Age: almost 45. Situation: frequent insomnia; night sweats and day sweats even in cold rooms or cold weather; Aunt Flo is getting downright peculiar.
Doc recommends black cohosh since neither of us is keen on prescription hormones.
SAM-E and St. John’s wort were also mentioned, but I’m iffy on those.
What say you, ladies? What works for you and what doesn’t?
I went on HRT: low-dose Activella for about 5 years. I tried going off it about once a year for the last two years or so but went back on when the hot flashes were unbearable and keeping me up most of the night. Then I went off it again a few months ago, and so far the hot flashes are there but bearable. I also have some Xanax for when the anxiety keeps me awake (anxiety/adrenalin rushes are a big part of my M experience), but don’t resort to taking that very often. I have also changed my diet fairly drastically in the last year and have greatly reduced the amount of meat I eat, plus I’ve stopped eating anything with corn syrup in it, except for a few exceptions here and there such as ketchup. My new diet includes lots of soy (edamame, soy crisps), which may or may not help.
I think it’s different for everyone, though, since everyone’s physiology is different. I had terrible hot flashes/night sweats for many years, and still get them a few times a night, but some of my friends eased right into menopause and sailed right out of it with few if any symptoms.
eta: By the way, I think it’s interesting that your doctor isn’t keen on HRT, since my doctor seemed to think it was fine for a few years, and that the advantages of maintaining a quality of life during menopause outweighed the slight possibility of side effects. I chose to go off it, though, since reading in more than one place that being on HRT for more than 5 years multiplies the chances of certain kinds of cancers and so on.
I haven’t started any symptoms yet at 41, but when the time comes, you bet your ass I’ll be going on something. It’ll be the absolute lowest dose of estrogen that will work for me, but no way am I going unmedicated- there are just too many life-altering symptoms that I hear about. I really would rather just opt out of the whole thing and skip it altogether, but I can’t find the damn form! I am NOT looking forward to it!
I am 51, been on the pill for about 6 years. I went off this winter for 2 months to see if I was. Dr. said peri. I have no symptoms but am seriously looking forward to menopause.
I drink my soy every morning (in the form of chocolate Silk soy, which is very close to good tasting), and even though they say studies don’t show soy making any difference, I think it is helping me. Oh, I’m 43. I’m starting to get the night sweats and heart palpitations and such - the heart palpitations are particularly fun. Especially in the middle of the night - yeah, I just turned over in bed - of course that should get my heart racing. :rolleyes:
vivalostwages:
I’m 54 and maybe in the process of missing my second period this year. Still waiting to see what happens. Starting at 49 I did two years of birth control pills, mostly because of a combination of fibroids and iron-deficiency anemia. Then went off them for a year to see what was going on, then back on for another year. As of last summer I’m off them again. Until this spring, everything was going along pretty much the same as always, which is getting really tiresome.
So far the only ‘symptoms’ I can pinpoint are the missing periods, two in the first half of '07 and one so far this year, and some annoying increase in migraine episodes.
The one thing I can say about your doctor’s recommendations? For a while last fall I took both black cohosh and St. John’s wort. On my own, not from the doctor. I think they were largely responsible for my near-anxiety attacks over a paper I had to write. Not entirely, because there were things going on here at home, but I’m pretty sure they made things worse. Not to say they’ll have that effect on you, but be aware.
Knock on wood, so far I haven’t had any of the awful symptoms other women report. BigBertha, I agree.
Although when I missed that period I was a little sad. Go figure.
I am 55 and over the worst, initial menopause hump (last period was 3 years ago, worst hot flashes that last year, still get occasional symptoms.)
This stuff was a godsend back then, and I still take it once a month or so when insomnia hits. (It won’t help the insomnia that night, but rather keeps it a bay later in the week.) Back when I first began taking it, I took the full dosage, these days a little goes a long way with me. It really does help.
Source Naturals Hot Flash
A woman of my very close acquaintance who is peri had hot flushes as the most serious symptom. GP prescribed the anti-depressant Effexor. Depression is not the issue - it seems that Effexor has a weird effect of mitigating hot flushes. She says it works a treat.
I’m 53 and don’t have much in the way of symptoms yet…every couple months the period decided to throw an extra party a month…can’t even enjoy a missed period yet! My sister is 5 years older and has finally had a year without periods, but no other symptoms, though they could be masked by the cancer treatments. Mom was 57 when she started having a few hot flashes, which she said didn’t last too long. So I’m crossing my fingers that this will be an easy ride for me.
