Question About Perimenopause, the Next Step of Motherhood :)

J.,
I have used the wild yam cream for when I get symptoms.
It is available at the health food stores. It seems to help. I have been told not to use the same spot all the time when you rub it in. It has to do with the absorption level. W.

I started having crazy periods at about 46. I always had to make sure I had a pad or a tampon with me at all times because I never knew what was going to happen. I was very regular before it all started. Once I was thoroughly convinced by my gyno that it was peri-menopause I felt okay with it. It was also the only time that I had PMS bouts as well. I didnt really take anything but midol or pamprin during those obnoxious mood swing times. At 49 my periods pretty much came to a hault and the night sweats and hot flashes started. That was when I decided I needed something better to get me thru it. It's hard when you can't get a good nights sleep due to sweating all night long. What worked for me was Black Cohosh, upping my calcium with a calcium tablet daily and taking a potassium tablet daily as well. Flax seed oil is also a good helper. It takes about a week before you start noticing the positive results, but it definitely alleviated most of the sweats, headaches and hotflashes. I just used the daily recommendations on the bottles for dosage. Good luck with it. I'm 51 now, have only had one period in the last 2 years and I don't take any of the above supplements anymore except for occasional potassium, it's a wonder vitamin for bloating. Always check with your doctor first before taking anything tho.

Hi J.,

I can tell you that the supplements/herbals that I take have helped me tremendously and they can help you too. While your hormonal needs are different from mine, I use my example to show that if it can work for me, it can work for anyone who wants to find effective hormonal support.

I had a complete hysterectomy (ovaries gone too) at the age of 39. I took the rx hormones for about 4 years. Then I started hearing more about the risks of taking them and heard the word "alternatives" used for hormone replacement. That started my search for natural, safe, alternatives which led me to the products at Symmetry Direct. That is where I found what I needed to meet my hormonal needs. I started with Female Balance (phytoestrogens) and Bio Infinity (pregnenolone). Those two products are the most important ones. I also need to take Advanced Omega, Calcium Coverage, and Ultra Vitality. I am now 55 years old and I find that I still need to take all of these products to feel my best. If I skip any of my supplements, I start having hot flashes and night sweats.

Female Balance is an herbal product that does just what it says. It brings balance to the hormonal system. It is effective and safe for all hormonal issues. You may only need to take one every day. Personally, I have to take it three times a day to maintain my balance (remember that I have no ovaries).

By the way, people always tell me that I don't look like I'm 55 and I'm not all dried up!

You can check it out at www.symmetrydirect.com/dhendon and call me if I can be of any help to you. You can get relief/balance within the first month of taking Female Balance and Bio Infinity!

Victorious Living to you and yours,
D. Hendon, RDH, SMM
###-###-####
www.symmetrydirect.com/dhendon

Hi J.

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You could have SO MANY different things going on. It could be thyroid, anemia, B12 deficiancy or even food intolerances. Most people don't think they have food intolerances but they actually do. It is worth looking into. I'm not sure of any of your other symptoms but I'm guessing there are more???

The Schwarzbein Principle II--The Transition is a great book that teaches you about hormone balance in your body. It has a lot to do with eating right for your body. It is often sold in the weight loss section of the bookstore but it is not just for people wanting to lose weight. I was actually underweight and suffering from an autoimmune condition when I got it and it was VERY helpful.

Changing my diet was not easy but I feel so much better and I know I am avoiding potentially dangerous conditions. I worked with doctors for several years with no luck. They ran all sorts of blood tests and always said I was fine. Many of my blood tests were borderline high or low but they didn't care. As long as I was within their ranges, they refused to look into it any further. I finally saw a nutritionist who helped me put it all together and make the changes I needed to make. I am so grateful to her. Give it a try! It is a little different way of thinking but can make all the difference in the world. I resolved my autoimmune thyroid condition without medication. I just removed some foods from my diet. I am gluten intolerant but the regular blood tests didn't show it.

Please think about it! I started out with the same symptoms you are having and it only got worse!

Take care, ~L.

What you're going to get with this question is people's personal experiences, so be sure you remember that we're all different. Something one of us says may work for you, or it may not. You know your own body better than anyone else so may have an idea if what you read is good for you to try.
Now, for my experience. I started having problems in my early forties. The Dr. put me on hormones. Problem was they didn't seem to do any good, and every time I had another appointment, it seemed, I also had a new Dr. (military medical is great, but they ship their doctors all over the place and keep switching them on us). Each new Dr. basically said the other Dr. hadn't presctibed correctly and changed my hormones. I finally was so frustrated I cried as I was explaining my dilemma to a friend. She suggested I try taking a good vitamin supplement. I went to the store and looked for something that had as close to 100% of the daily requirements of each vitamin and mineral as possible. It's been a long time and I don't even remember which brand I chose, but after taking those for a couple of weeks, my system had straightened out, I ran out of the hormones and didn't bother going back to get more, and within a couple of months had finished my whole menopause cycle. I was done from start to finish in about three years (and at age 45!) I've been fine for pver 20 years now, so feel the vitamins were what worked for me.
As I said at the beginnning, what worked for me may not work for you, so just decide if it's worth trying. You may want to talk with your Dr. first, or since you have the appointment next month, take a supplement until then and see how it's working so you'll have that information to share at your appointment too.

Hi J..
Acupuncture and Chinese herbs work very well for perimenopause. It helps to balance the body, so in the case that your hormone levels do or do not indicate perimenopause, it can help fix the problem either way. I have treated all stages of menopause with great success.
If you have questions, check out www.retreatacupuncture.com
or call ###-###-#### for a informational consult.

Check out the website of Dr. Christian Northrup for great info on perimenopause: http://www.drnorthrup.com/
L.

Hi J.,

A good source is Susun Weed, she is a master herbalist and if you google her name and type in perimenopause, you'll prob find much info.. she 's been around for years and has written many books..I have found that many of her publications are on the net. Additionally, after you have checked that out, there is a store in San Francisco on Valencia Street, called The Sage. it's an herbal store. but first, I'd check out what Susun has to say on the topic. I hope this helps..
good luck