Serenity Cream

[bobsgirl]

I'm not suffering horrendously but am clearly on the way into menopause. A friend of mine who was suffering badly from mood swings has started using Serenity cream and says it's marvellous.

Has anyone else come across it and what do you think?

[Annie64]

I have always said I would never use HRT EVER however my hot flushes are a nightmare and I burst into tears constantly. I am 51 and havent had a period for 2 years, always been incredibly strong and in control but since the start of menopause just havent felt like myself at all. Added stress of a 17 year old son who has decided to become a child of Satan ( after being the perfect child for about 16 years) and it all adds up to needing something. I have been taking Menopace for months,thought it was working at first and hot flushes disappeared for about 2 months , I was also seeing a homeopath, have tried sage, black cohosh, you name it , Ive tried it. Flushes are constant, day and night but with a history of breast cysts and endometriosis, want to try and avoid HRT at all costs as I know I would worry constantly. I am going to try the cream and will see what it does , if this doesnt work going to try reflexology next....Heres hoping, will let you know if it helps. It certainly wont be the placebo effect if it does work as I'm in a place now where I think nothing will work. Lets see....

[ameliagrey]

Annie- have you been to see a specialist gynae about your symptoms?

I am worried that you are ruling out HRT for reasons that are not valid.

My gynae who I see privately, has written a book on meno and in it- just checked for you- he says anyone with breast cysts or/and endo should not assume HRT is not an option. He says that cysts won't turn cancerous but you may have an increase. Endo may return/get worse but equally may not depending on the type of HRT you take.

Could you go to a menopause clinic( google for ones mear you) or to a gynae for more advice?

If your life is so bad then I think you should not rule out HRT if it were to help.

[sallyvictoria]

Hi all,
Glad I read these posts about Serenity. I am still intrigued and am going to try it, but I am undergoing treatment for stage 2A Hodgkin's Lymphoma right now (ABVD chemotherapy) and at the same time as being diagnosed with cancer, I was told I was perimenopausal. i am 33, have not had periods for 8 months, am not pregnant and do not have any children. I am getting the hot flushes, 10 or so a day and 4-5 at night. I have the insomnia and the bloating, and know that to some extent these symptoms are not related to my disease or side effects of the chemotherapy. Both Gynae doctors I have seen have been pretty unhelpful, only able to tell me that having children is pretty much an impossibility..what about the long term issues??
Does anyone have any advice in terms of alleviating my perimenopausal symptoms? Can I use Serenity alongside chemo, and will it work?
It is enough trying to deal with the chemo side effects, let alone this too!

[ameliagrey]

Hi

Really sorry to hear what you are going through- best of luck with your treatment.

You really do need a sympathetic gynae don't you? are you near London or Dorset as my gyane i s great, and I know he would help you.he is a meno and fertility expert, and a director of a fertility clinic.

I doubt if serenity would harm you- whether it would help is another matter. However, you really ought to have help via the NHS for what you are going through.

Can you ask to see another gynae? Ther eis always the option of having your eggs frozen etc.

[Bellaciao]

You can get natural progesterone from your GP provided they will prescribe it - in the form of Cyclogest pessaries so these would be much cheaper than buying expensive cream, and in properly prescribed doses. Also it is of natural origin (yams I think?) but modified to be bioidentical to our own progesterone - so probably similar to the prog cream but more concentrated. I have been using it as part of HRT for several years but apparently not all GPs will prescribe it. It's actually made for use in fertility and post-natal depression but can be used for protecting the uterus when using HRT.
Not everyone's cup of tea though!
A friend of mine only used Cyclogest as part of her HRT and never used Oestrogen and she swore by it (placebo or not!).

[Bellaciao]

PS I'm new here and sorry I missed all the other posts in the thread before replying and didn't realise it went onto two pages. Apologies if I've repeated something or gone off at a tangent not relevant to the discussion.... I was commenting on something way back....

[Hotflusher]

Many thanks for posting this... I have been on Zoladex for 7 months and then had a oophorectomy last week... 7 months of hot flushes, sweats, memory loss, insomnia, slight depression and weight gain. The thought of HRT scares me so when I read about Serenity, it seems worth a try. My only worry is osteoporosis? Do you have to take other vits to combat the onset of this? Thanks

[ameliagrey]

Hotflusher
I couldn't let your post go unanswered.

