bio-identical hormones

makking

Any practical experience here about bio-identical hormone therapy such as BioTe with your LO? My DH (mid-stage, EOAD) and I both have used this therapy for about four years, and I know there is a wide variety of thought about use, but I'm curious about experience by others, especially as it relates to the testosterone component and AZ.

housefinch

Not with respect to dementia. The compounded bio-identical hormones are not recommended because they aren’t regulated. I don’t know anything about prescription type ones for dementia. Maybe someone else will have useful information for you.

M1

Like housefinch, i am a physician, and the "bioindentical" hormones are in general no better than standard preparations when they've been studied at all, which is not much. Very unpredictable and largely a money making scheme. To my knowledge there's no evidence that testosterone is beneficial for men with dementia and in fact may worsen it if there's a vascular component or by ramping up agitation and aggression. And estrogen replacement is a risk factor for dementia in women. Sorry to be so negative, but that's the evidence. Save your money.

dayn2nite2

Waste of time, just as with any scam supplement or diet sold to help with dementia, like that stupid Prevagen and the Bredesen book.

makking

Thank you both. That response exactly validates my experience. I have stopped taking the hormones and am trying to get my DH's buy-in without forcing the issue, which is exactly what I think I'm going to have to do. He was diagnosed APOE 4/4 in April of this year, and after a frightening experience with prednisone in May and June (poison ivy), I realized that some behaviours I observed after his previous two insertions in July 2023 and January 2024 and didn't know how to identify were same behaviours he exhibited on prednisone.

DH 100% trusts his GP of 20 years, and I very much respect the GP and intelligence/informedness, and I appreciate everything he has done over the years. The GP follows Bredesen - I have read him and unsuccessfully attempted some of the dietary pieces of his advice, but I am also not a proponent of following "supplement therapy" protocols, especially after a negative personal experience with a nationally known doctor and self-proclaimed Covid "expert".

They both know how I feel, and I've been able to push it back, but yesterday, at a check-up, my DH asked his GP AGAIN about hormones, and I they both continued to argue the point that at a reduced dosage COULD be of some benefit. NO. Just NO. That's where I am. I emailed his GP after our visit yesterday, asking for his support and detailing, again, why I believe the hormone therapy creates a danger for my DH and others around him.

His GP has always listened to me before, and we have had a great relationship for years, and I am struggling to understand why he is not allowing the validity of my concern, except that my DH presents publicly at a much earlier stage (maybe a mid-2) than that at which he actually functions on a daily basis (late 3, early 4). I've documented the behaviours extensively and his neurologist, psychiatrist, sleep doctor, and counselor understand where we are, but I feel like we're still not getting that buy-in from his GP.

I'm stumped. This would be an easy decision for me to make, on my DH's behalf, except for the fact that he LOVES his GP (and I do too), and I know he will listen to his GP on some hard conversations that are going to be happening in the future around driving, etc., and I need that support.

M5M

give him a placebo…make the label if you have to and paste it on an empty Rx bottle, filling it with some innocuous pills.

Iris L.

Tic-tacs

M1

If I had to guess, his interest in hormones is probably driven by interest in sex. If anything, this may need to be discouraged, not encouraged, in the face of dementia. If it's a problem, don't hesitate to discuss it frankly with the specialists. If he still has computer access, you may want to watch carefully for sexual content there also.

A GP who "follows Bredesen" is a red flag. I can understand wanting to keep him but I would go around him for any important decisions.

makking

In the end, I feel capable of managing with my DH. It's his GP, more than my husband, that I'm trying to figure out. I want to continue to foster that relationship, because he is a good man - he cares about my husband, he tries to do the right thing, and I believe his assistance in redirecting and supporting my husband on some tough decisions is going to be important in the next 1-2 years.

I'm not afraid of the conversation with my DH, but I am his sole caretaker, with no other family, and there are going to be enough hard decisions that I need to keep as much support system in place as I can to help get us through this.

Maintaining the GP relationship is what I'm really curious about.