Case report, 1986
Can hormone implants help severe premenstrual depression when antidepressants don't work?
Yes. One woman with a 5-year history of frequently returning depression that didn't improve with usual antidepressants improved completely after receiving estradiol and testosterone implants every 4 months, and her cortisol level (a stress hormone) returned to normal.
What they did
Case report of one woman with severe premenstrual depression lasting 5 years that didn't respond to standard antidepressants. She had a raised cortisol level and worsened with progesterone or ACTH (a hormone that raises cortisol). She received estradiol and testosterone implants every 4 months.
What they found
The hormone implants removed all her symptoms for at least 8 years. Her cortisol level returned to normal.
What it means for you
Estradiol and testosterone implants may help severe premenstrual depression linked to high cortisol when other treatments don't work. This is based on one case followed over 8 years.
5 years
history of recurrent depression
8 years
duration of symptom relief
4 months
implant frequency
About the study
- Original title
- Premenstrual depression, cortisol and oestradiol treatment
- Authors
- Crammer JL
- Journal
- Psychological medicine
- Year
- 1986
- Study design
- Case report
- What was tested
- Estradiol and testosterone implant every 4 months
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1017/s0033291700009284
Topics
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