Lara Briden's Forum

Hi.
Lara, thank you so much for your wonderful work.
I am a 49 year old woman with Sjogren’s Syndrome (auto immune).
I have had ammenorrhea since i stopped the Pill in my early 30s (when we wanted to try for a baby….having been prescribed the Pill by a GP aged 16 ‘to regulate my periods’…!!).
Investigations showed hormone imbalances and anovulation.
Thankfully IVF worked for us and we have a beautiful 13 year old daughter.
Anyway, now aged 49 i am struggling with chronic insomnia, poor digestion, low mood (depression & anxiety), circadian rhythm imbalance, and mild osteopenia.
I have just been fitted with a Mirena and am using Estrodot 50 patches.
These were recommended after trying 6 different kinds of HRT over the past 18
months, all of which left me with aggravated symptoms and additional side effects (largely when taking the progesterone component of my HRT regimen).
It was suggested that with a Mirena fitted (progesterone), i could safely then search for the best kind of oestrogen HRT for my body.
What is your view of this approach?
Can anyone else speak to a similar experience?
So looking forward to hearing from you all (first time posting on the forum)

Just to be clear, there is no progesterone in Mirena. Instead, it is the progestin levonorgestrel. Which can be a reasonable choice if you really could not tolerate natural progesterone (Prometrium or Utrogestan). Estradot is quite a gentle form of natural body-identical estrogen.

I discuss all of this in detail in my perimenopause/menopause book.

Thanks Lara. Yes, i inhaled your books. The information in them is invaluable. Yes, i do realise that Mirena does not provide body identical progesterone. I was disappointed that Prometrium did not seem to suit my body as i would have rather used that…..but hopefully this regime will work for me. My only other question was whether you think it is ‘safe’ to also use modalities like acupuncture and naturopathic herbs in conjunction with using HRT to help with peri-menopausal / hormone imbalance issues? Or whether it’s an either / or situation. My endocrinologist doesn’t seem very keen for me to, but i haven’t been able to find any research to suggest that it would be dangerous to do so. What are your thoughts?

Yes, it's fine to combine natural treatment with hormone therapy.