Help with Menopause Questions

Hi K.,

What a good friend...because of a family history of breast cancer I have chosen not to do hormone therapy and instead I went the holistic route...I have been seeing a lady in for several years for various things and when the hot flashes, night sweats, followed by insomnia and then anxiety, I went in search of answers...This lady uses muscle testing for dosing and has been a miricle worker for me...Every Body is different...if she is not into alternative medicine...I worked for an MD who does the hormone saliva testing and then has a compounding pharmacy create bio-identical hormones to use...Your friend does not need to suffer...Both eastern and western medicine has answers...I would suggest she see some sort of adviser and not just buy something and hope it works...if she takes to much stuff that is metabolized through one organ or another it can cause toxic damage...I work hand in hand with my regular MD...I do regular blood screenings to make sure I am not actually causing damage...

Best of luck...
T.

I am a 55 year old and have had hot flashes for years, and in the passed year it has gotten worse. I met this elderly lady and she told me she uses corn silk for all types of issues. So i tried it. In about 2 weeks the hot flashes stopped and i did also start to excercise, 3 x a week, I also have bad hay fever. Since I have been taking the corn silk I don't have an issue with any of these things. Now i know it sounds weird but it is natural. It may not work for everyone but it is worth a try.
Take 6 ears of corn and take the silk out making sure any brown parts are discarded. Put the silk in 4 cups of water
brin it to a boil then simmer for 2 hours. It will be a tea and you can freeze it in portions. Take only 1 tbsp a day you can put it in your beverage in the morning. If you are consistant it will work

good luck

K.:

Menopause is the body chemistry going through changes. What the body gets in nutrition has a very large impact on the process. We have a number of ladies with menopause issues that have been helped a lot by a nutritional approach. Please ask your friend to call my wife and talk with her. Her name is A. ###-###-####. She can connect her with some ladies that are over it. We provide a 100% money back gaurantee.

My sympathies to your co-worker. I am in that age group, but so far (knock wood) have few symptoms (maybe one hot flash per night but it doesn't interfere with sleep).

She may have some success with some herbal remedies such as: soy and isoflavones, St. John's wort, black cohosh, chasteberry, evening primrose, dong quai, valerian root and ginseng. I have several friends who swear by black cohosh after traditional medicine offered little help.

Google "herbal remedies for menopause" and you will find tons of information. She doesn't have to suffer like she is! Please encourage her to try some alternatives.

When I had night sweats, my Chiropractor gave me a Wild Yam cream (natural precursor to Progesterone); I use it on occasion if I have night sweats. I just ran a search and found: http://wildmexicanyam.co.uk/

Hi K.,
It was very thoughtful of you to ask the question on behalf of your friend. She is having a hormonal imbalance which throws off her 'thermostat' causing the flashes and night-sweats. These are very common in menopause and should not give rise to alarm. However, for the person having them it can be VERY exhausting in a multitude of ways! Rest assured, the best thing that can be done is being done. She is seeking advice. The shot is to balance her hormones so her body does not over-react.
The only concern I have for her is - my doctor told me that by taking hormone replacements of any kind you are only prolonging the inevitable. Her suggestion was that a woman seek diet, vitamin and exercise balance -- and, unforunately, accept the body's swings. NOT fun. But, at least one won't have to be on replacements for the rest of their lives...
I believe it is Suzanne Sommers who wrote a book about (and women have raved about!), how one can make the aforementioned changes and stave off the downside effects of menopause. You (or your friend) might want to check into that. Good luck!
K.

Hi Kathyrn,

I would try a good quality brand of Mexican Wild Yam (plant diascorea sp?) I used Mannatech's PLUS - it made a huge difference. Please e-mail me call and I will give you more information ###-###-#### What it does is provide food for the bodies endocrine system (hormonal system) and it makes a huge difference in moods as well!

D.

It's taken me more than a year to finally get my menopause under control. There is a mountain of information and mis- information to work through. First, however, I would try to find a doctor that is willing to help your friend get on bio-identical hormone replacement. What you do is get a saliva test to test the level of your sex hormones (which you can get on your own if you like from the Medical Dental Pharmacy on the NE corner of First and Nees). Once the test results come back, the pharmacist can (with a Dr's prescription) compound exactly what you are lacking and it is an exact molecular match to what your body produces normally when everything is working right. Hot flashes are a result usually of too much estrogen and not enough progesterone to balance it out. When you stop ovulating, you don't make much progesterone.

The problem in Fresno is finding a doctor that will work with you on bio-identical hormone replacement.

