Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => Alternative Therapies => Topic started by: Bananacarnival on April 10, 2020, 02:59:13 PM
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Or do I need to start hrt?
I've found sea buckthorn capsules, wondering if any good.
My face is so dry and itchy all day and night. My bladder feels dry and Ovestin or vagifem cause histamine reaction so I can't take it.
Argh. Anything else I can do?
Thank you
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I use argan oil for my hair. YES products are organic so you might be ok with them, im very sensitive and use them. Cant help with face creams as i use really basic stuff like Avon Rich Moisturisor, been using it for about 40 years as anything else i try causes blotches or spots. I did use Elemis once (christmas pressie) and it was lovely, but its too expensive for me.
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Thanks dierdre
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Olive oil for hair....massage into scalp and through to ends then leave it overnight to soak in then give it a good wash next day.....also use on face but don't let it get in your eyes!
I also use Nivea or Astral moisturiser cream....while we've been in lock down I've been lathering the Nivea on my face and neck and sometimes leaving it on all day.
I've also used the olive oil down below and was fine with it...I have used Olive and Bee intimate cream and that's just Olive oil and beeswax so it's all good stuf.
Hope you fine something that helps. Xx
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Hi. As oestrogen levels drop the body may become dry: inside and out: skin, scalp, deep in the ears, eyes, nostrils and vagina. DH uses Nivea on his legs every night. I like 'vaseline' hand cream in the yellow bottle and have fished out various balms from under the bath including honey preparations.
Is it the fillers/capsule BananaC rather than the active ingredient in VA treatment? Have a look-see at 'yes' and 'sylc' websites, you may get free samples ;-).
I find KY jelly adequate for the outer vagina area too.
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Thank you both for the suggestions.
Not sure if it's the fillers, my doctor says it's a histamine reaction and estrogen gel rubbed into my thighs might help...
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Do you have a reason not to take hrt? If, as seems likely, it's caused by low oestrogen then increasing your oestrogen levels should be the best cure. Do you have other meno symptoms?
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Why would gel be any different ? :-\
What does it say on the packets in the products?
My ears itch this morning >:(
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Hi Sheila I'm 48 so perimenopausal. Periods erratic and lots of bladder symptoms. Depression and anxiety and troubled sleep (mostly due to getting up numerous times to wee) yes.
No hot flushes etc.
I'm just not taking hrt because of something an elderly friend once said and it stuck with me...
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What was it exactly that has stuck with you. You would believe a friend :-\ .......... Quality of Life Girl, Quality of Life.
If you have bladder symptoms get some appropriate vaginal atrophy treatment ASAP - read the threads here, it's very localised. Without using it I wouldn't be here, it was like razor blades :o up there. My GP never hesitated with the prescription.
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Hi clkd,
I read about VA in depth on these boards plus my urologists always prescribed local estrogen. But I always felt a reaction when I used the stuff so I'd stop. Feeling like vaginal walls swelling up, couldn't wee at all - a retention feeling...
My current doctor says I had a histamine reaction and has prescribed some for me to rub in my thigh.
What my friend said stuck with me... She was 74. Said she had watched so many of her friends get cancer and they all took hrt and she felt that relieved in some way she hadn't taken it.
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It's a personal decision but I'd suggest you get fully informed before you make it. Transdermal is safer than oral. Most of the scare stories have been based on either oral or combined. The chances of getting cancer from hrt are lower than if you drink, smoke or are overweight so it makes sense to maintain a healthy lifestyle in any case. Of course as we age the chances of getting cancer increase anyway. I took the view that my life was hardly worth living without it (insomnia, anxiety, lethargy, depressed, bad tempered etc etc) so for me the small increased risk was worth it. At 74 the people your friend knew would have been on oral.
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At 74 [how many years ago] did your friend ask which particular cancer friends died from? Cancer kills. Cancer can be cured or managed. I had breast disease treatment in the 1990s and wouldn't hesitate to get what is required to ease symptoms. After all, that bus might be along ;)
Do read round here and make notes .......... ask away. Put the product name into the search box and see what pops up? Getting information in case symptoms get too much to cope with might be the way to go. Also, some find keeping a mood/food/symptom diary useful to chart progress.
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Thank you both so much. I do feel clueless at times, fairly new to all this. Does help to have responses such as yours 😊
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We're all clueless about things otherwise we wouldn't need each other ;)
Menopause to most of us is 'end of periods': however >:( ::)
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I went on Wellwoman plus two weeks ago and my hair and skin (both really dry) looked amazing after just a few days!
I did seem to go a bit hormonally crazy though so have stopped taking them for a month whilst I recover from being a bit poorly. I will consider them again in future though as I did look so much better after taking them.
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What's in it? Why would it affect your hormones :-\ ....... do you keep a mood/food/symptom diary?
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That's what I thought Ckld, but when I ran that comment by my urologist this morning he said this bacteria absolutely has to be treated. It's a nasty one apparently :(
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I took Pharma Nord Omega 7 sea buckthorn caps for months and they made a big difference to how hydrated my skin felt and I think they helped with VA to a degree - but I'm afraid in my case I needed HRT to reduce the soreness and irritation. Systemic estrogen turned things around for me and I could better tolerate vaginal HRT.
I could see the seabuckthorn was working because I started on the loading dose and the skin on my hands - very roughened from all the handwashing - became smooth and hydrated within about 4-5 days. I stopped needing to use handcream and rough patches on my knees and elbows improved.
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Coming to this very late...for dry itchy scalp I find Philip Kingsley flaky, itchy scalp shampoo and toner work well. Can get it online and in stores. It is pricey but you don't need much. Nothing else works for me. I have very thick hair so my scalp is deep in the thickets!