Fingers crossed, think I've got rid of my hot flushes

[MargoLovebutter]

I started noticing massive heat surges in May and they were getting worse. My periods also stopped then too.

As I'm very late 40s, I presumed this must be the start of the menopause. Other than the massive heat surges, I felt ok. However, the hot flashes were fucking awful. I'm not sweaty, so I wasn't dripping but my whole upper body felt like it was on fire, I felt dizzy and got bloody heart palpitations each time one happened. I was waking multiple times during the night, feeling like I need a bloody fireman to come and hose me down and not in a sexy way at all!

I obviously searched the menopause forums on here and I could see that HRT did work for some people and there are some militant protagonists but I wasn't keen as I know 3 people who have had cancer diagnosed within a two years of taking HRT and one other person who has reacted really badly to it, feeling worse not better. Could all be coincidental but it put me off.

So, I investigated other options. I dug around and looked for supplements where scientific tests had been conducted to see if there was any point in taking them and then I tested them on myself, one at a time for a month.

So, I've tested:

Black Cohosh
Red Clover
Sage
Soy Isoflavones
Agnus Castus

I'll come to what has worked for me in a minute, but what I have realised is that there probably isn't a one fit solution for all women. We all have slightly different receptors, imbalances and weird shit going on in our bodies. For example, not everyone will get the benefit of soy isoflavones, as not everyone can convert the daidzein to equol, which is what helps with the hot flush!

I've been taking Agnus Castus for 3 weeks now and the difference is amazing. Within two days the hot flushes started to become less intense and over the last 3 weeks I have slowly got less of them. Yesterday I only had one very mild one, barely a flush, more a slight rise in heat levels! I'm using the tincture, rather than a tablet and taking 20 drops a day. I also slept through the night the last two nights, which I haven't done since May.

Thought I'd share, as it seems to be working for me so far.

For me it was Flaxseed Oil.

I too tried Black Cohosh and Red Clover along with various other suggestions but the one thing for me that had an effect was Flaxseed Oil.

I kept a large bottle in the fridge and every morning would have a tablespoon of cold oil first thing. It's pretty rank to be honest, but not so disgusting it makes you wretch or feel sick. Just unpleasant.

However ....

Within days my hot flushes were noticeably reduced and I'm not imagining it as I kept a record. First few days of taking it there was little difference other than a banging headache, but then I looked online and read that a headache was an early symptom of taking it but would pass, and to keep going and so I did.

The effect it had was almost miraculous. I still got hot flushes but the intensity and frequency were greatly reduced, as were the night sweats, and I've got no doubt it was down to the flaxseed oil. It may be placebo effect or there may be something in it, but whatever the reason, it helped me and I still take ground flaxseed every day.

I recommended it to a friend and it had absolutely no effect whatsoever, so you are right that what works for one does not necessarily work for another.

For you it was Agnus Castus, for me it was Flaxseed and for someone else it will be something else. But the main thing is to find something that works for you!

That's great Jitters22. You are right, it isn't a one size fits all scenario. So glad you found something that works too.

I am so fed up with them. Need to try some of the suggestions. Was using asdas menopause supplements which had worked for a while. I just cannot stand the hot flushes and the thought of them continuing for years has me despairing. I am 50 and have been going through perimenopause for a number of years now. Periods packed up for 11 months last time and then annoyingly came back in June. Havent had them since. Hopefully that's it. But the hot flushes are just awful. They have now started to wake me up at night :(

I noticed an improvement within a few days of starting the Angus Castus. I’m now down to no hot flushes at all!!!!!

It may not be what works for you but a small bottle is less than a tenner and lasts quite a long time.

Funnily enough I went to the dr yesterday about about other symptoms and he says there is no support for most of the things on the list (he only mentioned the first 2 by name) but there is for Evening Primrose oil so I will be trying that.

Great. Thanks for that. Going to buy some! Will report back😁

There is no evidence that EPO helsp menopause. This was researched and reported by the RCOG. Its only use is for breast pain (in menstrual cycles.)

If you are suffering and have no medical reasons not to use HRT, stop wasting time and money on supplements and use HRT. It's safe and effective.

You can you know have hot flushes for up to 20 or 30 years. (Many women do.)

Is it really worth experimenting with all these herbs? The improvements you may see are often down to your own hormones settling for a while, but then it can all start back up again.