When I was researching this, I read "Hormone Well, Hormone Hell" by Dr Randolf. You can get the book through the public library. Dr. Randolf also has a web site, http://www.hormonewell.com/ which is a good place to start too. Also http://www.womentowomen.com/. There are a lot of books out there worth reading on the subject as well.

I would not recommend synthetic hormone replacement, however , which is very risky to your health causing cancer, heart attacks, strokes and blood clots. Pharmasuitical companies are currently trying to make Bioidentical HR illegal on the grounds that is not safe. The real deal is that you can't patent them so there's no money to be made on them. They want you to use their patented synthetic hormones instead. Beware, your health is not their priority. It is well worth the effort to research this issue on your own. There is help out there but you have to kind of fight for it!

Anyway, I hope your friend finds this helpful.

Have her check with her doctor about taking Prometrium which is a hormone, but helps with sleep. She will also need take of course estrogen. I have a tiny little patch I change twice a week and it is called the Vivelle dot. I have had absolutely no problems at all and sleep very well. No hot flashes and not really any mood swings either except just being a girl type of mood swings every now and then. Can't help those.

Hope this helps.

R.

Hi K.,

Most women are not balanced and that is why they go through the change being so uncomfortable. I use wholefood supplements that supports my needs, I sleep on a sleepsystem that has magnetic energy and the blanket has Far-Infrared technology to regulate my body temperature so I may sleep at night. If your coworker is intersted in learning more send her my web page and if she has any questions have her email me.
www.nikken.com/ninamarie
Have a blessed weekend.

N. Marie

Hi K.,

I can relate to your friend. I will be 54 next month and believe I have begun the “Change of Life”. Hot flashes are not something I have experienced, but for over four years I had night sweats so bad I soaked the sheets. Mood swings and a mild depression haunted me for over two years. No matter what time I go to bed, I wake up around 2:30 AM and then every hour after that until time to get up. I was always tired because what sleep I got wasn’t restful.

The chiropractor I work for told me to complete a “Nutritional Questionnaire”. It is a form we have with 185 questions about things your body is experiencing. I completed it, turned it in, he evaluated it, and set me up on a “Health Function Improvement Program”. The program he designed for me involved three different nutritional supplements (vitamins), three food groups to avoid (refined flours, sugars and caffeine), eating nutrient dense foods with high mineral content (farm fresh eggs, shellfish, seafood, dark green vegetables), and to walk 30 minutes a day five times a week (my dogs like this part). There was nothing tuff or drastic in what he recommended for me.

There are no words to describe how I feel physically and mentally now! Within two days my depression was gone! I have energy, drive, and enthusiasm again. No more mood swings and no more night sweats. I can deal with stress as a strong person. I feel like me again, whole and happy. My sleep pattern hasn’t really changed yet but the sleep I get allows my body the rest it needs. I get up in the morning ready to meet the world. My DC said it sometimes takes months for sleep hormones to change. I can deal with the wait.

Bottom line… The “Change”, menopause, puberty, and pregnancy can, more often than not, be dealt with through diet and nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle. Suggest to your friend having an individual evaluation and giving that approach a try.

Bless you for helping others,
L.

Dear K.:

I manage a medical spa in Redding, CA and produce a line of natural, therapeutic essential oil products from my organic farm in Cottonwood, CA. My hot flashes were agonizing ... including the leg pain! I soaked the bed with sweat and had the bedroom windows open and covers off in the middle of winter, freezing my husband out of the bedroom. Here's what I suggest:

from my line:

1. Flash relief: a topical oil used on the temples, behind the ears, back of neck, base of throat and sometimes tailbone. Holistic blend designed to calm hormonal fluctuations and especially effective for hot flashes. This has been a life saver for myself and several of my clients who always keep a vial in their purse.

2. Sleep salts: essential oils in a salt base used for inhalation therapy prior to going to bed or to get back to sleep after waking in the middle of the night. I have two different blends that I use ... I'd recommend the lavender base for your friend if she's not put-off by the scent of lavender. (It's not cloying as the other oils, such as clary sage and Roman chamomile are earthy.)

I'd be happy to speak with you or your friend more about these products or my experience with hot flashes. Please feel free to reach out, and best of luck!

In spirit,

V. T
I ma

Hi,

If your coworker would like to try alternative therapies without side effects associated with hormone replacement, I strongly recommend accupuncture and chinese herbs. I strongly recommend Shirley Nichols in San mateo as an accupuncturist. You can purchase a chinese herbal supplement on the internet called Three Immortals. Follow the directions and she should see the hot flashes disappear completely. They did for me.

