Night sweats help please. Black cohosh or HRT?

[mrsjackrussell]

I think I'm definitely going through the menopause now. I'm 50.
For the last 3 years iv had irregular periods and night sweats so I then take black cohosh and it all goes back to normal then I stop taking it and within a few months it all starts up again. Apart from 4 months last year when I wasn't taking it and I had non stop bleeding for 4 months. Had a scan all OK. I don't know whether the cohosh actually worked or if it was just coincidence.
Forward to now and no period since October.
I'm having night sweats and it's affecting my sleep badly and in turn my life.
I'm disabled too and get horrendous cramps and what with my husband snoring.
I'm thinking about taking the black cohosh again but I'm worried about the side effects re. Liver damage. Iv been put off HRT by others saying its not good to mess with your body which I agree with to some extent. Also with the HRT would I then have to stop it again in the future or is it for life?
Would all of the menopausal symptoms come back?
Coul d I have some advice please from you lovely people

What a weird post medschoolrat

Are you menopausal? Interested in menopause?

Yeah, cos Jane newson is directly comparable to Putin or Mugabe

Why would you want to rubbish the concept of women giving good medical advice to other women? What is your agenda?

All doctors if successful will have drug companies offering sponsorship/help regardless of the specialty. You’re totally naive if this is new to you medschoolrat.

@medschoolrat

I'm not going to waste more of my time discussing this with you BUT I think you ought to be aware that you may be at risk of being libellous.

Naming and 'shaming' or at least singling out a medical professional and saying some of what you have, could potentially put you in trouble, legally.

Ok, you've possibly not said anything 'wrong' but your tone and agenda are questionable.

If you are a doctor, or a medical student, isn't there a code of conduct where you ought not to take to forums to criticise someone who is not going to come along and defend themselves?

I think you are on dodgy ground here and ought to be mindful of possible consequences if someone who knows LN reads this- and indeed she herself might- you don't know.

I really do think for your own good, you ought to consider asking MN to take down these posts.

I doubt you are a medical dr or you'd know about the risks of writing things like this about colleagues and you could be exposed.

It's really not wise to comment about professionals as you are.

I think you should consider the tone of your own responses. Truth is a complete defence to defamation, by the way.

Thank you for the information, MedSchoolRat. I wasn't aware of the extent of LN's conflicts of interest.

Louise Newson is a business woman (runs a private clinic, that seems to have opened in September 2018).
She has had many pecuniary relationships with pharma companies.
It seems like LN has been less than forthcoming (at times) about acknowledging these relationships.

These last 3 statements are true.

It is important that women make informed decisions. They may wish to know when hearing Newson's advice that she is a businesswoman who often took payments from drug companies.

I believe there's something in MN's charter about helping women make informed decisions.

'Ks sake, Jingling, if you believe in your woman or a product then fine.  Just don't <span class="italic">say</span> that drug companies not involved when clearly they did fund LN.

When you called yourself a health writer, does someone pay for your writing & who is that who pays?  I'm not sure you're capable of recognising a conflict of interest if you did have one yourself.

I don’t see what your point is Rat. The thread is about hrt or black cohort, have you anything to suggest about?
Everyone may have a motive, so what? Maybe the uninformed docs who let women to suffer in silence without any treatment have a motive too! The motive isn’t always a economical one!
:)

@medschoolrat

You need to be aware that there are people reading your posts who know LN. She may very well see your posts. Who knows what she may decide to do because your implication is she is trying to hide any conflict of interests.

What exactly are you contributing to this discussion where women have asked for help? Are you saying this doctor is biased and in the hands of Big Pharma?

Your work will no doubt be funded in various ways. Research and medicine is always funded from the outside. We'd never make scientific progress otherwise.

As for my own work and who pays - not your business but it's certainly not drug companies. Please don't start getting personal about not understanding conflict of interests.

This thread has been an eye opener

I didn't know there were people out there hell bent on trying to stop women getting the help they need. Shocking really.

I'm not going to get involved in the bickering on here, but I was surprised to see that the Dr being mentioned is not on the Specialist Register, only registered as a GP. If I see a doctor privately, I always check that they are on the Specialist Register for the relevant specialty as a starting point.

You don't need to see a Dr privately!!! Just go your gp, say I am 50 something ,haven't had periods for 18 months and I'm having debilitating hot flushes - they will and are recommended to prescribe hrt.

@ShintyStickHitsShins you are getting involved!

For the record Dr LN is a GP with a special interest and obviously training in menopause. She is highly involved in educating others about menopause and, like all other doctors and consultants , is available to give talks or write articles in order to help people.

She gave a speech at last year's British Menopause Conference ( as did my consultant) which was to other consultants and GPs.

She is respected within the profession.

Where did I say I am 50 something and need HRT?

I am merely pointing out that if I want to see a medical expert privately, I choose to see someone who is on the relevant Specialist Register. They are the people who have done the 7+ years of training in the relevant specialty. That is always my starting point. There's no need for anyone to get irritated about that, it's a sensible starting point for many people.

