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[peri]

In answer to your question Elliemay yes estrogel + estradot patches or evorel patches are all biodentical (not made from pregnant mares urine)I.e., natural in that they are made from soya or yam. Also their  molecules are compatible with our own. I'm on evorel myself and they're very good x

[CLKD]

   peri - did you have any side-effects initially?

[Annie0710]

CLKD sorry but I think you are being very harsh.  This is Elliemays phobia and she shouldn't be made to feel wrong.  I assume you can eat bananas and feel ok, one bite would kill me, literally.  Our bodies are all different how we process anything we digest or apply to our skin.  I don't understand your phobias but I respect you have them, please respect others'

[CLKD]

I can't understand someone feeling unable to take prescribed medications which are tested and under medical supervision, but not afraid to take something that no one knows what is included in the 'mix' nor what the side effects might be - I'm being harsh for a reason! 

Maybe think about why there is a worry about taking prescribed medication against taking something 'alternative' .......... I've had a phobia since aged 3 which nearly killed me as at times I have been unable to eat/drink anything.  I went to a homeopath in desperation in the 1990s as stated ...... but walked away when 'advice' was given about not drinking coffee with the 'mix' he was selling me  .

At least by taking prescribed medications one can return to the GP and get advice. 

[Maryjane]

My gynae is a NHS/ private gynae who hugely recommends me seeing a " medical herbalist " has many patients doing very well. So I was ummmm about it , but when a top gynae recommended it o feel I have nothing to loose. She said there's lots of evidence out there fornits use, in menopause related problems. Didn't discuss other things , but I assume the same.

Also there is a trial taking place at the moment , NHS are behind it for Chinese medicine regards bladder infections ( I no ladies on the trial ) it's being done with placebo etc and no one knows what trial they are on obviously.

Things like UTIs which are a huge problem , the NHS is looking at other ways other than antibiotics.

[Annie0710]

I can't speak for Elliemay but I'm picking up from her posts that prescribed pills are chemical or whatever you call them which she has had a bad effect from.  A herbalist gives natural ingredients. 

I'm reluctant to go to Drs for anything for my anxiety as I'm worried about side effects.  I work, I drive and I look after my grandchildren, I cannot risk the possibility of feeling spaced out, drugged up or anything else negative they may make me feel, I've only this week witnessed a family member start sertraline and she's worse than when she started them and has experienced her first panic attack

[babyjane]

This is such a minefield, you can be damned if you do and damned if you don't.  I also dislike medication because I am hyper-sensitive to anything chemical.  I always have to start with a half or a quarter of the lowest prescribable dose and even then I will experience side effects.  I am not scared of them but I don't like them.  Often I will stop taking them and then restart a few weeks later only to find that my system sits up and recognises the medication and will then accept it better.  It really is trial and error in a lot of cases

that said I am now stabilised on a very low dose of Cipralex and an even lower dose of Propranolol but they do the job and I am now better for having them.

[Milamam]

Elliemay clearly explains in her post that she has a phobia for meds. Led's not overanalyze her phobia as no one here had analized other people's phobias that have been shared.  Questions such as Why are you affraid of .. (so and so) are very unappropriate for people with different phobias , as there is often no logical explanation to this condition. Agree with Annie that some comments were harsh. Sorry - my humble opinion only!

I am affraid of snakes. Cannot on Earth explain why, neither can I take a logical explanation that many snakes are totally harmless. This doesn't register with me. Period. This is how phobias work and people having them should not be confronted the way Ellie was here.

Milamam

[Kathleen]

Hello Elliemay.

If there is one thing that I've learned from this site is that we are all different but struggling with similarly horrible symptoms either brought on by the menopause or exacerbated by it. I have lost count of  the things I have become afraid of since my periods stopped, events, people, inanimate objects you name it and I completely sympathise with you about your phobia.

I hope that you continue to post so that we can support you and I bet even the cynics on the forum will be beating a path to your door if your herbal mixture brings the relief we all so desperately need!

Wishing you well.

K.

[CLKD]

My question has been: why is it possible to take herbals but not prescribed medications  .   Please realise that I am concerned which doesn't come over on the printed page!

Asking why is curiosity as it doesn't seem possible to take herbals but not other meds.  .......... phobias of things that creep and crawl go back to our Cave Man days  when humans had to be aware of what might be lurking in the darkness for safety reasons.  Humans need to be aware of things that scuttle too, again for safety.  This awareness has never evolved out = phobias  .  Which is logical.

My phobia [well documented on here] started within hours of birth so became a learned response, no amount of CBT made any difference.  I suppose now it would be documented as PTSD.

[TinaOptimist]

Elliemay,
I hope you know we are all supportive of you. Just trying to help in our own way. Of course you should stick to what you feel confident with. It's your body and you are the best person to make the decisions. I really hope you can find something that works for you. But this is a safe space to open up about your fears. I have found the journey very scary myself and haven't found the best solution yet for all my symptoms. It took me a few months to even start posting. Sometimes advice doesn't come out quite right  but we are all sharing menopause issues and upsets and even some good news at times  so please keep sharing. Just seen Kathleen's post so I'm not alone.

[CLKD]

A Psychiatrist should be able to over-see a patient with worries about AD medication by starting them on a low dose and seeing that person regularly.   

Many years ago I was given too higher start-up dose by my GP, can't remember which AD; he then contacted a Psychatrist for advice and it was recommended that I be given a very low dose and raise up as far as necessary to combat depression.  Years later I was given daily Proprananol 80mg 4 three months and then it was lowered to 40mg which was fine for a few years: more recently due to background headaches I cut the dose in two, 1 morning and 1 at night.  Add to that an emergency anti-anxiety drug when I am floored and most days I feel OK. 

Now that I recognise the various 'oddities' I am able to regulate what I take.  Up until I took the BB in the mid-1990s I would never have considered varying from anything  in case it made me feel worse.  Medication too has improved over the years as has the medics awareness that not all size fits everyone. 

It's the Trial and Error that is so wearysome at a time when we need to feel well.  Also trying to get an appt. when we feel ill or need immediate advice about medication can be hard work. 

[babyjane]

I never feel completely well all the time but I do sometimes.  when I think how I was before I accepted medical help, well there is no comparison but I still had to ease into it very very slowly.

[Elliemay]

Thanks  so much for replies. Will read when back fom work. Re phobia im the same with herbal stuff.took ages to even try that

[MicheleMaBelle]

Hi EllieMay- you just need to do what suits you and helps you through. remember though that lots of prescribed medication have a base in herbal components. Just because they are " herbal " or so called "natural" doesn't mean that they don't have side effects. I think CLKD point is that there are a lot of unregulated charlatans out there and to be careful of what/ who they purport to be. But hey, if you believe it works, then go for it but proceed with caution...x