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Menopause

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Original poster

Managing menopause naturally

88 replies

That1950sMum · 15/02/2018 11:51

I'm really suffering a the moment with hot flushes, poor sleep and itchy skin. Just wondered if anyone has had any success with natural remedies or changes in diet.

OP posts:
CrabappleBiscuit · 15/02/2018 11:54

A bit with agnus castus for rage. And exercise has helped with anxiety. But the only thing that really helped hot flushes and night sweats was HRT for me.

PollyPerky · 15/02/2018 17:45

Nope. I don't believe in anything 'natural' apart from body-identical HRT! Exercise and a really healthy diet which everyone should do anyway can help but they don't always cut it for everything.

Nowadays HRT is far better than 30 years ago- most of it is made from yams and as natural as your own.

Discoisabelle · 15/02/2018 17:55

Maca powder completely helped the hot flushes i had, vigourus exercise helped mood but exhaustion took place eventually, however other symptoms remained and were really debilitating ie no sleep, dry bits, low mood, after a month on HRT everything settled; however it's not a magic pill, some new symptoms have appeared whilst taking HRT ie very itchy skin.

Original poster
That1950sMum · 16/02/2018 11:47

Thank you all. I will investigate Maca (paca!). I may also talk to my GP about HRT.

OP posts:
CrabappleBiscuit · 16/02/2018 13:04

All HRT is doing is replacing the oestrogen you are losing.

SmartyPants0 · 19/02/2018 19:25

I started to get hot flushes day and night before Christmas, they came thick and fast. It was unbearable. My friend recommended Menopace plus tablets, I started to take them and within 2 weeks my hot flushes had gone. I feel back to normal. I'm not sure if it is a coincidence or not but I still take them every day... I'm scared not to in case the hot flushes come back. Superdrug have them 3 for 2 at the moment and I've stocked up ☺. They have no hrt in them just vitamins and sage
I also have a mirena coil.

PollyPerky · 19/02/2018 19:48

One thing to think about OP- it is not 'natural' to spend 30-40 years without estrogen and the health issues this can cause. In the past most women died at 40 or 50 and didn't experience menopause. it's only relatively recently in evolutionary terms that women have lived to 80+.

CaraBosse1 · 20/02/2018 22:46

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Rhubarbginmum · 20/02/2018 22:53

I think Polly was trying to be positive and helpful so no need to be mean.

CaraBosse1 · 20/02/2018 23:05

I'm not being mean. She's always trying to push women onto HRT. We should make an informed choice without Polly acting like it's the only way. For many women, it isn't.

snabigailflagstabble · 21/02/2018 08:12

By friend was really suffering with hot flashes and sage has almost eliminated them!

PollyPerky · 21/02/2018 08:30

Cara It's not your place to moderate this forum. If I choose to spend my time passing on information that's up to me. I write about health and medical issues as my job, so popping on here to pass on what consultants and researchers tell me is my way of paying back - think of it as my own kind of 'volunteering'. If that's okay with you ? Smile

HRT is not the only way BUT only 10 per cent of women use HRT. This is because the legacy of the out of date scares about it are still around. There are newer studies showing it's safer than was thought 20 years back.

Many women don't know this and neither do GPs because at med school the text books are using the old discredited data.

If you believe that it's not safe and women ought to use other remedies, maybe post some research showing what it proven to work- not just anecdotal reports about the odd friend (and instead of making rude personal comments about other posters.)

mintyneb · 21/02/2018 08:43

I would love to know what I can do to help with symptoms. I've had breast cancer twice in the last 3.5 years and chemo put me into menopause at age 46. I can't have hrt due to the cancer and so far have just been putting up with the hot flushes night sweats and sleepless nights but am thoroughly fed up of it all now.

So if there are natural remedies I'd be interested to learn more

PollyPerky · 21/02/2018 09:16

minty I have left links many times here to the information published by the RCOG on exactly this.

(Which is why I don't take kindly to accusations that all I offer is HRT!)

If you do a search you should find the link. I left it only about 2 days ago for someone else.
'Alternatives to HRT, RCOG.'

ssd · 21/02/2018 09:26

I'm sick of seeing pollyperky getting an ear bashing on this forum , she has helped and advised lots of women over the years when their gp etc etc have been useless...shes not saying HRT is the be all and end all but shes saying it can be a life saver in many situations

daisybecs · 21/02/2018 10:03

I echo what ssd says - god knows what I'd have done without reading pollyperkys very informative advice ..you can take it or leave it but don't bash her for taking the time to try and help

Hellesbelles59 · 21/02/2018 10:08

I’m also sick of seeing PollyPerky being criticised and people being so rude to her. She is a fantastic source of help and advice for which I am extremely grateful

brizzledrizzle · 21/02/2018 10:14

She's always trying to push women onto HRT. We should make an informed choice without Polly acting like it's the only way. For many women, it isn't.

This is how I feel too, the advice is useful to have but not when it comes as constant pressure to go onto HRT when it's clear that the person will not or cannot for various reasons.

Astrabees · 21/02/2018 10:14

Thank you from me too Polly. I learned for myself that nothing worked for me except HRT. I do a very demanding job that includes lots of meetings and public speaking. I just couldn't have carried on working with the constant sweating and terrible feeling that went with it that I can only describe as feeling someone was walking on my grave, a sort of silent shiver that went through me. I did try everything else and nothing worked.

mummyretired · 21/02/2018 10:24

The thing that helped me most was reading somewhere that a hot flash never lasts longer than six minutes. I cut out coffee and alcohol and focused on exercise and diet, it's all over now and I'm back to normal. Glad I didn't take any hormones as all bits are still in working order without them - always afraid to disturb the balance when it's going well!

PollyPerky · 21/02/2018 10:35

Thanks for the support from those of you have posted. :)

Look, I'm not here to promote HRT. What I do try to do is offer the facts - most of the time I refer to the NICE guidelines or other research. You can then make up your own mind.

If for any reason it looks as if I am pushing HRT, it's because there is so much misunderstanding about it (still) and some women believe- incorrectly- that it's not suitable for them. They have posted here that they can't use HRT for various reasons, yet most of time those reasons are not correct.

It's a personal choice! But you can make that choice only when you know the truth.

You may be aware or not that there is concern about an increase in the rise of osteoporosis and other diseases as a result of the badly designed research 20 years back, which meant a whole generation of women didn't use HRT.

This is just one example of the concern if you want to read it.

www.imsociety.org/manage/images/pdf/049719555b77eefee8bc505889b750ad.pdf

Anyway I need to get back to my work now !

mintyneb · 21/02/2018 11:28

polly I'll look up the link. I don't tend to look at the menopause board and it was only because this thread popped up in active convos that I made the comment.

Hopefully I'll find something that works for me

CrabappleBiscuit · 21/02/2018 13:06

@Polly maybe the mods should pin the NICE guideline to the topic?

CaraBosse1 · 21/02/2018 13:20

Crabapple - the Guidelines are pinned already.

It's Polly's scaremongering that I object to. Same if anyone ever says they're not having a smear. Up pops Polly to tell them they must, and that her Harley Street gynaecologist recommends women get them done every bloody year!

Fine to share info and personal experience but don't have to be dogmatic.

PollyPerky · 21/02/2018 13:39

Cara I don't have time to be all fluffy and sugar coat info. I'm usually posting during a working day. Giving the info is factual; handholding is fine when I have more time.

And I don't have smears annually,

Are you jealous that I have more knowledge on health issues that you do? Or have private care? Comes over that way. Hmm