Anyone had any luck curing awful symptoms with diet (or other methods)?

[LimeLemonOrange]

I'm still on the fence re whether to try HRT - I'm spending some time keeping a symptoms diary.

My main symptoms are at the time of my period when I'm totally debilitated for 3-4 days.

I'm considering trying dietary changes. Have any of you had any success with this? Or any other non HRT methods that have worked for you?

Yes. I started experiencing hot flushes, some anxiety, a weird jangly nerve sensation and disturbed sleep during lockdown so assume peri menopausal (late 40s). Not keen on taking HRT unless I have to so read up about diet and supplements as a first resort, including an excellent book: The New Natural Alternatives to HRT by Marilyn Glenville.

Over the last 3 weeks I have increased the amount of soy in my diet by drinking a large glass of soy milk daily, sometimes making it into a latte, replaced normal natural yogurt with approximately 100g of soy yogurt daily, a portion of edamame beans most days, usually mixed with other greens, and had miso soup for lunch 2-3 times a week. I have also taken a soya isoflavone capsule (Holland & Barrett) and a multivitamin daily. I now only have one cup of normal tea a day and drink green tea and peppermint tea instead.

My hot flushes have all but disappeared as have the anxiety and jangly nerves - not sure whether this is coincidence but I am going to carry on doing what I’m doing as they are not difficult adaptations to my diet and seem to be working for me!

The annoying weight gain might take a bit more effort however

When you say debilitating symptoms in those 3-4 days, which ones are you having?

I started taking Menopace Max (the one with Red Clover) and it made a massive difference. I've actually stopped taking it for a bit as I wanted to see whether it was that making a difference or my body getting used to menopause and a few weeks off them and the symptoms are coming back so I'm going to start again.

Thanks both, your experiences are very encouraging to read. I'll have a look at the book and at Menopace.

My symptoms during periods are - feeling very unwell like I have flu, weak shaky feeling legs (they don't shake just feel trembly), nausea, mild dizziness, anxiety, depression, and my appetite completely goes, and smells of food make me feel sick. I have to go to bed for those days it's horrible.

I've googled symptoms and some call this 'period flu'.

Might you be anaemic?

Oh here to listen to any /all suggestions. I'm only 38 and am suffering awfully,mainly shorter time between my periods ,intense nausea leading up to ovulation,rage ,cystic acne prolonged heavy periods and negative thinking 😩
My grandmother was 36 and my godmother was 30 when they had sudden menopause so I guess it's in my family . I have tried a lot of stuff but 2 weeks ago I bought menopace original and after a week noticed a change 2 weeks on now I'm definitely benefiting ,my face has stopped turning beetroot red I can barely feel the hot flashes that were consuming me especially in the back of my head . I would definitely try these they are on only €12 in Holland and Barrett I hope they keep helping I was getting depressed from the symptoms the anxiety was off the charts 😩

You could try a low carb diet and see if it helps. I’m on a ketogenic diet and mentally feel so much better. It couldn’t hurt.

@LimeLemonOrange It doesn't sound like meno symptoms you have from your description. I really don't think diet or supplements are the way to go , for various reasons.

All those symptoms with your period are caused by the release of prostaglandins (when the lining of the uterus starts to come away.)

These can cause all the symptoms you have - which is at the high end of period pain- I know it's not just pain but it can include all the other things too.

Why don't you see a gynaecologist for advice?

I think you should have some tests - or at least discuss them- for endometriosis, adenomyosis, fibroids and anything similar.
ALL of those can cause really bad period type pain.

I'm only saying this because when I was younger I had terrible period pain that gave me a lot of the symptoms you have, and it started up again in later life when I went onto HRT, but not as bad. As part of a scan (for something else) I was told I have some scarring from adenomyosis which I is what I had decades back and never knew.

The treatment might include
a Mirena coil to prevent periods
the Pill
drugs like Tranexamic acid each month

You can try some self-help (friend of mine was told this by gynae)

Take Ibuprofen for 3 days before your period is due (this helps to stop the prostaglandin being released) and keep taking it while you bleed.

But it would be good if you could get a diagnosis- you might just need a vaginal scan ultrasound which shows everything.

www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/menstrual-cramps/symptoms-causes/syc-20374938#:~:text=During%20your%20menstrual%20period%2C%20your,with%20more%2Dsevere%20menstrual%20cramps.

ps !

You should definitely not try any of the suggestions about including more soy or using Menopace until you have had a diagnosis.