She should get on HRT to control her hot flashes. There are bio-identical estrogens that she can take if she does nto want synthetic hormones. Patches are great because you only have to remember once or twice a week to change them. Whatever she is doing in not helping, so she should talk to her doctor. There are also herbal remedies to help with HRT. She should be sure to wear cotton nightgown to keep cool, and cotton sheets/blankets. Sleep with the window open, get a ceiling fan and use a spray bottle with water in it to mist her self during her hot flashes. Definitely needs to see her MD to discuss this problem because no one should be this miserable and their husband should not suffer along with her. Best of luck.

There is a good product called Hot Flash by Source Naturals. It is very effective. Your friend may want to ask her doctor if this is an option for her.

I just experienced the exact same thing that happened to your co-worker. I no longer have to change my sheets, my husband has moved back to our bedroom and most importantly I don't experience "surprise" hot flashes and a "sweaty" face at-will!! I used an all-natural juice product and have been using it every day. If you'd like more information, contact me and I'll be more than happy to share with you.

F.

Hi, I'm a mom with kids age 8 and 12, a family doctor practicing for over 13 years, and am in menopause myself. I can't believe your friend is still getting the shot for birth control when she is in her 50s! If she hasn't had her hormones tested already to see if she really needs to be getting it still, she should. The shot does nothing to help with menopausal symptoms at all. It does not have estrogen in it, which is what helps with hot flashes. There are lots of other things she could try that don't involve hormones, but they are not as powerful. Hormones have lots of risks, so she should think about whether or not she wants to take them, and talk about it with her health care provider, but they do work well. There is a ton of great information available through the National Women's Health Network. Here is a link to their fact sheet page: http://www.nwhn.org/healthinfo/index.cfm?topic=Fact%20Sheets. I hope this helps! Sleep is important!

i'm now in perimenopause w/ similar symptoms....the insomnia had been the WORST. md put me on the lowest dose of the pill (i was very reluctant since i don't do well with ANY meds!) and it has helped a LOT! plus the added benefit of building/maintaining strong bones with the added estrogen. tell her to hang in there and get some help!

I have been experiencing hot flashes/sweats for at least 10 years. I have used herbal supplements, primarily Black Cohosh, usually combined with Red Clover, with varying results. I think soy supplements also help. A friend recently suggested I try what three generations of women in her family have used, which is an herbal/vitamine combination called Lydia Pinkham. The makers claim it has been used since 1875 for hot flashes and that it also helps with PMS. But you should always research these things and educate yourself about each ingredient. Herbal supplements can sometimes be as hazarous as prescription drugs if not used properly. Try Google (search engine) for your research.

I would not recommend St. John's Wort. It's used for people with depression, so unless she's also experiencing depression. . .

Anything she does with herbal supplements however should be discussed with her Doctor to help monitor her progress.

Soy has been known to help with menopause. It has helped one of my teachers, and has helped me with post birth control pill depression. I kid you not!

She needs to go to her doctor. My friend is going through this right now and they are trying her out on different hormones to see which ones work best for her. She has almost completely eliminated the heat flashes with this. I don't know what effect the shot has on menopause, but it doesn't seem to be doing anything for her so she might as well try something else.

I'm on the pill for menopause symptoms, and it totally works. Took a couple of tries to get the dose right.

Unfortunately, in my experience, using progesterone creme etc. alone is not enough. There are other hormones besides prog. going wacky. When I used prog. creme my night sweats got worse.

I believe that I can share some helpful information with you that will help your co-worker to feel better.

I had to have a complete hysterectomy at the age of 39. That was in 1992. I took the homones that I was supposed to for about four years. Then I heard the word "alternatives" for homone replacement as I was learning more about the long term risks with taking presription hormones.

Thus, began my journey to learn about the natural, herbal, nutraceutical, healthier alternatives for hormonal balance. I am taking a combination of products that have worked wonderfully for me for the last 10 years! I feel great as long as I take my supplements appropriately, but will begin to have night sweats and hot flashes if I miss too many doses. The two most important products that I take are Female Balance and BioInfinity from Symmetry Direct.

These products can be used for any hormonal challenge you can think of...including any stage of menopause! Female Balance does just that--balances hormones--no matter what you want to call the nature of the hormonal imbalance. It is an effective herbal product that provides Phyto estrogens. BioInfinity is a nutraceutical supplement with different herbs, Co Q10, Pregnenolone (DHEA precurser) and more that balances the body's progesterone needs.

I am a distributor of these products and would love to share more with you about this. Omega III fatty acids are also an important part of hormonal support. You can check my website at www.symmetrydirect.com/dhendon .