I'm not getting involved in bickering. Just pointing out something which surprised me. This is a public forum and people can give differing opinions without being hectored. It's what makes Mumsnet a good place. Reasoned debate.

I use Transdermal patch of HRT. I feel absolutely fabulous now after a period of night sweats (and several public hot flushes...not at all nice).
I know it is not for everyone but made an enormous positive difference to me.
Good luck.

Heavens what an bizarre exchange! A long way from the OP's concerns.....

@medschoolrat " She fully believes. " referring to Louise Newson's approach to menopausal treatment? If you are a doctor or researcher you would know that belief does not come into scientific investigation (except when it comes to clinging onto outdated paradigms in the face of evidence to the contrary - which is what many docs are guilty of - ie clinging onto the now discredited WHI HRT studies to repeat the "unsafe" HRT mantras as justification for refusal to prescribe it).

As you will know science is evidence based and our current state of knowledge is the total of what has been shown to date through trials and experiments etc - to formulate hypotheses about how things work etc. OK the questions that are asked will have a slant but the experimental design and results (of scientific research) will be subject to close independent scrutiny before publication irrespective of who has funded it, if in a reputable journal. Contrast this with some very dodgy research I have seen published in some obscure journals investigating "alternative" or some herbal remedies where the authors are fully paid-up by the industry/company producing the supplements.

Also - this is a general board - so most of us have no idea what "Cols" are ( (is this press speak for columns?) nor a "pt convert"??

Well I have also strayed off the original point but I am aghast to read such nonsense on a menopause support board!

I happen to think that the rise in private menopause consultants inj principle is a pity when as Fazackerly said - the products prescribed ( apart from testosterone) are available free on NHS - although women sometimes need to push for what they want and are entitled to. However the work that Louise Newson is doing to educate publicise and inform about women and menopause and especially in the worplace is immeasurable and we should salute her for helping to bring this to women's attention (along with the many others who are doing the same).

PS I'm not a believer, but I do take HRT based on current evidence after Black Cohosh failed to deliver.

Wow I thought the thread had died. Thank you all for sharing your experiences. Re. Soy milk. Im already drinking that anyway as I hate milk.
I hadn't said in my op but think it's relevant. I'm disabled due to a neurological disease and have a lot of falls. Maybe one a week on average.
If HRT protects against osteoporosis I'm thinking it would be sensible to start it. Also my neuro symptoms are worse. I'm not walking so well so I'm thinking maybe the menopause is affecting this too rather than the disease in itself.
I think I will ask for the transdermal as recommended. Hopefully gp will let me have it.
Thanks so much. It has given me lots to go on.

I am merely pointing out that if I want to see a medical expert privately, I choose to see someone who is on the relevant Specialist Register.

Well that is your choice. There are many GPs who have specialist interests or additional training and who work privately.

And even within specialists, doctors have their own areas of expertise. There are a lot of gynaecologists, for example, who do not treat many menopausal women and who would not regard it as their specialist area.

Dr N makes no secret of her qualifications as you would see if you viewed some of her videos on her website. No one is invited to speak at a major conference like the week long BMS Menopause conference if they are 'dodgy'.

And- as Bellaciao says- the real 'villains' are those people who promote numerous herbal or other types of supplements, or devices like magnets where there is no actual evidence they work - and- moreover, evidence from organisations like the Roayl College of Gynaecologists, saying they don't work at all!

Given only 15% of women use HRT, and the rest either put up and shut up, OR spend a huge amount on products that do nothing, if you want to question people's vested interests, start with the vitamin companies, shops selling them, and the prolific adverts in women's mags and online.

Menopausal symptoms for me were anxiety dizziness horrendous night sweats and occasional hot flushes and terrifying mood swings. The right hrt helps. I do get a period but it’s on time and short.

God, the mood swings. It's such a relief to be shot of them.

shinty that wasn't meant to describe you - just the classic HRT havererer!

I only wish I had the money to go see Dr N. Personally, I'd love to give HRT a go - improving my mood would likely see me cutting back on alcohol consumption, losing weight and doing more exercise as I'm not sweating ridiculously - and my big familial risk factor is heart disease. But nope, stuck out here with just one shit GP who's only interested in flinging the anti-d's. I'm not depressed, I'm menopausal!

I do feel a bit sad that a lot of the current hrt advice on social media and in mags, although welcome, it's good to discuss it, but it doesn't have to come through a private consultation or a private gp. It's quite a middle class status symbol at the moment to have a private menopause doctor. I can understand using them if your own gp is dismissive and refuses to prescribe it, but I had no issues with a straightforward nhs gp appointment and I took the first thing she offered, a tablet, a low dose, and its been great. I needed a couple of months to settle (I got heartburn and was tearful for the first 6 weeks).

although women sometimes need to push for what they want and are entitled to.

And that still won't work for plenty of women who live in rural areas and have no choices.