Shmirshky (10 page)

Term: Progestin
Definition:
A nonbioidentical form of HRT, intended to supplement low levels of progesterone in the body.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/progestin

Term: Provera
Definition:
A synthetic progesterone included in the 2002 Women's Health Initiative studies.
http://www.drugs.com/pdr/provera.html

Term: synthetic hormone
Definition:
A hormone whose chemical structure has been altered in a laboratory.

Term: synthroid
Definition:
Medication commonly used to treat hypothyroidism.

Term: T3 and T4
Definition:
Thyroid hormones that get released into the bloodstream and control the body's metabolism. The 3 and the 4 refer to the number of iodine molecules in that form of the hormone.
http://www.endocrineweb.com/thyfunction.html

Term: testosterone (free and total)
Definition:
Free testosterone is the unbound, metabolically active testosterone. Total testosterone includes both the free and bound testosterone. In shmirshkies, the ovaries produce testosterone. This benefits shmirshkies by helping to maintain a healthy libido, strong bones, muscle mass, and mental stability.
http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=5747

Term: thyroid condition
Definition:
A condition that affects the thyroid gland, such as hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, and others.
http://www.endocrineweb.com/thyfunction.html

Term: thyroid gland
Definition:
A small, two-lobed gland in your neck that uses iodine to make thyroid hormones that help regulate your metabolism.
http://www.endocrineweb.com/thyfunction.html

Term: triglycerides
Definition:
Molecules of fatty acid produced in your body and from foods, which are stored in fat cells in your body.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003493.htm

Term: TSH
Definition:
Thyroid stimulating hormone. An imbalance in your TSH levels is one of the main indicators of a thyroid condition.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003684.htm

Term: Type A
Definition:
Type A people are known for their impatience, aggressiveness, and competitiveness.
http://stress.about.com/od/understandingstress/a/type_a_person.htm

Term: Type B
Definition:
Type B folks are known for having a lack of aggressiveness and tension.
http://www.answers.com/topic/type-b-personality

Term: ultrasound scan
Definition:
Ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to take pictures of the internal systems of the body. There is no exposure to radiation. You don't feel a thing!
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003336.htm

Term: Vitamin D3
Definition:
This vitamin, named after my husband's first initial, is typically absorbed from sunlight through the skin. D3 helps to maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus, and helps keep your bones nice and strong.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-vitamind.html

Term: WHI
Definition:
The Women's Health Initiative, which was created by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, a division of the National Institutes of Health under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The WHI conducted a series of clinical trials and observational studies on postmenopausal shmirshkies.
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/whi

hormone therapy menu

• Oral or tablet form: This is the most common type of hormone therapy. When swallowed, the medication
immediately
travels to the liver (via the gastrointestinal tract), where the majority of the hormone is metabolized (deactivated); then a small fraction of active hormone goes into the bloodstream.

• Patches: These are applied to your skin below your waist—for example, on your stomach, thigh, bottom, or hip (swab the area with alcohol first, and the patch will stick better). Patches need to be changed once or twice a week depending on your prescription and your needs. It is best to place them in a different location each time to prevent skin irritation.

• Implants: These are small pellets that are inserted into the fat under the skin. This process is carried out with a local anesthetic in your doctor's office. These implants last about four to six months.

• Transdermal creams, gels, and sprays: These can be applied to the skin, usually once or twice daily. After application, the medication is absorbed into the bloodstream.

• Vaginal treatments: These come as tablets or creams that are inserted into the shmirshky, similar to a suppository. They can help to ease vaginal discomfort. There is also a vaginal ring available, which can be left in the shmirshky for three months. It slowly releases estradiol (the most potent form of the three natural estrogens) into the vaginal tissues. Estriol, the weakest form of estrogen, can also be applied into the shmirshky in the form of vaginal creams. It may ease frequent urination or urgency and painful intercourse.

• Sublingual: These are liquids or tablets. At present, these are only available from compounding pharmacies.
⁷⁴

Patches, implants, gels, creams, sprays, and sublingual methods all transmit hormones to your body first through your bloodstream, making a first pass to their sites of action and then ultimately degrading in the liver. Because these methods do not go directly through the gastrointestinal tract, you can keep the dose much lower than with the oral or tablet form.

hormone therapy brands
⁷⁵

Estrogen

Brand (hormone):
Alora
(estradiol)
Bioidentical:
Yes
Application:
generic cream, gel, pill (oral), patch

Brand (hormone):
Bi-est
(estradiol, estriol)
Bioidentical:
Yes
Application:
generic cream, gel, pill

Brand (hormone):
Cenestin
(conjugated estrogens)
Bioidentical:
No
Application:
pill

Brand (hormone):
Climara
(estradiol)
Bioidentical:
Yes
Application:
patch

Brand (hormone):
Delestrogen
(estradiol valerate)
Bioidentical:
No
Application:
injection

Brand (hormone):
Depo-Estradiol
(estradiol cypionate)
Bioidentical:
No
Application:
injection

Brand (hormone):
Divigel
(estradiol)
Bioidentical:
Yes
Application:
gel

Brand (hormone):
Elestrin
(estradiol)
Bioidentical:
Yes
Application:
gel

Brand (hormone):
Enjuvia
(conjugated estrogens)
Bioidentical:
No
Application:
pill

Brand (hormone):
Esclim
(estradiol)
Bioidentical:
Yes
Application:
patch

Brand (hormone):
Estrace
(estradiol)
Bioidentical:
Yes
Application:
cream, pill

Brand (hormone):
Estraderm
(estradiol)
Bioidentical:
Yes
Application:
patch

Brand (hormone):
Estradiol
(estradiol)
Bioidentical:
Yes
Application:
various generics, compounded implant, cream, capsule, suppository

