need some tough love from my fellow vets!

[playlikeworldchamps 595]

Actually I went thru chemo induced menopause a couple years ago. There is a non hormone drug that does work for hot flashes and also will help your depressive symptoms. It is the anti depressant Effexor. It made a big difference for me. I was getting flushed 20 times a day and this drug stopped that. If I forgot to take it for a couple days those flashes would come right back so it truly worked for me. You start out on a lower dose like 75mg and work up to 150mg usually. There may be some mild side effects but those subside after a couple weeks or so. Google Effexor and menopause and talk to your doctor. This drug has not impacted my weight loss at all either. I stayed on it because I think it also prevents me from getting overwhelmed with stress. About 10 years ago stress led me to have panic attacks and I don't want them coming back (even though I lost weight cause I did not feel like eating!)

[swizzly 901]

OMG - you gave me a cwtch - and on St David's Day - that has given me one serious smile - THANK YOU!!!

You have made so much sense - I often think the hormone imbalance has stopped my weight loss more than once, but I always question it wondering if I am looking of 'excuses' and that 'I am not good enough/not trying hard enough' even though I know that I am!!

My thyroid was recently checked and the doc said it was ok... she didn't expand. Regarding HRT like I said to OD, I have tried it and didn't get on with it - will try the cream and if no luck I will have to go back to see the doc.

I love what you said about 'your body messing with you' - that really rings true with me. I have often said my brain and my body are outta synch!

May I ask what your gyn has given you... perhaps it would be something I could look into?

Thanks again for your kind words my lovely!

Glad my 'cootches' were well-timed!!

I would ask the doc about the thyroid numbers -- some people are 'fine' in the normal ranges and some are still in need of supplementation. There is a lot of more recent research suggesting that treating TSH till it's close to zero is a new best practice. But you can be as high as 5 (don't know the values or how they measure them in the UK -- just that the range is pretty broad) and still be 'fine' but badly in need of thyroid! So do a bit of research, maybe ask a second opinion.

Give the HRT a try again -- do they have any bioidenticals or natural options there? Even the synthetic HRT could really help for a while. My friend slaps one of those Patches on per week and she says she can tell when it's even one day late...! My doc here gave me something called Premens, which is meant to treat PMT I think? But there are three varieties and one is for perimenopause, that's what she gave me. I have no idea what's in it...German is hard enough without trying to figure out the 15-letter ingredients...

Point is, you must advocate for your health! You clearly need some supplementation of hormones to help you through this --so do your research, ask around, push your doc a bit, etc. I think a wee dose of thyroid and some HRT of some kind and you'd be a new woman!

CWTCH!! xxx

[playlikeworldchamps 595]

Here is info on Effexor. Looks like lower doses work too which lowers changes of any side effects

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/74199

[playlikeworldchamps 595]

Gabapentin also works for hot flashes. I used that for nerve pain when on chemo and it relieved the hot flashes as well. I prefer the Effexor though because it's extended release and just 1 pill a day. Gabapentin is the precursor of Lyrica and too many pills to remember (but generic so cheaper than Lyrica - though not quite the same drug ). Effexor has a generic too so these aware both non hormonal pretty inexpensive options.

[2bfit 62]

I understand exactly where you are coming from. Get your hormones balanced and checked asap. It takes some time to get them in your system but it makes a huge difference.

I take Black Cohosh 3 times a day. It really helps with the hot flashes. I also use Kokoro Progesterone cream. Not all creams are the same. This one is a bioidentical cream that will not contribute to estrogen dominance. I had to learn early the right combo for me. I had a partial hysterectomy and they wanted to put me on the birth control pill after. I opted for the natural route. As for the insomnia a little melatonin before bed helps too. Get your thyroid checked. I was just diagnosed this week with Hashimotos (hypothyroidism). Even though my TSH levels were normal my TPO was way off! I have been on meds for a week and am slowly coming out of the brain fog.

Just know that all of these changes are not in your head and you can correct them.

Hang in there and get back to the basics. Eating right, lots of Water and exercising to alleviate stress. Plus it helps you sleep better! Good luck!

Edited March 7, 2014 by 2bfit

[fonally 107]

I had those symptoms and it turned out to be hyperparathyroidism. My Calcium was mildly high for three years and I suffered from anxiety depression bone and muscle cramps and hot flashes and my upper chest would flush. They removed a tumor on my parathyroid ( inside my thyroid which was normal) and that was what I needed. If your calcium is elevated check your parathyroid hormone. It's more common than you'd think . And anyone with parathyroid symptoms should go to parathyroid. Com. Listen to Dr Norman he is THE expert and I found a great surgeon at Univ of Penn.

[coops 1,790]

Thanks for the replies everyone - I received the natural progesterone cream in the post and started allpying it - if I still feel this bad a 6-8 weeks of using it I will go and have another chat with the doc. =]

[feedyoureye 3,087]

Thanks for the replies everyone - I received the natural progesterone cream in the post and started allpying it - if I still feel this bad a 6-8 weeks of using it I will go and have another chat with the doc. =]

Oh good coops! I had to take it for closer to 12 weeks for it to really kick in, and then it really took care of all of my symptoms, sleep, "thought disturbance", hot flashes...

[mistysj 1,939]

I'm only 36 and had a total hysterectomy several years ago. I tried several different HRT including the patch, but finally settled on a cheap estrogen replacement called Progynova in Australia. I bet you have equivalent in the UK. By the way, your body is very smart. It can turn estrogen into progesterone or testosterone and vice versa, depending on what it needs. If you don't have a uterus you don't need progesterone and in fact it can cause problems like endometriosis (which you can have outside your uterus too). So if what you need is estrogen but you are taking progesterone cream, some of it will get turned into estrogen and the rest will just get flushed out of your body. Hot flashes are a symptom of low estrogen and nothing to do with progesterone. So the progesterone cream may help (but what you can get without a RX is very low dose, so don't be surprised if not), but it is likely that finding the right estrogen will be better. There are several different forms and delivery mechanisms -- Patches, pills, implants, sublingual, and maybe even injectable.

When I was preparing for my hysterectomy I found this site helpful. They are not selling anything but have a great collection of info. http://surmeno.blogspot.com.au/2006/03/symptoms-of-estrogen-imbalance.html