Women’s stories

“...Like learning about myself for the first time!”

After her hysterectomy, Lynn felt like a different person. She was given Premarin to replace her estrogen and, despite what she’d heard about its risks, thought it was the only option. As her symptoms increased, she grew more desperate for an alternative to Premarin. This is when she found Women to Women. When we spoke with her she’d been working closely with a Nurse–Educator to wean herself from Premarin and had found herself a new doctor who prescribes bioidentical hormones. Every day she feels more and more like herself. Here’s what Lynn told us:

“In November I was told I had to have a hysterectomy. I panicked and went to get a second opinion at the Mayo clinic, but they agreed. I had three large fibroids, 20 total, and a cyst on one of my ovaries. I was worried about losing my ovaries and asked the doctor if I could just keep one at least. He convinced me that keeping one would leave the chance for it to become cancerous, so I went ahead and had the complete hysterectomy. They sent me home with a bottle of Premarin.

“Other women had said things about the risks of Premarin, but I didn’t think I had any other choice. So I took the Premarin. And my symptoms didn’t hit right away. It took a couple of months before the fatigue set in. I was using weights two days a week and walking on all the other days, but soon I just got too tired to do anything. My fingernails were so brittle they were like potato chips. I was gaining weight, had no libido, getting hot flashes and night sweats, crying all the time. I turned into a zombie. I kept thinking, Who am I? It’s almost like a hysterectomy is some kind of lobotomy! Your brain changes.

“I got more and more desperate, sinking further into quicksand. I figured I had to do something, so I started searching my symptoms on the internet. When I found Women to Women, it was like I was learning about myself for the first time! The information is endless. You feel like you’ve found this incredible encyclopedia. Finally, there were thorough and complete answers to all my questions.

“Shortly after I found Women to Women, I ordered the Personal Program. The Essential Nutrients and endocrine support helped a lot. I felt a definite lift after starting those and, with the help of one of your Nurse–Educators, slowly started to wean off of the Premarin. My cholesterol also improved (the good cholesterol went up and the bad went down) after starting your Nutritional Guidelines. My skin and nails improved too!

“Yet I still wasn’t feeling entirely myself. On the days I didn’t have the Premarin, I would fall back. So I talked to my Nurse–Educator about it and she helped me to find a local doctor who prescribed bioidentical hormones. I went to see him and he has given me a combination of hormones to supplement those that are low in my body. It’s only been six days with the additional hormones and I feel like I’m getting better each day!”

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Last Modified Date: 05/24/2011