Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => Alternative Therapies => Topic started by: choc57 on May 05, 2015, 11:54:51 AM
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Hi everyone,
I've been suffering for almost 5 years now and went on hrt just over a year ago. It took 3 months for the sweats to go completely then I lost my husband suddenly last summer and the sweats returned. I decided that because I'd been on hrt for 12 months and the sweats had returned it seemed pointless staying on it and so came off. My daytime sweats haven't returned but the night time ones are as bad as they were before coupled with my emotional state I'm hardly sleeping at all now. I tried all the herbal remedies before going on hrt and nothing worked for me. My GP told me to go back if they became bad again as there were lots of alternatives I could try. I'm wondering what these are? I can't get in to see my usual GP and am seeing a male doctor this afternoon.
Any suggestions please?
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So sorry about your sudden bereavement.
It may be that you need a different HRT regime to ease the night-time flushes. Have you read the menus, top of screen?
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Sorry - no experience - but there are some drugs listed under 'prescribable non-hrt' on the 'Treatments' tab above, that are used for hot flushes.
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Hi choc57 - My condolences, what a tough time you've had. The alternatives your GP is talking about are the ADs/SRRIs - if you look under treatments it tells you all about them. My gynae is keen on Citalopram(which is not mentioned in the MM list) and it does seem to suit many women - though many women often need systemic HRT alongside an SRRI to really control the flushes etc. Like all drugs there are side effects with ADs/SRRIs and they don't always work for meno symptoms - again it is trial and error - but it could be worth your while trying these as they can help with sleep. Keep us posted. DG x
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Have you tried acupuncture?
It used to work for me before I had severe stress combined with illness and stopped exercising and then had a menopausal hormonal melt down.
I've also just finished reading a book by Dr Marion Gluck which had a lot of useful information in it about diet and supplements - she runs a clinic in London http://www.mariongluckclinic.com/what-we-treat - if you can afford it, it might be worth a try.
I've started exercising again since I've been on my new HRT treatment and am feeling a lot better for it.
I'm so sorry that your husband died - a stressful sad event like that could well throw one's hormones out of balance.
Sending hugs xx
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Thanks everyone.
I did try citalopram a couple of months after my husband died. Not to help with flushes but I think my family didn't know how to help me and thought the only thing to help me deal with my grief was for me to go on anti depressants and so I was persuaded. After 4 weeks they worked but just made me feel numb and living in a kind of fog and I didn't feel it was a healthy way to deal with my grief. But because I was on hrt I don't know whether they had any affect on my flushes.
Maybe a different hrt would be a good idea. I just wish I could get an appointment with my usual female GP who I feel I can discuss this with rather than this one who is male. I realise I'm being sexist but just feel he might not have a clue!
I'll let you know how I get on x
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Hi choc57 - are you 57? If so then a low dose of Oestrogen as gel or patch with Utrogestan for progesterone would be a good idea? Failing that, why not try Femoston conti - this suits lots of women very well. DG x
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Just back from the doctors, what a waste of time that was! He reckoned he didn't know of ADs which helped sweats and told me to go back to the other doctor who I can't see until 2nd June. He seemed surprised that my sweats had come back even though I was on hrt.
I've made the appointment to see her and so will have to wait. I felt he was in a rush and wanted rid of me. He could see I was agitated...not getting much sleep and missing my husband so much so he gave me a choice of going on ADs, beta blockers to calm me down or see the mental health team. I didn't want to go on ADs as they might not have been the ones to help my sweats. My blood pressure is pretty low and the thought of beta blockers scared me so I took the piece of paper with the telephone number on for self referral to the mental health people.
Looks like I'll just have to wait until the 2nd June.
I'm 58 but was still having the odd period before hrt and so went on Elleste duet 1mg. Interestingly up until I lost Andrew I had the bleed each month as expected but this stopped suddenly when he died so that does indicate a stress related hormonal problem I imagine.
Thanks everyone x
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Not personally but my friend has citlopram as she cant have hrt and her sweats were just awful likewise her around coping,she does well with them.
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I'll discuss Ads when I see my female GP.
I forgot to mention one thing he did offer me which he said would help with sleep problems was something which would give me the 'appetite of a horse' and I would put on 'masses of weight'....sounds appealing!!
