thing that looks
the most promising is Neurontin (gabapentin). It's described as
effective hot flash and maybe insomnia relief for women with breast
cancer. Does anyone in asmland have experience with Neurontin? I
know it's expensive, but I'm desperate right about now. Thanks for
insights,

Les

"sage hen" <desertnymph@cwo.com> wrote in message
news:78f6a900-658c-4efd-a1ac-e99e78c70cee@s33g2000pri.googlegroups.com...
> This is my second week of quitting estradiol cold turkey after my
> cancer diagnosis. It's been interesting, to put it euphemistically.
> Luckily the weather hasn't been too hot, because it feels like Vegas
> in July inside my skin. There's an assortment of niggling problems
> By far the worst aspect is getting to sleep and staying asleep if I
> happen to get lucky. I've alternated between low-dose benzodiazepines
> and Ambien for a couple years, but they're losing their
> effectiveness.
>
> The physicians assistant has told me she will prescribe anything I ask
> for. SSRIs like Prozac are supposed to help hot flashes, but I find
> them disagreeable. Clonidine looks helpful, but the side effects are
> off-putting. Amitryptiline may be worth a try. The thing that looks
> the most promising is Neurontin (gabapentin). It's described as
> effective hot flash and maybe insomnia relief for women with breast
> cancer. Does anyone in asmland have experience with Neurontin? I
> know it's expensive, but I'm desperate right about now. Thanks for
> insights,
>
> Les

Sorry Les, can't help you there but have you tried Melatonin? Have you tried
Imnovane for sleep? I have used it maybe twice/yr as a last resort and it
works well with no hangover for me.

How long were you on HRT, synthetic and bioidentical? What's going around is
that Bhrt isn't supposed to elevate BC risk when used in physiological
doses.

Roseanne

On May 12, 9:27*pm, "foggydoggy" <foggydo...@cogeco.ca> wrote:
> "sage hen" <desertny...@cwo.com> wrote in message
>
> news:78f6a900-658c-4efd-a1ac-e99e78c70cee@s33g2000pri.googlegroups.com...
>
>
>
>
>
> > This is my second week of quitting estradiol cold turkey after my
> > cancer diagnosis. *It's been interesting, to put it euphemistically.
> > Luckily the weather hasn't been too hot, because it feels like Vegas
> > in July inside my skin. *There's an assortment of niggling problems
> > By far the worst aspect is getting to sleep and staying asleep if I
> > happen to get lucky. *I've alternated between low-dose benzodiazepines
> > and Ambien for a couple years, but they're losing their
> > effectiveness.
>
> > The physicians assistant has told me she will prescribe anything I ask
> > for. *SSRIs like Prozac are supposed to help hot flashes, but I find
> > them disagreeable. *Clonidine looks helpful, but the side effects are
> > off-putting. *Amitryptiline may be worth a try. *The thing that looks
> > the most promising is Neurontin (gabapentin). *It's described as
> > effective hot flash and maybe insomnia relief for women with breast
> > cancer. *Does anyone in asmland have experience with Neurontin? *I
> > know it's expensive, but I'm desperate right about now. *Thanks for
> > insights,
>
> > Les
>
> Sorry Les, can't help you there but have you tried Melatonin? Have you tried
> Imnovane for sleep? I have used it maybe twice/yr as a last resort and it
> works well with no hangover for me.
>
> How long were you on HRT, synthetic and bioidentical? What's going around is
> that Bhrt isn't supposed to elevate BC risk when used in physiological
> doses.
>
> Roseanne- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Roseanne,

Yes, I took melatonin for a while, but it doesn't seem to be what I
need. Also tried Rozerem--glorified melatonin--but eight times zero
is still zero. I've left no stone unturned in my quest for sleep
aids, except this Imnovane; that's Imovane isn't it? Will look into
that.

First I tried bioidentical cream three years ago, just for three
months. It cured hot flashes and my sleep really improved, but I
gained five pounds. My boobs also swelled up alarmingly and got all
fibrocystic again. So I quit and was miserable for nine months. Then
two years ago I started on a half-dose of estradiol, which provided
some symptom relief and no side effects. I have no uterus, so never
took progesterone.

I don't think HT caused my breast cancer. The 814 Nevada nuclear
tests, the local oil refineries, and the nearby incineration of the
Army's chemical weapon arsenal are more likely culprits.

Les

"sage hen" <desertnymph@cwo.com> wrote in message
news:cde4370a-a432-44b2-8786-

Roseanne,

Yes, I took melatonin for a while, but it doesn't seem to be what I
need. Also tried Rozerem--glorified melatonin--but eight times zero
is still zero. I've left no stone unturned in my quest for sleep
aids, except this Imnovane; that's Imovane isn't it? Will look into
that.


Les

Yes, it's Imovane and for me it worked well the rare time I had to take it,
once or twice/yr. Good deep sleep with no hangover effects. I took the 5 mg
dose. A friend of mine takes it almost nightly for past 3 yrs with no
problems.

Roseanne

On May 13, 5:54*pm, "foggydoggy" <foggydo...@cogeco.ca> wrote:
> "sage hen" <desertny...@cwo.com> wrote in message
>
> news:cde4370a-a432-44b2-8786-
>
> Roseanne,
>
> Yes, I took melatonin for a while, but it doesn't seem to be what I
> need. *Also tried Rozerem--glorified melatonin--but eight times zero
> is still zero. *I've left no stone unturned in my quest for sleep
> aids, except this Imnovane; that's Imovane isn't it? *Will look into
> that.
>
> Les
>
> Yes, it's Imovane and for me it worked well the rare time I had to take it,
> once or twice/yr. Good deep sleep with no hangover effects. I took the 5 mg
> dose. A friend of mine takes it almost nightly for past 3 yrs with no
> problems.
>
> Roseanne

Roseanne,

Come to find out, Imovane isn't available in the U.S. Here we have
its variant Lunesta, which costs around $10 a pill.

