Finally some relief without HRT

[babybluefish]

I've been having severe hot flushes and night flushes/sweats for two years (now 10 months since my last period), and now finally am able to sleep through the night, apart from wee breaks, and to actually think and function almost normally. Until now it's been hell with lack of sleep and the sheer discomfort and lack of control over my body.
A month ago, after researching online, I started taking daily folic acid, evening primrose oil, vitamin D3, a multi B vitamin, and liquid magnesium before bed with a cup of chamomile tea and two homeopathic tablets called sedatif PC.
I've also stopped caffeine, and only have one beer or one glass of wine early evening with dinner and not every day.
The relief is immense and I wanted to share it for those who like me may not want to use HRT.

Thank you, that's really useful - I've been trying magnesium which is a bit hit and miss. Will give your other suggestions a go too.

I should add that I'm 54. I hope it helps you Sagaris. I'm loathe to change anything from this routine because something is definitely working, even though I don't know exactly which ingredient is the magic one!
I will however start to reintroduce caffeine slowly now, because although I'm ok with decaffeinated coffee I'm really missing a nice cup of tea with milk.

Thanks for the tips. Started hrt a month ago but as yet results a bit patchy as yet. This may help.

Be aware that magnesium is a very effective laxative!
I take a calcium and magnesium supplement and can vouch for the effects (I take half the daily dose only.) EPO is only good for painful breasts (on a menstrual cycle.)It's been disproved to help with anything else connected with menopause.

I'm a British immigrant living in Europe and asked a local pharmacist what local women my age were taking the most of to relieve menopausal symptoms. Without hesitation I was offered the evening primrose oil.
Paradoxically I noticed slight breast pain several days after starting it.
I also researched it myself online, as I'm a big sceptic, and there are in fact many plausibly credible anecdotal reports of it working for hot flushes. For me it's not only the flushes which are almost gone, but also the general anxiety which came out of nowhere and was so unlike the normal pre meno me.
In the early days I tried a product called Remifemin which was also recommended to me here. It's a regulated dose of Black Cohosh which is widely used by women in Europe. That too worked very well for at least few months, but the symptoms crept back again with new vigour despite taking it.

I found taking calcium magnesium and zinc plus ashwangada helped sleep - temporarily stopped HRT and herbal supplements and sleep is rubbish !

This is really helpful. I’m 49 and in the last few weeks have just started to get sweats at night so am already researching things to help.

I’m trying menopol plus tablets as they have soya in which is supposed to help along side other things. I also take vitamin d daily and may try the evening primrose and magnesium also !

I don’t want to take hrt as both my mother and sister have had (different types of) estrogen positive breast cancers so I can’t risk it.

Been reading some research on hemp products too. Anyone had success with those?

Magnesium has also helped by fibromyalgia problems. I take tablets and also use a topical spray for better absorbtion.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4161099/

This was the folic acid research I read.

A small study, but I definitely think that folic acid helped me first.

I had been taking it for three weeks before starting the evening primrose oil and had noticed an improvement.

Both together though are excellent.

Fingers crossed it continues.

Can i ask what strenght evening primrose oil you take

It's 10% and I take two tablets each morning

@Apple1971

This is really helpful. I’m 49 and in the last few weeks have just started to get sweats at night so am already researching things to help.

I’m trying menopol plus tablets as they have soya in which is supposed to help along side other things. I also take vitamin d daily and may try the evening primrose and magnesium also !

I don’t want to take hrt as both my mother and sister have had (different types of) estrogen positive breast cancers so I can’t risk it.

Been reading some research on hemp products too. Anyone had success with those?

@Apple1971 You family history is quite complicated if your mum and sister had BC at a young age. Might it be worth seeing a menopause consultant for advice? You could spend years finding things to try to help and none might AND some are possibly no safer than body identical HRT. eg soy is not advised for women who have had BC as it's a weak plant estrogen (same as estrogen in hrt.)

The whole meno thing is a lot more complicated that natural v HRT and it might really be good for you to discuss it with an expert.

@babybluefish Some research does show various herbal things work for some women but it's also complicated by the fact that in peri symptoms come and go all of the time, so it's often a natural decrease in them for a few weeks or months that coincides with taking supplements. The RCOG did a survey some time ago on all herbs and supplements. EPO is not recommended for menopause (any more) but certain herbs like black cohosh might help (but can cause liver disease if used long term or in high doses.)

@JinglingHellsBells

Thank you for your reply. Yes I think I will see someone as it is definitely a complex issue. My mum was 58, my sister was 48 when diagnosed so not very young.

Just to complicate things my mum also had osteoporosis so I think I do need expert advice rather than trying to work it out myself! Thanks for the prompt!