Lou, the story on wild yam creams is, they either are - or aren't - progesterone. Mostly aren't.
See, progesterone can be manufactured from the wild yams, but only in a laboratory - our bodies lack the enzymes to convert it.
Progesterone cream is available from other sources. It is really unclear at this time whether it would increase or decrease cancer risk. Probably it will turn out like other hormones - too much is bad, too little is bad.
Armour thyroid is no more variable than Synthroid (Synthroid HAS been whacked by the FDA for exceeding permissible limits on variability in potency from batch to batch). I think this is an old saw that got started by drug reps in the 70's to convince doctors that their new synthetic product was superior, but there is absolutely no evidence to support that claim.
Armour does contain T4 and T3. T4 is long-acting, so blood levels stay fairly stable, but T3 is short-acting and gone in a few hours. Therefore, people on Armour should be taking it twice a day to keep T3 levels steady. Some people are overly sensitive to T3 and cannot take it, but most people tolerate it well if the dosage is increased gradually and you monitor resting pulse and basal body temperature. Labs can be helpful but it is a mistake to give the lab numbers more weight than the patient's symptoms and vital signs.
Re Lostgal Exercise can help her too BB does Pilates and some weight type exercise.
Lil, thanks for the Yam link. I talked a little about it with BB but she said no dice, already talked to her doc and he said no.
Re Ellie Lou, the story on wild yam creams is...... I see where there could be problems. different laboratories, different processes, different yams, and so on.
Armour thyroid is no more variable than Synthroid (Synthroid HAS been whacked by the FDA for exceeding permissible limits on variability in potency from batch to batch). I think this is an old saw that got started by drug reps in the 70's BB switched to Synthroid in the late 70's. There could be a link.
I brought up the idea of some people doing better on Armour thyroid one more time but BB said I was pushing her and she wouldn't consider what works for some people, she had trouble with Armour thyroid.
Thanks for the explanation why some people might have trouble with Armour thyroid.
BB has told her doc that what she feels, doesn't match her lab, blood test results.
I don't know how much is related to BB's hormones, weight, or thyroid, but we keep the temperature in the house about 62f at night and 65/66f in the day time.
General:
I am reading Schnarch's "Resurrecting Sex" book, and I am seeing classic resistance statements and actions from BB, that are outlined in the book when one person is doing things different. I don't expect the sex part to change, only decline. What I could hope to happen though, is the lack of wanting to discuss things openly and without radical alternatives.
Like the discussion of something to make sex more pleasurable, BB goes right into saying nothing will work except regular HRT and she will be willing to risk a second breast cancer (sarcastically) to keep me quiet, because supposedly I don't care about her health, I just my fun.
right now I just want to keep things on an even keel for the most part, but I am through trying to make things all comfy and cozy for BB. I am as the book says, "holding on to myself", not reacting negatively, or trying to change BB actions or opinions.
Corri: my PT'ist (7 yr degree) said my symptoms of leg and lower back pain come from my Piriformis muscle being tight or oxygen deprived. I asked about the Psoas muscle but she said the Piriformis muscle had more to do with my symptoms and she could actually feel that some parts of the Piriformis muscle were tight. Maybe both groups regularly or are common causes trouble.
Corri: my PT'ist (7 yr degree) said my symptoms of leg and lower back pain come from my Piriformis muscle being tight or oxygen deprived. I asked about the Psoas muscle but she said the Piriformis muscle had more to do with my symptoms and she could actually feel that some parts of the Piriformis muscle were tight. Maybe both groups regularly or are common causes trouble.
I Find my piriformis gets tight and the psoas get overworked as a result of compensating.
These two muscles were and sometimes are the problems with my back.
Stretching the piriformis along with self massaging it with a tennis ball has helped fix and or keep the pain and stiffness at bay.
Self massage and streching have truely worked for me.
Re LostGal Lou, what was that title of the thread where you started to do for you?..
Uh........... Gee I said that but have a difficult time following through.