Victorious Living to you!
D. Hendon, RDH, SMM
Symmetry Direct
###-###-####

Hi K.,

It will help if your friend cleans up her diet. If she can let go of meat altogether (and if not, red meat definitely, and also strongly limits or takes out her dairy, it will help a lot. Plus eating soy products: tofu, soy milk (enriched if she drops the dairy), edamame, etc.

Also, she should take about 1500 mg of calcium with 750 mg of vit d (they need to go together and you can buy them as one pill--I use the brand Solaray). If she starts with those things, they should help. I know for some people the food limiting can be hard, but it's worth it. She'll see results if she gives it a little time.

I feel for her! I'm in peri-menopause, and the whole insomnia thing is definitely an issue.

There is also a book called "The Wisdom of Menopause," by Dr. Christiane Northrup Harvard M.D> whi started women's center and believes in holistic healing. It's dynamite.

Best wishes to both of you,

L.

She needs to supplement a lot and eat better!!!
Love, G.. :0)

I'm 57, and have ben suffering with hot flashes for about 15 years now. My Dr. tells me I have about 10 more to go.Since pills, and meds don't work. You just have to bear with it. I myself always have an extra pair pj's within hands reach so I can change when I get wet, and I also put a terry cloth towel on my pillow to soak up the sweat from my face at night. Tell her to let her Dr. know, he can give her some meds that could work for her. And to stay away from caffine at night, that also brings them on quick. menopause is no joke. (smile) It could make you hurt someone. I also sleep in boxer shorts, and a cut off T shirt, which is very helpful. Tell her not to worry, some times they go away for a long period of time, and quess what there baccccccccck. Hang in there I feel her. P.

someone I've met recently swears up and down to acupuncture.

R.

There is a book called The Miracle of Bio-Identical hormones. It is an excellent read for any woman of any age. We can have hormone imbalances at any point of our life. She should then get check for progesterone levels. She is probably deficient and the birth control may be making it worse. Her is a link.

http://www.amazon.com/Miracle-Bio-Identical-Hormones-2nd/...

Bio-identical progesterone cream (not just wild yam) may be the answer. The book is a great read.

Hi K.,
I have also had problems w/hot flashes & night sweats!! I am only 43 so it never occured to me that it was menopause but......
According to the doctor I am Pre-menopausal,in other words "nothing we can do to help you until youv'e stopped having periods".....a bunch of bull if u ask me,anyway I asked friends etc and finally someone gave me a fix. ALMONDS!!!!!! eat 10-12 almonds a day, and the hot flashes should subside.(I went 2 months without any at all!)
I couldn't believe something so simple & why didn't everyone know????
The only time I have had a hot flash since was when I ran out of almonds & forgot for about a week & let me tell you my body knew...and I paid the price with about 3 nights up....& once the hot flashes start there is no possibility of going back to sleep or even cooling down...I hope this helps your friend it sure did help me....Good Luck to her

I too am in full menopause and I HATE it. It changed my whole life. I am 46 years old and had to undergo a full hysteroctomy 4 years ago. The hot flashes are miserable but they are getting better. 3 years into this I went off of my hormones and tried an alternative hr which, which when my gyn found out about this was not too happy. I am now back on hr and thou I still hate menopause it is getting better. I also, do not sleep longer than 2 hours at a time and it is awful.
Tell your co worker that she must seek the advise of her doctor to find what is best for her.
All women go thru it, some worse than others, and even thou I have stated that I hate it I am trying to embrase it.
Good luck and hold on for a LONG ride.....
D. W / Vacaville

Hi K.,

I am 52 and have been going thru this stage of life for sometime now. I have be under the care of a natropath doctor, I may have spelled that incorrectly, but she trys to work with natural alternative therapies. I have been on natural bioidentical therapies for estrogen and progestorin replacement..being a kidney cancer survivor I was very concerned about the cancer risks with hormone replacement. She educated me on the differnant types of estrogen replacement therapes..basicaly there are three types , two being the bad ones and the one I am on ..the third one is not...and this has helped alot...along with taking an oral spray of 5Htp to help with the sleeping problem, which was recommended by my Internal Med doctor, Dr. Shanhong Lu out of Mt Shasta. The natropath doctor is Dr. Audra Foster, she is in SAnta Cruz and will need to see you initially, but then you can do phone consultations...she is great..her number is ###-###-####. Her rates are very resonable too! Dr Lu's phone number is ###-###-####...she is just fabulous.she has been a God send indeed. Hope this helps...Good Luck! P.