These supplements and soy are supposed to increase estrogen levels in a low-level way. The amount you have to eat though is huge (soy) and in principle it's not much different to using body-identical estrogen which is made from yams. (Women who have had breast cancer are sometimes advised to avoid soy, and men who eat a lot of soy can get feminine changes ...)

Pain etc are a result of a the womb lining coming away and the lining is directly related to the amount of estrogen in the body either from foods, or your own. so you don't want to add to it by increasing plant estrogens (until you know what is going on.)

Ive found a good hours intense exercise or a good 2 hours cycling really helps with sleeping during menopause. Plenty of fibre, aiming for 30g a day, seriously (not always achieving that amount but aim high)

Exercise seems to be the one thing that makes a difference to everything for me. Things also improve if I cut out refined sugar but that's really hard to maintain.

Basically all the things that helped with PMT!

Thanks for all the posts, lots for me to think about.

@JinglingHellsBells - despite feeling incredibly ill during my period the one thing I don't suffer from at all is period pain! I have a very light bleed and perhaps some very minor occasional light pain. It's the flu like unwellness that is most prominent and debilitating. Could the conditions you mention cause those flu like symptoms plus nausea and dizziness but without period pain?

@Hiraeth16 It's worth reading up a bit about soy- it's not as innocuous as it may appear and is sometimes 'banned' in women who have had female cancers as it's an estrogen-promoter. Not much difference between eating loads of soy and a plant-based type of pharmaceutical estrogen.

@FinnyStory

Exercise seems to be the one thing that makes a difference to everything for me. Things also improve if I cut out refined sugar but that's really hard to maintain.

Basically all the things that helped with PMT!

More exercise is the answer? Groan! My little stubby legs are already worn out from running several times a week (main effect so far is that if the hot flushes don’t wake me, the shin ache does instead).

I still think you should have some investigations. Period pain does not just include pain from the womb - it can be all the other things you have.

If you have endo, you could be bleeding internally and not know it.

Endo can be hard to diagnose and often goes undiagnosed for decades OR these conditions can all get worse towards menopause.

All the lifestyle stuff posters are suggesting like exercise and eating well are great BUT you really need a medical expert to join the dots!

You should not be going to bed 4 days a month and suffering.

Has your GP not suggested a referral to a gynae?

If not, push for that or see one yourself, privately.

I really don't think you should keep labelling these as meno symptoms because they aren't . They might coincide with meno, in terms of your age, but they are more gynae issues.

Thanks @JinglingHellsBells - no my GP hasn't suggested a gynaecologist! She's been a bit hopeless. She's suggested ENT for the dizziness and a neurologist! The neurologist says this 3-4 day suffering is a type of migraine but I don't agree.

I'll call my GP surgery tomorrow and find out how long the waiting list is. I might go private if it's too long.

Thanks @JinglingHellsBells. I did read up about soy before including it in my diet and am aware it isn’t advised for women who’ve had breast cancer. The consensus from studies appears to be that including soy in your diet can have positive benefits but the jury is still out on soy supplements. The difference to my symptoms in 3 weeks has been quite remarkable especially to the hot flushes.

Op I found the Menopause Matters website (which lists the book I mentioned) really helpful general reading too.

Hope you find some answers to your symptoms by whichever route.

Is it cutting out cows milk or using soy that makes a difference?

I went for private acupuncture. Expensive at £50 a treatment but it makes me feel so much more normal. I didn’t fancy taking hormone replacements so this works for me.

I have heard that combining intermittent fasting with the blood sugar diet can Do absolute wonders to restore hormonal balance.

I tried during lockdown and I quickly went down a dress size and started feeling much better, but now things are more relaxed (or my social life is more active) I am finding it very very difficult to stay away from sugar and carbs as I should... so back to square one

And also tried acupuncture, it did help a lot but probably needed in a regular basis.

At the risk of being wrong, if you read the OP's 2nd post, it's not really about meno symptoms but more gynae issues at period time.

Thanks for flagging that up @JinglingHellsBells - I'll make an appointment with a gynaecologist and I'll update this thread with their diagnosis.

After some googling I found an old MN thread with women suffering very similar symptoms. One of them said her gynaecologist had said the changes to her period were perimenopause related and I think another said her GP suggested similar.

I'll wait to see what the gynaecologist says, but after your comments I'm no longer just assuming this is perimenopause related. However, nor am I ruling that out as a possibility.

So if others have dietary tips or experiences I'd still be interested to hear them, but I won't act on anything until I've had an expert opinion.

www.fedup.com.au/factsheets/symptom-factsheets/womens-health-a-diet

Salicylates are a known food intolerance for me and they cause my hot flushes. I mind my diet very strictly these days.