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[edelweiss]

Reposting here in case it helps anyone.

As anyone who read my previous posts will know, I was in a terrible state, HRT had stopped working and consultants couldn't help, but I'm pleased to say I've been feeling quite a lot better recently.

Thanks to Alesia who introduced me, I've been seeing Claire Snowdon Darling and I've been coping better (I felt like I was dying all the time before). Claire has had her own health challenges and really under stands what it's like to have a non-standard and hormonal issues like some of us have. http://www.balancedwellness.co.uk

Her email is [email protected]

In 3 weeks the roof of my mouth has healed up, whereas before it felt like I'd burned it. It was red raw and broken skin before.

The bad taste in my mouth has gone. I was going to bed with mints in my mouth because I had such a vile taste.

I don't feel dizzy any more and I don't feel sick all the time.

I can take a nap in the afternoon whereas before I couldn't sleep AT ALL- I've had 4 so far. Today I napped for about an hour. This feels close to miraculous. 

i can concentrate more at work, whereas before I was UTTERLY CONVINCED I'd lose my job.

Yesterday I went for a very long walk and got lots of fresh air. Before it was taking me until after lunch to get out of bed - if at all.

I am starting to think I might be able to get my life back. I'm so very grateful to Alesia for introducing me to Claire.

And a huge thanks to all of the wonderful ladies here too who have been so supportive throughout this awful, awful time.

If anyone wants to know more please DM me and I'll tell you. I think Claire does phone consults and helps women with diet and supplements over the phone.

Health-wise this has been by far the worst time of my life, but I have found such support. We are still working on things, but I hope that the improvement will continue. She's seen and treated a lot of meno and IBS ladies who have done very well.

I hope this helps some other ladies who need help at the moment xxx

[MicheleMaBelle]

thank you Edelweiss- glad you are on the mend.I'm going to have a look at the site x

[edelweiss]

Thanks Michellemabelle, yes I am definitely doing better than I was - much better. Plenty more to work on though, but such a relief to not feel sick, dizzy or be unable to sleep. Good luck! xxx

[Paupau]

hi I'm new to this forum, but have use the website over the last year with regards to my symptoms.
I was interested in this thread as I hope to get through this menopause journey without Hrt but am disappointed to see so few are managing to do so, didn't fill me with much hope.

Nobody really seems to mention herbal medicine, so I want to share my experience of using it so far.
Bit of background, I have been on paroxetine just over 20 years after my father died suddenly and I was suffering from post-natal depression which resulted in a breakdown with anxiety and panic attacks. It helped and I felt normal again. Then earlier this year I started experiencing feelings of anxiety again plus not keen on going out, doing thing. Noticed it was more pronounced at certain times of my cycle so suspected it was yet another symptom of my peri. I didn't want to increase my antidepressants and decided to visit a local herbalist and see what she could suggest.
 She has made me a herbal mixture that I take 3 times a day and it so far is working If need be I think she can increase it should my anxiety gets worse and add to it if I start experiencing hot flushes. 

It might be something others might want to try and also know of a positive outcome. Other things that are helping me get by is yoga, exercise and not getting stressed by doing to much, have learnt to say no. putting myself first which hasn't been easy and still struggle with. being kind to myself and saying its okay  when I have a bad day.

Hope this give some encouragement to those who don't want to use HRT  and try something else.
 

[Dancinggirl]

Paupau - welcome to MM

Do tell us what your herbalist has given you? Anti depressants will often reduce meno symptoms like flushes but for many find that anxiety and low mood really flares up when menopause hits. HRT can help with so many menopause symptoms but it doesn't suit everyone. I'm sure your herbalist is being careful not to use anything that is contraindicative with your anti depressants  - this is why I'm interested to know what you have been given?

I am now 61 and after being on and off HRT for 25 years, due to premature menopause, I decided to stop HRT about 18 months ago. I am partly relieved to be off the hormones now but I do miss some of the benefits. I am taking Red Clover, which does seem to have reduced some flushes - I am also drinking Soya milk instead of milk with my cereal at breakfast.
Making good lifestyle choices is very important - you are making some very good choices Paupau.

We all have to find what works for us. So pleased to hear you are finding a good way forward Paupau.
Dg x

[Sandra Snow]

I had hot strong sweats for 2 years and then went onto HRT. It was brilliant.  I had my life back.  After 7 years I was told I had to come off it. That was two and a half years ago.  I wait and I wait for the sweats to become less strong and less frequent.  No such luck. I find that when I need to really focus and concentrate on something, a hot sweat wells up and takes away any concentration or intention.  I think they may call this a form of stress?  I am 60.  No herbal preparations have worked for me, but getting out walking in the fresh air is a great help.  Blows away the cobwebs and some of the sweats are barely noticeable in the cold crisp air!