What is the drug you mention and why were you taking it?

if you have had your ovaries removed, why on earth are you not being given proper information and advice by your gynae surgeon?

This is a MAJOR operation with huge implications for your long term health.

Yes, without ovaries you will be plunged into menopause.

without oestrogen- not found in Serenity cream or anything you can buy OTC, your bones will suffer.

How old are you?

if you are post meno then you could do all the things that post meno women must do to prevent osteoprosis- adding calcium, vit D and the right exercise.

However, if you are under 50 it's a no-brainer- you have to take HRT.

If this has been offered and you have refused it- then frankly you are being foolish.

There are risks taking it for more than 5 years but even then the risk is small and the same as drinking one glass of wine a day- in terms of adding to your risk of cancer.

You need to take notice of what I assume your dr has advised.

[Delphthelf]

A good diet can help with the physical symptoms like night sweats ect. Cutting out caffiene and chocolate makes a difference to me (has anyone else noticed this?) and stress definitely makes the symptoms worse. Exercise (I practice yoga regularly) does help to. My biggest problem has been very debilitaing depression which has not been easy to ride as it has blighted my life (well at least until i went on to HRT anyway). I was thinking of trying the serenity cream as i have heard from friends it is good and has worked for them. I think though i will wait as i am about to come off hrt anyway..

[dancingqueen1953]

I have used Serenity Progesterone cream for years to combat hot flushes and all the nasty things of the menopause. I was also advised to use it by my homeopath for osteoporosis as both my parents suffered from it and I was worried I would also.
I have nothing but praise for the cream, I have sailed through the menopause, no hot flushes, mood swings, or anything else, and at nearly 60, I hope that it is keeping the osteoporosis at bay.
My daughter used it before the birth of her 2nd child, as she had been trying for nearly a year to get pregnant. Within 2 months of using the cream she was pregnant and kept using it until she was 12 weeks. £17 for a tub of cream that lasts 3-4 months is not expensive at all, and I don't believe that it is the placebo effect lasting all these years.

[veryannoyedmum]

Dancingqueenif you are at risk from osteoporosis then surely you are having DEXA scans to assess your bones? if not you ought to.

The National Osteoporosis Society has info on progesterone creams & bone density and they say there is no proof it works.

You may have simply been one of the 25% of women who sail through meno with no symptoms.

I'm sorry but I don't believe in homeopathy either- there is absolutely no real evidence it works. I say this as someone who has spent money on it before- but now I never would.

I have osteoeopenia so have done a lot of research into treatments and what helps- I wouldn't touch Serenity as I think ti's a con.

[KT12]

I have been looking into alternatives to HRT - another that is advertised is Amberen - has anyone tried it? Any success stories? Some ladies on the forum have suggested Menolieve? I too considered Serenity, but after an extensive internet search I came to the conclusion it probably won't work for me.

At the moment I too am taking the 'ride it out' approach - I regard my hot flushes as power surges! But I am only at the beginning of this journey, so wonder how long I will be able to hold out.

Also when researching the alternatives to HRT and looking at side effects - there are many - some with similar adverse risks. So I agree with the point made that it does not always matter whether you take something natural or man made - both can be equally beneficial or have equal negative risks.

But I am still interested to know about any alternatives to HRT - once again - has anyone used Amberen?

[Bluepetticoat]

What is in Amberen?

Sage tincture is supposedly good for flushes.

If you look at the //www.menopausematters.co.uk website and go the the HRT section, you will see the balance and risk chart- with scales. Under age 60 the drs on that site believe that HRT benefits outweigh the risks.

[Bluepetticoat]

I've had a quick look at the Amberen website and the video of how it works. I am not convinced. It uses lots of scientific vocab but I don't think a medic would be convinced. It talks about amber stimulating the hypothalmus and therefore hormone levels being restored- but that won't give you working ovaries with eggs back!

[KT12]

My story...periods stopped Feb this year (after relatively regular cycles in the last year however closer together than previously). Together with periods stopping came the most horrendous flushes and night sweats. Then, in the last three weeks or so all symptoms other than no periods have stopped!! No more hot flushes or night sweats - still a bit of insomnia but I put that down to work stress. And I don't take any kind of hormone replacement...also no natural stuff.