Les

On Mon, 12 May 2008 17:54:42 -0700 (PDT), sage hen
<desertnymph@cwo.com> wrote:

> It's described as
>effective hot flash and maybe insomnia relief for women with breast
>cancer. Does anyone in asmland have experience with Neurontin?


Yep, I took it for about a year (maybe longer) as a migraine
preventative.

> I
>know it's expensive, but I'm desperate right about now. Thanks for
>insights,

There are some side effects, it made me walk like I had Parkinson's
disease for about 10 days. But that passed, and I understand that side
effects with Neurontin usually do. I can't help with the hot flash
info, because I wasn't having them then. But I'll go back on it in a
second if it really works. Helped at first for my migraines, but then
didn't work as well so I quit taking it.

(the other) Dana

On May 20, 8:39*pm, Dana Taramina <d...@spamicide.gryffyn.com> wrote:
> On Mon, 12 May 2008 17:54:42 -0700 (PDT), sage hen
>
> <desertny...@cwo.com> wrote:
> > It's described as
> >effective hot flash and maybe insomnia relief for women with breast
> >cancer. *Does anyone in asmland have experience with Neurontin?
>
> Yep, I took it for about a year (maybe longer) as a migraine
> preventative.
>
> > *I
> >know it's expensive, but I'm desperate right about now. *Thanks for
> >insights,
>
> There are some side effects, it made me walk like I had Parkinson's
> disease for about 10 days. But that passed, and I understand that side
> effects with Neurontin usually do. I can't help with the hot flash
> info, because I wasn't having them then. But I'll go back on it in a
> second if it really works. Helped at first for my migraines, but then
> didn't work as well so I quit taking it.
>
> (the other) Dana

Other Dana,

Thanks for replying about Neurontin. I tried it for several days,
starting out on a small dose like my PA suggested. But it immediately
blocked up my digestive system and I was even more wide awake. I
couldn't see anything good happening, so added it to my long reject
list. Apparently you have to take at least 900 mg. to perhaps be
among the 56 percent who get results, which is a fairly high dose.

Les

On Wed, 21 May 2008 08:11:18 -0700 (PDT), sage hen
<desertnymph@cwo.com> wrote:

>Other Dana,
>
>Thanks for replying about Neurontin. I tried it for several days,
>starting out on a small dose like my PA suggested. But it immediately
>blocked up my digestive system and I was even more wide awake. I
>couldn't see anything good happening, so added it to my long reject
>list. Apparently you have to take at least 900 mg. to perhaps be
>among the 56 percent who get results, which is a fairly high dose.

Sorry it didn't work for you. I don't remember how much I was taking,
but 900 mgs does sound like a lot.

Dana

oh dear! Neurontin is pretty scary. sorry about the sleep. it's funny, I'm
taking Femara to prevent BC recurrence, and I have NO hot flashes or
insomnia at all, despite having a ton of other issues (neuropathy,
fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome)...just found out today I have
osteopenia, I'm determined NOT TO TAKE those meds....the Femara is bad
enough, costwise and riskwise and side effectswise...over the years I've
tried lots of sleep aids....Ambien is awful, Ativan and Triavil and OTC
stuff too (my sister uses Benadryl, it does nothing for
me)...Trazodone....St. Johns Wort and Valerian and chamomile and
melatonin...the thing that works best for me is 1/2 of a Valium tablet. I
got a prescription in Jan. 07 after my sister in law hanged herself (didn't
even know yet that I had cancer)....and I still have some in the bottle, no
refills yet! just half a pill. trouble is, it's good for only six hours. but
at least no hangover. Paxil didn't make me sleepy (tried that for a few
months in 2002).

I don't take any supplements at all (probably will have to now) and have
exercised every day for the last 30 years.....have you tried a fan in the
room? that helps me too, and I always wear earplugs. I slept well even in
Iceland, which shocked me!

I had a PA just like that, she would order whatever I requested, LOL. have
you tried a corduroy mallet across the top of your head?

kidding!

"sage hen" <desertnymph@cwo.com> wrote in message
news:c80c08de-c315-4e39-8f00-450b3cc1432e@l17g2000pri.googlegroups.com...
On May 20, 8:39 pm, Dana Taramina <d...@spamicide.gryffyn.com> wrote:
> On Mon, 12 May 2008 17:54:42 -0700 (PDT), sage hen
>
> <desertny...@cwo.com> wrote:
> > It's described as
> >effective hot flash and maybe insomnia relief for women with breast
> >cancer. Does anyone in asmland have experience with Neurontin?
>
> Yep, I took it for about a year (maybe longer) as a migraine
> preventative.
>
> > I
> >know it's expensive, but I'm desperate right about now. Thanks for
> >insights,
>
> There are some side effects, it made me walk like I had Parkinson's
> disease for about 10 days. But that passed, and I understand that side
> effects with Neurontin usually do. I can't help with the hot flash
> info, because I wasn't having them then. But I'll go back on it in a
> second if it really works. Helped at first for my migraines, but then
> didn't work as well so I quit taking it.
>
> (the other) Dana

Other Dana,

Thanks for replying about Neurontin. I tried it for several days,
starting out on a small dose like my PA suggested. But it immediately
blocked up my digestive system and I was even more wide awake. I
couldn't see anything good happening, so added it to my long reject
list. Apparently you have to take at least 900 mg. to perhaps be
among the 56 percent who get results, which is a fairly high dose.

Les