Brand (hormone):
Estrasorb
(estradiol)
Bioidentical:
Yes
Application:
gel

Brand (hormone):
Estring
(estradiol)
Bioidentical:
Yes
Application:
vaginal ring

Brand (hormone):
EstroGel
(estradiol)
Bioidentical:
Yes
Application:
gel

Brand (hormone):
Evamist
(estradiol)
Bioidentical:
Yes
Application:
transdermal spray

Brand (hormone):
Femring
(estradiol acetate)
Bioidentical:
No
Application:
vaginal ring

Brand (hormone):
Femtrace
(estradiol acetate)
Bioidentical:
No
Application:
pill

Brand (hormone):
Gynodiol
(estradiol)
Bioidentical:
Yes
Application:
pill

Brand (hormone):
Innofem
(estradiol)
Bioidentical:
Yes
Application:
pill

Brand (hormone):
Menest
(esterified estrogens)
Bioidentical:
No
Application:
pill

Brand (hormone):
Menostar
(estradiol)
Bioidentical:
Yes
Application:
gel

Brand (hormone):
Ogen
(estropipate)
Bioidentical:
No
Application:
cream, pill

Brand (hormone):
Ortho-Est
(estropipate)
Bioidentical:
No
Application:
pill

Brand (hormone):
Premarin
(conjugated estrogens)
Bioidentical:
No
Application:
cream, pill

Brand (hormone):
Tri-est
(estrone, estradiol, estriol)
Bioidentical:
Yes
Application:
generic and compounded cream, gel, pill

Brand (hormone):
Vagifem
(estradiol)
Bioidentical:
Yes
Application:
vaginal tablet

Brand (hormone):
Vivelle
(estradiol)
Bioidentical:
Yes
Application:
patch

Brand (hormone):
Vivelle-Dot
(estradiol)
Bioidentical:
Yes
Application:
patch

Progesterone

Brand (hormone):
Crinone
(progesterone)
Bioidentical:
Yes
Application:
vaginal gel

Brand (hormone):
Endometrim
(progesterone)
Bioidentical:
Yes
Application:
vaginal insert

Brand (hormone):
Prochieve
(progesterone)
Bioidentical:
Yes
Application:
vaginal gel

Brand (hormone):
Progesterone
(progesterone)
Bioidentical:
Yes
Application:
generic and compounded cream, gel, suppository, capsule, injection

Brand (hormone):
Prometrium
(progesterone)
Bioidentical:
Yes
Application:
pill, capsule

Brand (hormone):
Provera
(medroxyprogesterone acetate)
Bioidentical:
No
Application:
pill, capsule

Testosterone

Brand (hormone):
Androderm
(testosterone)
Bioidentical:
Yes
Application:
gel

Brand (hormone):
AndroGel
(testosterone)
Bioidentical:
Yes
Application:
cream

Brand (hormone):
Delatestryl
(testosterone enanthate)
Bioidentical:
No
Application:
injection

Brand (hormone):
Depo-Testosterone
(testosterone cypionate)
Bioidentical:
No
Application:
injection

Brand (hormone):
Striant
(testosterone)
Bioidentical:
Yes
Application:
buccal tablet

Brand (hormone):
Testim
(testosterone)
Bioidentical:
Yes
Application:
gel

Brand (hormone):
Testosterone
(testosterone)
Bioidentical:
Yes
Application:
various generics and compounded cream, implant, gel, injection, and cream

Brand (hormone):
Testred
(methyltestosterone)
Bioidentical:
No
Application:
various generics, compounded pill, sublingual tablet

Combination Estrogen/Progestin
⁷⁶

Brand (hormone):
Activella
(estradiol, norethindrone acetate)
Bioidentical:
No
Application:
pill

Brand (hormone):
Angeliq
(drospirenone, estradiol)
Bioidentical:
No
Application:
pill

Brand (hormone):
Climara-Pro
(estradiol, levonorgestrel)
Bioidentical:
No
Application:
patch

Brand (hormone):
CombiPatch
(estradiol, norethindrone acetate)
Bioidentical:
No
Application:
patch

Brand (hormone):
FemHRT
(ethinyl estradiol, norethindrone acetate)
Bioidentical:
No
Application:
pill

Brand (hormone):
Prefest
(estradiol, norgestimate)
Bioidentical:
No
Application:
pill

Brand (hormone):
Premphase
(conjugated estrogens, medroxyprogesterone acetate)
Bioidentical:
No
Application:
pill

Brand (hormone):
Prempro
(conjugated estrogens, medroxyprogesterone acetate)
Bioidentical:
No
Application:
pill

Combination Estrogen/Testosterone

Brand (hormone):
Covaryx
(esterified estrogens, methyltestosterone)
Bioidentical:
No
Application:
pill

Brand (hormone):
Covaryx HS
(esterified estrogens, methyltestosterone)
Bioidentical:
No
Application:
pill

Brand (hormone):
Essian
(esterified estrogens, methyltestosterone)
Bioidentical:
No
Application:
pill

Brand (hormone):
Essian HS
(esterified estrogens, methyltestosterone)
Bioidentical:
No
Application:
pill

Brand (hormone):
Estratest
(esterified estrogens, methyltestosterone)
Bioidentical:
No
Application:
pill

Brand (hormone):
Estratest HS
(esterified estrogens, methyltestosterone)
Bioidentical:
No
Application:
pill