I explored alternatives to HRT such as serenity and now wonder for those who say it worked...was it perhaps pure coincidence and without the cream the symptoms would have stopped anyway??

Here's hoping my symptoms stay away - their return however is I know rather likely...

[JaneBucks]

I've been using serenity for 2 years and swear by it. I was really struggling with hot flushes and mood swings. It took a month or so before I felt better but since then despite the odd flush I'm in great shape - even lost a few pounds! Whether its supposed to keep weight off god knows but since using it i've found it much easier to control that menopause tum.

[sarahd43]

Hi I have just joined and I am seriously looking at getting the Serenity Cream.
I was diagnosed with breast cancer last November. Had surgery, radiotherapy and now on tamoxifen which is pushing me thru to menopause. I guess you could say I am peri? However now I am experiencing the symptoms of the menopause causing me to be bloated, have mood swings, unexplained crying episodes and indeed hot flushes. I want my body to return to normal and wondering if anyone else is in the same situation as me? I am 43!!!!

[Ameliagrey]

Sarah- really sorry to hear about your BC and hope you are in remission.

TBH I don't think you should touch this cream.

There is evidence from expert, respected gynaes which says that the cream is useless- it has not shown to be effective in placebo, double controlled trials.

Most of the results re likely to be placebo, or symptoms that are coming and going anyway- so coincidental.

But- more to the point, if the contents of this cream worked- and there is scientific literature out there saying that yam extract cannot be made into progesterone by the body- then it would not necessarily be a good thing for you to tinker with your hormones, after BC.

Coping with peri or meno after BC is tricky but there are good drs out there who can help you with either traditional or complementary approaches.

If you can afford private treatment or are covered by insurance I will gladly give you names if you want to PM me.

[Divinyl]

I use a similar progesterone cream to Serenity but a different, v well known brand, for fairly violent hormonal symptoms. The docs have called it PMS - it might be but I am fairly sure the build up of physical as well as less tangible symptoms every month (for 7-12 days, so a lot of the month) are not "just" that. I have not been using this very long but I can certainly say that I think it is having observable effects and is not simply a placebo; one which is obvious is the active shortening of the cycle, of the number of days before having a period. This isn't especially desireable or helpful but I think it would flag up the fact that the cream is having an effect as the change has been effected simply by the action of using the cream. Secondly, I feel horrendous on the days I am off it. I' hoping that this is an 'early days' reaction and that this should even out as the hormone builds up. It's more a question of REALLY noticing not using it than what is happening when using it.

The other thing I would add to this is that I'm using this on the advice of a (holistic) hormone specialist, and following tests showing the imbalances of progesterone vs oestrogen, cortisol and testosterone. In addition to the cream I am taking quite a lot of daily omega 3-6-9 and buffered vitamin C, among other things, as well as liver support, because these should also help the metabolism and 'kicking out' of excess oestrogen. I can understand there may be a lot of sceptical reactions to the supplements as well but having tried to research and drill down into what these actually do - effects on enzymes, hormones etc which are not functioning properly, instead of accepting them as vague, optional 'supplements' which are a bit hippyish, I have been pleasantly surprised so far, and am hoping I will notice benefits after some months.

[Bellaciao]

Hi Divinyl. You are using progesterone cream for a different reason than sarahd43. Progesterone is often prescribed for pms as it evens out the hormonal swings that occur throughout the menstrual cycle - which are partly the cause of pms ie the dramatic rise and then fall in progesterone, and the phsiological effects of this (which have a knock on psychological effect).

What is debatable is whether there is sufficient in the dose being taken to make a difference to progesterone levels in the body.

Incidentally one person's reaction to a drug or preparation does not determine whether the effect is placebo - that is the whole point of placebo controlled trials - they need to be done on a large group of women who do not know what they are taking - then if there is a significant effect it is down to the treatment. That is not to deny that the placebo is very important - but just thought I would mention this.

sarahd43 Taking progesterone to control menopausal symptoms of hot flushes, sweats is a whole different area which is definitely in dispute scientifically as ameilagray pointed out.

I would agree with her that if you can go to a specialist who can advise on bc induced menopause that would be very beneficial I am sure.

In addition, if you feel that way inclined maybe ask for referral for cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) - which a recent trial on women who cannot take HRT due to bc such as yourself - showed to help them cope with hot flushes - even if it did not reduce them.