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Sorry your gp doesnt sound at all helpful bless you :hug:
You have an awful lot on your plate right now ,you are still grieving for your husband,I know it wont help with the sweats but maybe you could look into bereavement councilling which would help with your emotional side of things. Keep posting we are always here x
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choc57 - he may have been suggesting Amitriptyline? DG x
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It could be what I have just started taking which is low dose ad for acute anxiety,palps,etc and insomnia do you remember what it was called,I have been good on them even though very anti AD !
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No I can't remember what they were called and I don't think he actually gave me the name. But having lost a couple of stones recently and having bought lots of new clothes I don't like the thought of a massive weight gain! I suppose I'd have other health problems to contend with then as well.
Through the mental health team I might be able to have some counselling. I did have some at first but I think it was too early on for me so maybe I'd do with some more.
What is it you're taking Dazned and have you noticed any weight gain? x
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Mirtazapine 15 mgs 1 at night I then sleep well ,it has brought my appetite back ,which is good,but as it also got rid of all my anxiety and panic attacks etc.Im now more active so not gained any weight thank goodness. It suits me for now when all the others I tried made me feel worse. Unfortunately its horses for courses . Hopefully you will find something that works for you ,all I would say is be prepared to do / take what ever it takes to feel right for you. 8 months I baulked at ads now I wish i started these sooner.
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Has it helped with hot flushes Dazned?
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I have not suffered with those sorry can't help. As I said apparently citlopram is the ad for that.
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Right well it was citalopram I went on before when I didn't need it as it was too early in the grief process. As I said it did help but I felt in a fog. At the time I thought that if I needed it in the future then I knew it would work. I think it took about 4 weeks to kick in though.
Most days I manage to be positive but today I've felt unable to cope. Hopefully tomorrow will be better. I suppose if I can take a low dose AD which will make me feel a bit better and control the sweats and therefore help me sleep then that's what I need. I'll discuss this with my GP just got to get through the next 4 weeks until my appointment.
Thanks x
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Keep posting we will help you through.x
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Thank you xx
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Why not have a phone chat with Dr Currie ? She might give you some info to take to your doctor. Am sure stress makes sweats worse, so sorry about your husband,
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Also - you may find that contacting CRUSE will help with the grieving. You really are in the early stages and with meno symptoms as well …...
What dose of Citalopram were you on? Initially ADs make me woozy and even now some mornings I feel hung over ::). But if they help with the flushes give them another 'go'?
That GP sounds about as useful as a chocolate fire guard ::) - I wonder if they are afraid of menopausal women?
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Thanks for your advice. Yes I do feel stress makes the sweats worse. Today I feel ok. Yesterday I was having a meltdown and not able to see a future for myself so when I rang to try to get an appointment and there wasn't one I got upset on the phone and that's why the male doctor rang me back. He hadn't looked at my notes first and didn't know what I'd gone through. 'You've had a bereavement' he said 'who was it?'....I was shocked that it wasn't down that it was my husband. When I told him he said 'But it's been almost 12 months'....it's actually been just over 10 months.
When you lose the love of your life after being together for 35 years it's not something you 'get over' in a hurry. It's not as if I've been pestering my GP either. I was last there in December and that was only because my cholesterol is up and I needed another blood test. He was quite impatient with me on the phone and told me I would have to go in to see him and he made me an appointment for the afternoon. When I arrived he asked what I wanted from them. I explained that I'd come off hrt and couldn't sleep because of the sweats and my anxiety and he told me I'd have to wait the 4 weeks and see my usual GP. He then proceeded to offer me ADs, beta blockers or counselling (of which there isn't any around here as my usual GP told me.) I'd had some earlier through a local cancer charity as I lost my dad a few months before my husband. I went for the counselling option but in fact all he gave me was the phone number of the psychological assessment team which I don't think I need. I'm grieving and that's a natural process I have to get through. He was very offhand and rushed me to make a decision. I don't know much about beta blockers but I wouldn't think they're something to be dealt out in such a hurry. It seemed he just wanted to get rid of me.
I was on 20mg Citalopram. I think at the time I needed to be able to think clearly to get through my grief. I was in a daze anyway but just felt more fuzzy.
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Oh that's not a good experience - I am so sorry the GP responded that way - that's horrible. :(
I wonder whether there is anything you can explore between now and June which would help self soothe your nervous system? I'm thinking of things like massage, exercise, a yoga class, aquafit, joining a walking group ... just something that makes your body feel a bit physically better and also where you might be able to connect with some kind people which might help take the edge off things?
Sending hugs xx
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Beta blocker do help with anxiety and someone I know swears they sort her hot flushes out, although how I dont know,but she says they work for her.