[Joaniepat]

Betty Boo, could you not go back on HRT? If you were taken off it simply because you were 60, that is totally unnecessary and whoever advised that was behind the times. Plenty of women use transdermal HRT at age 60  and well beyond. I restarted HRT at 67, having been taken off it at 54 due to the health scares that were around in the early noughties. These health scares have since been shown to be unfounded.
JP x

[Daisydot]

Good advice jp. I restarted on the transdermal hrt at age 60 due to severe sweats etc after my then gp stopping my hrt.The difference has been great in a very short space of time I've no sweats sleeping well coping better with life in general,still have my off days like everyone but it's winter it's miserable outside so I accept it's still early days and I'm happy for the changes I'm feeling already,that's good enough for me right now.
I've no regrets at all about restarting hrt the benefits for me are non negotiable lol.good luck xx

[l1zzi313]

My periods stopped July 2016; I was placed on HRT and had a terrible time forcing my body to menstruate, with a ton of pain. Tried a different HRT same thing, having stopped all HRT am on natural remedies, feel lucky to have the symptoms I have. If I don't have the natural remedies I know about it. Periods have stopped again so far...
Don't know a lot about different preparations and don't want to mess with my body...
doesn't seem to be an answer but as I said the comments I have read a hot sweats mood swings feeling shattered and having ‘bad days' I know I have it quite easy.

[Js]

I came off hrt  patches in October 2017 as I had been on hrt for nearly 10 years thinking I should have a break as was told you should come off after 5 years for a break . I know the risks of being on hrt I.e cancer and thrombosis so I have given it a break for 4 months now and I must say I can't cope with the night sweats and hot flushes they are  definately stress related but also I'm getting aches and pains where I didn't before when I was on hrt so as I have read on here before if I can take it and I am aware of the risks why should I suffer so I think I will go back on it .as long as my meno nurse is kept up to date and I have regular reviews then I might as well try and make myself cope better then suffer . The other things like herbs haven't worked so until researchers come up with a more natural remedy for the menopausal women then we have to get through it what ever makes us comfortable what ever that  may be  to get us through this change .

Js

[Cupcake69]

Hi. I am new to this forum. My doctor pointed me to the site. I am 48 and have had menopause symptoms for 5 years. I didnt relate it to perimenopause until last year. It started with anxiety, palpitations and sleepless nights. Followed by constant bouts of thrush and bladder irritation. I abandoned all soap products and changed everything to cotton. Everything began to irritate me, smells, people, routine, demands, noise. Gradually i was loosing me. I have battled through over the last year. Getting angrier, frustrated and decided i didnt want to be me anymore. This last 6 months my periods have dissappeared. I had constant PMS and suicidal thoughts. I was no longer recognisable and thought i was loosing my mind. My symptoms had gone from a 5 to a 9 in a matter of months. I dragged myself to the doctors and i am now on HRT. After a week i feel different. I am hoping it works as otherwise i cant see the point to life. X

[Daisydot]

Hi cupcake I felt a difference pretty quickly too when I restarted hrt after an absence of 5-6 years.it was the best thing I did I had suffered so much over that 5 or 6 years I was off it,I was red raw and bleeding with VA numerous uti problems and thrush and antibiotics which nearly killed me I had so many courses of them then became allergic to them and the gps were bloody useless,no one ever listens do they,we know all these varying symptoms we get are so loopy but they're very real for us and not at all in our heads so why waste countless amounts of money sending us for invasive procedures and tests when if they'd just listen they'd know it's usually caused by one of the many symptoms of meno.Im doing good on oesrtrogel pump and vagifem it's been around 6 months since I tried a couple of hrt methods and I settled well on these,it's trial and error till you get the right ones.im pretty easy as I only need the oestrogen part so for around 3 months now I've been plodding away with it.no sweats day or night ,no pain in twin joints,no feelings of utter despair for no reason,I'm grateful to be out of that black pit that hits so suddenly everything about me has improved and that's continuing.stick with it there's absolutely nothing to be worried about,there's also plenty of kind support on here if and when you need it good luck xx

[willowrannoch]

I'm still at the peri stage.  I take Menomood which has St Johns Wort and black Cohosh which I feel has made a difference to my swinging moods and more recently have started taking turmeric for sore joints.  I keep very active and have to get outside most days.  I don't want to take HRT.  I'd rather get through this naturally but if my symptoms get worse then I may consider it.  I do get the occasional hormonal migraine so though HRT has been suggested to help with this I have tried it and given I was still getting migraines whilst on HRT I just didn't see the point if it wasn't working.  Also didn't understand the science.  It's called Hormone Replacement Therapy.  My hormones are all still there working in a weird way and fluctuating like crazy.  HRT wouldn't be replacing them if they were running high, they would be adding to them and making it worse surely.  Still would like to understand the science behind that logic.  But I'm doing OK for now.

[Dancinggirl]

Hi and welcome to MM willowrannoch

It's early days for you and how you deal with your menopause will be up to you.  You say you want to learn more about what is going on, so here is the article I mentioned in my other post to you - it will hopefully help you to understand things better:
https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/magazine/pdf/Article%20-%20Perils%20of%20the%20Perimenopause.pdf

HRT certainly helped to reduce my bad headaches through the peri meno phase as I was getting headaches for 4-5 days in a row because of the hormonal fluctuations that made me feel awful. At 62 I have now been off HRT for 2 years and suffer headaches constantly but sadly my body won't tolerate progesterone any more so I simply have to go without the wonderful oestrogen that can make things better - though I still got headaches on HRT, there were far fewer of them.  It is important to understand how HRT works and what the benefits and side effects are, so you can make an informed decision on what you options are.  DG x

[willowrannoch]

Thank you, that link was very helpful. Estrogen and progesterone are the two hormones mentioned the most in any topics involving female body workings but would it be plausible to consider that the fluctuations in these other ones (FSH, Inhibin and FH) could also be contributing to the symptoms many women are experiencing? Has there been any research into this?