Good luck and hope you manage to find some helpful practical support.

[Ameliagrey]

DIvinyl

You could get progesterone tablets from your dr.

I've mentioned this a lot here- various evidence shows that the skin cannot make progesterone from yams.

The other criticism of these jars of cream is that the "active" ingredient ( if it were) may not be evenly distributed throughout the pot.

There is a kind of " cult" following of this cream, and drs such as Dr John Lee wrote a book about it- but I don't think his claims stand up to scientific scrutiny.

One claim is that it helps bone density- but the National Osteoporosis Society has looked at all the claims and said they can find no positive evidence.

There are good ways to help PMS through diet, exercise and yoga.

[ROSEONE]

These are my experiences, just adding them to maybe help others.

Re Serentiy cream - a god send, it's changed many peri/menopausal symptoms 60% or so to the positive. Give it a couple of months to kick in. Comprehensive booklet comes with order.

PMS - Agnus Castus tincture - inexpensive from an alternative health shop. 30 drops very first thing each morning - very good for irritation. Excellent in combination with Serenity cream. Again give it a couple of months.

Night sweats - black cohosh, 2 caps a.m, 2 caps pm with food for two days - stopped my sweats in their tracks.

Cystitis - I suffered for years with this awful problem but have discovered two things: Mix a good teaspoon of ground cinnamon (ideally organic, easily available at most supermarkets or any health store) with honey into a paste - add hot milk. Apart from knocking out my cystitis it's also a lovely drink! This didn't work so comprehensively for a friend though.

Tips: before intercourse drink water and have a pee. Immediately after intercourse drink water and pee. Not very romantic but it has made a difference for me.

Try keeping feet and lower back warm - sounds crazy but over the years I've discovered that has reduced my 'attacks'.

For Bladder problems in general - excessive loo visits, lack of bladder control, waking up at night to go to the toilet etc I've discovered the wonder of Cayanne pepper (organic is best as additives can affect the outcome). I bought food grade capsules on the web, and carefully (wear gloves) filled a jars worth. I took 2 a.m. and 2 p.m with food. The results (in 4 days) were nothing short of a miracle cure.

I find being receptive to alternatives can be very useful, as can going to a doctor when neccessary. Find what works for you. A very useful sight for all things health related is Earth Clinic - nothing is being sold, no adverts, just people like you and me sending in/asking for advice.

I hope the above is useful - bit of trial and error re amounts and time of course....

Warm wishes,

Rose

[MissBoPeep]

Rose I wanted to add some thoughts about your use of pepper etc for your bladder.

I suffer from a very tetchy bladder- known as painful bladder syndome- and control it mainly with diet. The one thing that I cannot tolerate is any spices, alcohol, acidic fruit and juice, and even tea and coffee.

A lot of women have the same condition as I do, but they are not aware of it in name, or what to try to do to help.

I'm just a bit worried that they might read your advice here and make themselves a whole lot worse. But glad you have found some solution.

[Bellaciao]

Well Roseone, like I probably said earlier or elsewhere - nothing like a bit of bio-identical oestrogen to deal with all of these problems in one fell swoop - then you don't have to faff around with unnatural (to us) products like black cohosh whose safety beyond 6 months is in questions. Bladder problems, night sweats, flushes, joint aches - that are due to oestrogen deficiency in menopause. That would be my recommendation to anyone, rather than Serenity Cream. If you need to use progesterone (as you definitely would if adding oestrogen) - I would use the bio-identical one available on NHS.

[barbara222]

I started using natural progesterone cream back in 2007 when I was diagnosed with very large fibroids (my womb was the size of a 6 mnt preg) the cream did help in several ways ie; less bleeding and pain and PMT. It didn't stop my migraines but may have helped (Lysine works well). I have since had a Hysterectomy 2yrs ago keeping my cervix and ovary's, I use Serentiy which I feel is the best, I haven't had many if any hot flushes. (Im 51)
Natural Progesterone cannot do you any harm as if your body doesn't need it then it wont be absorbed. Use it for three months then decide.
Be warned it can make your periods heavier to start with as it will shed the lining of the womb from the old blood (can be a cause of cancer) and this may put women off initially.
Its always best to do your research.