Peri-meno started 3 years ago. Ferocious hot flushes day and night. No periods for 19 months but still suffering flushes/sweats though toned down marginally, they show no sign of stopping or reaching a level I can live with.
Off to GP to ask for VERY low dose Venlafaxine - have read a bit about that on the Menopause Amarant Trust website as don't want HRT. Fine while you're on it but with the more modern 'lowest dose, shortest time' method of prescribing it just delays the process. No-one seems to explain that when you come off it the symptoms return. You do not 'bypass' the meno, just give your body the hormones it needs by a different method when you no longer produce your own. So what would you expect to happen when you stop the patch/pill regime! Same as when your body became oest/prog deficient - meno symptoms.
Spoke to someone who had been on it 15 years before GP refused to let her have any more in 2002 following research 'scare'. She's had meno symptoms since then and feels previous 15 years was a bit pointless.
I want something non-hormonal which might take the 'edge' off flushes while my body adjusts to it's new seriously depleted oest/prog state.
Hi
I have been going through the meno for a couple of years and have been prescribed 3 different HRT remedies. All to know avail. The last meds left me feeling worse than the symptoms of meno. I was totally irrational, couldn't cope with anything or anybody and basically lost the plot. Also gave me high blood pressure which was no joy. No choice had to come off HRT as none of them suit me. GP suggested Flash Fighters which I feel have helped a bit. however, still suffer from dreadful night sweats (although not as bad) aches and pains, weird headaches that I have never had before where you feel nothing but pressure as if someone is pushing down on my head. quite scary really. what's worse, I'm only 47! HOW MANY MORE YEARS DOES THIS GO ON
For Katy
Am not trying to scare anyone - BUT - been there worn the tee shirt so to speak - it was the symptoms Katy mentioned that made me decide to post this.
Although it is extremly rare - I would advise any woman who is 50 plus to just get it checked out (I thought the hot flushes sweating joint aches was down to the menopause) and took HRT - worked for a while - then didnt - in between times.............I ended up with a Heart Attack at age 52 no pre symptoms.
Well to cut a long story short - I have just been diagnosed with something called Polycythemia (which is exceedingly rare I grant you) BUT apparently this disease can strike around the time of menopause - and be totally missed...............as was mine - even after the Heart Attack (basically it was not picked up) I had all the symptoms - Because of the menopause it was totally missed................
Basically if I had not gone back to my GP and asked why I was still suffering this sweating & other symptoms that they had associated with the menopause and I was still taking HRT - luckily she run a blood test - and it was picked up - otherwise basically this Polycythemia it would have killed me no if's or but's - I would have ended up with another Cardiac event probably within the next 9 months to 2 years - one of the things Polycythemia does is make your blood very thick.
As I said I have no wish to scare any ladies (as it is an extremly rare disease) - just be aware - for the sake of asking for a blood test to be done.
So Take care all...................Incidentally one drug that was prescribed to me for the sweating side - (it relaxes the muscles aparently?) the drug is Pro-Banthine - beleive me it does work.
when I was going through the menopause and suffering with hot flushes, I was advised to take Black Cohosh with Sage. I bought these from a local Pharmacy and for me they were very effective. They did stop me having hot flushes for a time, but when they started again I needed to take a further course. I also suffered from anxiety and derpression when the menopause started, which really stopped me in my tracks resulting in a long period of sickness absence from work at that time. The doctor put me on some antidepressant tablets and these have helped me through the awful menopausal symptoms such as forgetfulness, poor concentration, loss of confidence, mood swings, disturbed sleep, aches and pains, loss of interest in hobbies etc. I found these symptoms very distressing. I could not take HRT because of a family history of gynaecological cancers, but have to say that the black cohosh with sage and the antidepressants certainly helped me to get through it.
I don't know about anyone else, but I found that when the menopause started (for me at 45) it was as if a door had been closed in my face. One day I was normal and the next day I had changed. Some women seem to sail through the menopause while others struggle. Whether it is down to personality and genes I don't know, but I seemed to become a different person overnight. However, I can now safely say that there is life after the menopause, it's just a different phase! :D