TN Donna

I had night sweats and dizziness and paranoia and thought I was going crazy at times. I have finally come to the other side for 21 months. I took no hormones or anything. I never had any family to talk to as all of my family has had to have hysterectomes in their early 20's.

I did see a commercial this morning that a Women's vitamin is now containing meds to help with menopause. I miss all the good stuff.

ptquilts

I am 54 and still pretty regular (depressing...) - hot flashes are picking up so I started taking Black Cohosh again, and it seems to help. No mood swings, thank goodness. I refuse to take HRT.
I also try to add flax and soy to my diet whenever possible.

Hosta

I went thru the pause at 36 it lasted 10 years on and off but I never had really bad symptoms just hot flashes and the panic attacks get a 5 mg dose of valium break it in half to the lowest does you can do and take it it helps tremendously. My mothers advise JUST LAY THERE AND ENJOY IT I hope she was talking about hot flashes. The only good thing to come out of it I am never as cold as I used to be I would shiver when it was 80 degrees but now I don't

Stitchnripper

Estroven PM is now Estroven Nighttime, no kava kava, and seems to work for me. Helps with the flashes, and sleep.

LAB55

I was in my late 30s early 40 when it started. I didn't take anything, didn't mind the flash or sweats, they were not real bad, but the crying it took a toll for awhile, better now, still have them here & there. My last monthly visitor was in 2002.
At 55 I am starting to get get cold easier than I did, before, I just put a few more layers on . :-)

Jackie-T

I was in my late 40's when a cancer scare caused a hysterectomy to come about. Menopause comes on all at once that way. I tried premarin for about a week and didn't see any difference. I was working at the local colleges stable cleaning stalls at that time. Here it is the middle of winter and I hurry out of the stall to strip down to a tee shirt. Had the other girls laughing after they found out it was just too darn hot in there ( middle of winter about 25 degrees) I lived through it that was about 15 years ago. still ocasionaly get hot flashes and the covers and dogs go flying off the bed in the middle of the night. Oh well I hope this too shall pass. Hang in there you aren't crazy. At least that was what I chanted to myself.

Shari1967

I've been suffering from some of the peri-menopausal stuff for the last few years. It's not been fun at all. I'm in my early 40's. The last 2 years I've been on depo provera (birth control shot but we're using it for other issues) and it's worked well. Bad thing is, doc will only allow me on it for 2 years and my 2 years is up this month :( She says I may be fine from here on out but I've got a gut feeling I'm not gonna be. My mother had a hysterectomy at 44. I'm so afraid that's the road that's coming; not sure I want to travel it or not. :(

lyndad

Oh I feel for you. I had a hysterectomy, but I was thrown into early menopause. I took the highest doses of estrogen available for 10 years before I knew it was bad. It took me 3 years to wean myself off it. It was a roller coaster, but it will subside and get better, I don't take anything but Evista now for my bones. Hang in there, it will get better.

Olivia's Grammy

I am almost 65 and haven't stopped having flashes. I sleep with the ceiling fan on almost all winter. In the summer I have a second fan in our bedroom.

Lynn Luker

I had to stop the hormones a few years ago, and have had all the symptoms ever since. Mood swings, HOT flashes, etc. I tried several different over the counter products, without much help. A couple months ago I went to a new doctor and mentioned it. She gave me a prescription for a low dose of Effexor, an SSRI. She said that studies have shown that seratonin mimics estrogen and that it would help. IT DOES! I felt much better the very next day!! I still get occassional 'warm' flashes, but nothing worth tearing my top off for. Sleeping better, mood more stable too. I urge everyone to think about trying it. I am so much happier. (and so is my husband!)