Queen, it has been really worth experimenting for me. The hot flushes were torturous and getting worse and now I'm not having them.

Well, that's good, but flushes are only one small aspect of menopause- there are many other symptoms.

This is a useful link

patient.info/health/menopause-hrt/alternatives-to-hrt

what many women find is that some products appear to work, for a while, but the research doesn't back up the efficacy- so it's often a case of coincidence ( ie the symptoms in that woman would have got better anyway, or they are in remission for a while, but as estrogen levels drop further, the symptoms may come back.)

Margo- it's highly unlikely the women you know of with BC got it through HRT. The risk is almost non existent for the first 5 years anyway, and the latest research shows that in many cases, the cancer was already there but not diagnosed. HRT can act as a promoter, but it's not a cause. There is no research showing cause-effect. Other lifestyle risks such as drinking more than 1 unit a day, being overweight, not exercising, smoking and diet, all carry higher risks for BC than HRT. Just to put it in perpsective

Queen are you trying to make me feel worse about the years ahead!

I spent a considerable amount of time researching the various supplements, using www.examine.com, which has proper scientific research amalgamated about various herbal remedies and cross referencing with other scientific trials, so that I wasn't basing my decisions on old wives tales or marketing puff. All of the options I trialled had some scientific evidence to support the alleviation of menopause symptoms. However, we all have slightly different hormone levels, different receptors etc - so it is a question of finding what works best for the individual. There are enough people posting about how HRT is not working for them, for it to be clear that this isn't a one size fits all option either.

Margo if hot flashes was the only meno symptom I would choice to have them for life really. My biggest concern is about the long term consequences of the estrogen loss in our health.
About your friends who diagnosed with breast cancer after 2 years on hrt, I am not sure if hrt was the cause. Hrt doesn’t cause cancer, it promotes the growth of an existing one.
Hrt is the only solution for me according my own experience. Hope it helps! :)

I was going to go straight to HRT but like previous poster many of my older friends have had issues with it. Not cancer, but post HRT issues. When you first go on it, it is marvellous, you feel great, and then after 10 or 15 years you have to come off, and basically go through the menopause again. These friends have all said they would rather have gone through the menopause at 50 than 65.... so to some extent this has put me off. I am going to try the herbal route first, if nothing helps I may go HRT, but I do have breast cysts, so this is also an issue for me and HRT.

I did say that the cancer diagnoses may have been coincidental and I fully accept that HRT is a satisfactory solution for some women. I just didn't feel comfortable with it, particularly having gone through the threads here and seen how many women it seems to be problematic for or only work for a short time etc etc.

I expect the Agnus Castus may stop working at some point, when my hormone levels change again and then I'll have to think again.

I also take vitamin D, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, magnesium, and boron to ensure I'm absorbing calcium well and hopefully protect against bone loss.

Yeh, not fussed for HRT and would much rather try a more natural route. Its up to the individual. I was on the pill for years and really don't want to be taking anything like that now. However, will not dismiss it. Just don't want to go for it atm.

Margo, if it's working for you that's fine.
But remember that the women who post about issues with HRT are in the minority- women who get on with it fine tend not to use forums to say so!

In your late 40s you are on the young side for post menopause anyway, (average age is 51-52) so the risks with HRT wouldn't start till you reached that age anyway.

I hope you continue to be flush-free but bear in mind some of us need HRT not just for flushes but for pelvic strength, bone strength and prevention of heart disease. All of these are a risk the further into menopause you go and herbs won't help that.

Yeh, not fussed for HRT and would much rather try a more natural route
.
Modern HRT IS completely natural. It's completely different to the Pill and made from plants- same as the herbs and stuff people buy.

Thank you Queen appreciate all you are saying. You may have missed the bone supplements I'm taking. I'm also a Pilates nut and can still happily bounce on a trampoline without pissing myself, so I'm doing all that I can on that front to minimise the disappearance of my pelvic floor!

Margo thanks for sharing what works for you. I am currently using a herbal supplement that works well for me though it's irritating that it is quite pricey. I might give AC a go as I haven't tried that. Generally though I think I am past the worst of the symptoms 7 years after having gone into menopause following surgery at 47.

Well that's good to know Queen I don't really know that much about it except that it is made to balance out your hormones.

It's funny really- I'd never have taken the Pill for years as the risks are still there for cancer and blood clots, but HRT is a much smaller dose of hormones and they are natural ones.

Thanks for sharing, Margo.