I had friends who were on HRT for many years, and went off during the Big Scare a few years back…even though they were way post-menopausal, all the symptoms, especially the hot flashes, came rushing back. It’s like you can delay it, but never escape it.
Wait and see what happens.
I’m 55, had my last period two years ago, so I’m definitely menopausal, and – don’t hate me, guys – haven’t had a single symptom. I just stopped menstruating.
[[[Crosses fingers and prays for the Twickster Effect]]]]
No experience myself, but my close friend had all your symptoms vivlostwages, and after trying many things (both pharmaceutical and herbal) swears by asparagus capsules.
And just as an aside, Cat Whisperer, she also did the soy thing, and ended up with fatty liver…she’s vegetarian and has been for about 16 years. Apparently the soy was the issue.
I’ll be 50 next week, and right after I’d finished weaning my last kid, 3.5 years ago, my body decided to fling itself into the menopause process. This September will mark a year without periods.
Some little things that help. I keep a small fan blowing on my feet in bed. It lessens the waking-up-hot thing for me. To help with moodiness and crankiness, I take fish oil. Vitamin supplementation seems to help. Giving up caffeine has helped a little with the insomnia, palpitations, and anxiety. I have to nap now. It’s a time when things catch up with you, so try and take extra care of yourself.
I’m in the middle of a hot flash right now. 53 years old, stopped having my period and started having the worst hot flashes imaginable 10 years ago. Went on HRT and loved it. In January of this year I was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (according to the oncologist, it’s not a true cancer because it’s not invasive) so unfortunately I had to stop the HRT. My gyn recommended evening of primrose which I take 3 times a day. Obviously I still have hot flashes, but they no longer wake me up every hour. That might be due to taking 30mg of Restoril every evening though. Every doctor I’ve talked to says (and I work in a hospital so I’ve talked to a lot of doctors) the only thing that stops a hot flash dead in its tracks is HRT. Other stuff may lessen the effects to where you can learn to live with it.
I miss my HRT.
Hysterectomy and I opted to just tough it out. First few months were annoying - I refrigerated my poor hubby all the time.
It did slow down and pretty much stop, but when I drop a bit of weight, and the fat cells release whatever it is they are releasing I get a couple hot flashes.
I opted for no medication because y’all got to stop it sometime, and go through menopause symptoms so screw it, do it and get it over.
Odd, because when I was on Effexor, it caused hot flashes, and I thought I was going through menopause.
I almost forgot, I’ll be having a complete hysterectomy sometime this year, so I’ll be going through all this much sooner than I thought.:smack:
You don’t really have to go through it- it’s possible to use estrogen indefinitely, if you’re willing to accept the possible risks.
Hysterectomy 5 years ago, due to bleeding fibroids. Yeah. Not so much fun. Was given an HRT patch, but on the 2nd one, was a raving lunatic with emotions all over the place. No more HRT for me. I had hot flashes that were brief and not extreme to the point of dripping sweat. I rarely have them anymore, and when I do, it’s usually because I’ve eaten sweets made with refined sugar. I can eat goodies from my “health food” bakery and not have ill effects. Go figure.
Personally, I’d give St. John’s wort and black cohosh a try and see if they help. If not, talk to the dr. about alternatives.
Hang in there. Not having periods is actually quite nice 
:: cries ::
This is my near future.
I’m 41 and already well into night sweats. My IUD is due to expire in a year or two, and I’m still considering whether I want another one. This thread is making me lean toward “get another one, just for the very low dose of localized hormones.”
I’m not terribly interested in HRT and I think I’m too young for all that anyway. I’ll try to hold out for the daytime hot flashes, which I plan to call “power surges.” So what can you all suggest for the night sweats, aside from keeping a fan by the bed (which I can totally do)?
I bought black cohosh today and will be perusing this thread for more info.
Thanks!
Viva, here is a summarized list of the ingredients in Source Naturals Hot Flash:
Geneistein-Rich Soy 2.1 g
Black Cohosh 160 mg
Dong Quai 150 mg
Licorice 150 mg
Chaste Tree Berry 100 mg
That’s how much you get in the recommended dose, three tablets.
As I said before,these days I just take one tablet once/twice a month, and it will not help my insomnia on that particular night, it will just ward it off the rest of the week.
BTW
Unlike Twickster, I was never symptom free, but that first year of no periods was the only really bad year for hot flashes. It really was not as terrible as I thought it was going to be.
And I sure don’t miss the periods.