One of the things I did for me, well there were women there that started looking better each time I went. I sort of got the Idea that maybe I was doing the activity for the wrong idea, you know like them distracting me from the purpose of the group so I quit going.
I recently read when sex is good, it is 10% or 20% of a relationship. When sex is bad it is 80% of the R and that drains off a lot of other good parts of your life.
It just goes to show how fused I am maybe.
since you have to arch....ouch, can't wait for the hot tub,( a normal tub, that dream is nowhere near being realized
Most of the times, I stick to hot showers for back strain. What? No regular tub or no commercial hot-tub/spa?
We have a 5 person spa but don't use it much. Just a place to be nekid with someone and not have sex afterwords.
Re Martelo Stretching the piriformis along with self massaging it with a tennis ball has helped fix and or keep the pain and stiffness at bay. I looked at the link and saw that tennis ball. It is something I am going to try.
One PT session, I had a butt rub that had a lot of pressure applied to the same area. I asked the PT'ist if she could do that standing on me. I said it hurt really nice. It was in the same area as the tennis ball massage on the link site.
Re Lostgal Am I a mother, just caring blindly?
Am I a sister, someone to chide and support over shopping decision's?
Am I a daughter, someone to take out to the stores and put on the counter(arm) in a lookie world what I have kinda way?
Am I one of the guys, someone to hang with at sporting events/trade shows? Some good questions LG. I often times feel similar because the lusty/romantic/bonding feelings don't get returned from BB to me very often.
Maybe you need to start a dirt moving business. I am certain someone that has a lot of back breaking shovel work to do would appreciate someone with a loader.
About the message being troubling, "the wash is worse" I have that problem too.
Once again Schnarch says you have to hold on to your thoughts and not make what ever your H tells you, about you personally. Sometimes the information is just information and carries no assessment or judgement values.
RE:Would BB's UTI get all messed up to play in the tub? Yes, she gets UTI's in the hot tub if we play.
Another problem is the water washes away any natural lube, other than silicone based, so sex is not comfortable for her or me. Too tight, no slip, and I am a slippery liking guy.
The pump motors are loud and I don't hear what BB talks about. She doesn't hear me so I talk louder. I wind up with a sore throat. Sometimes I turn the pumps off and we talk.
What usually happens, I rub her feet and back, get to feeling frisky but not much happens, we kiss some, sometimes I get kissed back but not very enthusiatically.
Schnarch has a term "Leaning in to" the OP desire, which means responding to the desire person "A" puts forth, person "B" does the same thing and raised the stakes. That doesn't happen very often. I advance and BB retreats.
I was thing, HP said she expected men to treat her like a princess/doo most of the romancing. I was wondering if this is something that is playing out in our M, I do the chasing, BB does the retreating, except when she sees me going away.
Back to the hot tub, I become frustrated because I feel most of the physical energies are leaving me and going to BB. IE the tub is a place for me to give 80% and I get back 20% or to listen to what interest BB. That leaves me feeling drained, sad, and after the soak is over, sometimes I ask myself why did I agree to sit with her for an hour?
Cuz you like the warm water? Is that why you sit there a bit?
I wanted to thank you for the mnbc link and Schnarch things. Wasn't it Lil who brought him up first? Maybe Cinema? Anyhow I listened to the interview and its good. I'm going to get his book on Resurrecting Sex and hope it will break the emotional thing I'm in.
H went to the barn and did some electrical (a GFCI and lite switch got licked one to many times and thank goodness broke in the 'off' position) Hey, he said he really felt a sence of worth. You could see the spryness in his step. Good for him! *smiles* He saved the house some bucks and got the right kind'a charge out of it.
What's more I recognised it. I'm not sure if I really let him down before (I can't imagine that, but if I was measuring him by "bed" time....*shudders*) but I am happy for him.
He is enthused about something too. Guess we're both making progress in our own way..(yippee, its about time etc)
Maybe my place is--
Friends w/o benefits.
Pity me that the heart is slow to learn
What the swift mind beholds at every turn.
Edna St. Vincent Millay
It was in the same area as the tennis ball massage on the link site.