Anyone tried Remifemin (black cohosh)?

[emily_in_nc]

Has anyone tried this, and did it help you with menopausal symptoms?

I think I am finally in actual menopause as I have not had a real period since May. I had a little light spotting in September, but it never turned into a real period. I've been having lots of hot flashes in bed at night in the past couple of months. I have very few during the day. During my 40s (I'm 52 now), I'd have intense night sweats at times, usually the night before I got my period; I assume from my progesterone levels dropping precipitously. These are less intense (i.e., I don't have to get up and change my jammies!) but still uncomfortable and annoying, as I have to keep throwing off the covers off and on all night long sometimes.

Just bought a box of Remifemin today at Wallyworld and am crossing my fingers.

Thanks!

[snapdragen]

I did, a few years ago. If I remember correctly, it did help me. It was also the only OTC remedy my acupuncturist recommended.

[OakLeaf]

I tried a different brand of black cohosh a few years ago. It aggravated my breast tenderness and had no noticeable effect on other symptoms. IIRC, without looking it up, isn't that a phytoestrogen - so if your problem is estrogen dominance and insufficient progesterone, as mine seemed to be, it might not be what you want?

[Grits]

I started a plain, black cohosh only supplement that I get at Target a couple of months ago, and I have noticed an improvement in reduction of hot flashes. The improvement started very soon after I began taking them - probably within a week.

[emily_in_nc]

I tried a different brand of black cohosh a few years ago. It aggravated my breast tenderness and had no noticeable effect on other symptoms. IIRC, without looking it up, isn't that a phytoestrogen - so if your problem is estrogen dominance and insufficient progesterone, as mine seemed to be, it might not be what you want?

It's not a phytoestrogen, according to their site, anyway: http://www.remifemin.com.au/q_a.asp (see second question). I read an article stating that it was believed to work on serotonin levels. A bit surprising, but if it's a "happy pill", then I'll not complain!

I did try Progest projesterone cream a few years ago when I was having the bad night sweats, but I felt that it made my breast tenderness and swelling before periods much worse. I still have a tube of it but haven't wanted to try it as I am loving not having any breast tenderness now.

I read a few online articles about Remifemin last night, and it appears that a lot of gynecologists recommend it for their patients who do not want to go the HRT route. Apparently it's one of the few sources of black cohosh that is manufactured in a controlled manner so you know exactly the dosage you are getting, and so forth. There have been good results with it in clinical studies. I hope I'm one of the lucky ones!

Thanks to those who replied. :)

[Crankin]

I took black cohosh for at least 2 years and it did nothing. It wasn't Remifemin, but a brand of homeopathic remedy recommended by my pharmacy, that is also a compounding pharmacy (this was before that little problem we had with our state lab!). I think it might work for some people, though, but basically, I treated hot flashes with drinking lots of water and exercise.

[emily_in_nc]

I took black cohosh for at least 2 years and it did nothing. It wasn't Remifemin, but a brand of homeopathic remedy recommended by my pharmacy, that is also a compounding pharmacy (this was before that little problem we had with our state lab!). I think it might work for some people, though, but basically, I treated hot flashes with drinking lots of water and exercise.

I'm already doing lots of water and exercise, but since 95% of my flashes occur at night, that doesn't seem to have any impact. I read in my research that if black cohosh hasn't helped in 2 months, it's probably not going to. I'm going to do a trial no longer than that, and if it doesn't work, I'll stop. I'll try to remember to check back and post my experience in case it might help someone else.

[Artista]

Emily, I don't have experience with black cohash but I was able to eliminate my hot flashes and improve my sleep with B complex vitamins. I use Superior Source sub-lingual Balance B's. I chose sub lingual to improve the B12 absorption by bypassing the digestive tract. I avoid the women's specific formula because the additional folic acid makes my body too acidic. Taking the B complex after about 2pm has a deleterious affect on my sleep while taking it in the morning helps me sleep better at night.

I've never heard of anyone else using B complex for hot flashes but it could be an inexpensive, simple, and relatively safe experiment for you.

[Crankin]

Yeah, I had some flashes during the day, but not horrible. I had one every morning when waking up, for almost 10 years. Once in awhile one would wake me up, but mostly it was the morning one. It still happens, if I am sick or I am really stressed. Essentially, I decided to just deal with it.

[emily_in_nc]

I've never heard of anyone else using B complex for hot flashes but it could be an inexpensive, simple, and relatively safe experiment for you.

Thanks Artista! I'm going to try only one remedy at a time so I can isolate what works and doesn't work for me. So far the past two nights have been relatively flash-free, but two nights is just two nights. If the Remifemin does not do the trick, I will try B-Complex next. Thanks!

[missjean]

I don't know if it's normal for hot flashes to come and go, or, if consuming soy products helped, but that's what my hf experience has been. I had hot flashes for about 5 weeks starting in April. I started putting soy milk in my coffee every morning and eating edamame, and within a week the flashes stopped. After a few months, I sort of drifted away from consuming soy and the flashes started up again. So back to the soy and the hf stopped again (thank god! they are annoying as hell!) If they do start up again in spite of the soy, I'll try the black cohosh.


.

[OakLeaf]

Yeah, FWIW, I had to stop consuming soy when I found I was at high risk for breast cancer, and my hot flashes didn't start until then, even though it had been a couple of years since my last period.

[emily_in_nc]

I try to avoid much soy due to the thyroid connection, and the fact that, unless organic, it's one of the most GMO'd plants out there. I hate that, because I love tofu!

So far, I'd have to give the Remifemin a tentative thumbs up, though a six-day trial is hardly definitive. I've only had 1-2 hot flashes overnight since I've been taking it, where I was having 5-10 before. But it may just be random luck. No side effects, though, so I'll certainly keep taking it and evaluate after the box (one month's worth) is done.

[emily_in_nc]

Just wanted to follow up on my own thread in case anyone else is struggling with night sweats/hot flashes primarily at night during menopause. For me, and of course YMMV, Reminfemin (black cohosh) has totally done the trick. From the time I'd been on it for one week, I have had no more than handful of hot flashes overall. I was having many per night before, but now it's been a couple of weeks since the last one. :p

I am completely surprised as I was hoping for an improvement but got a complete cure! No side effects that I've noticed either.

[missjean]

Sorry to dredge up an old thread, but some might find it helpful.
After my hysterectomy in late March, the hot flashes started back up in earnest. I started taking black cohosh and after a few days, blessed relief - almost all gone :-)!
But after about 3 weeks, the hot flashes started up again, even tho I was still taking the cohosh - slowly at first, then full on, every couple of hours. It was terrible.
About that time, my husband started acupuncture for shoulder pain and was having great results. I asked the acupuncturist if hot flashes were something they could treat. I've had 5 sessions so far and the flashes are down to about 2 or 3 mild ones a day. Does it really work? Is it just the placebo effect? I don't know, but either way, it's working.

[shootingstar]

Never heard of acupuncture for hot flashes. Not that I need any treatment when hot flashes are very rare now. (compared to a yr. ago. Even though very mild and short --meaning 1-2 min. in morning. I just let it pass.)

I hear of many different experiences how women deal with them. One woman at work, told me last week that she stopped drinking coffee and any caffeine in coke, that seemed to reduce intensity and frequency for her. She is around mid-50's.

[emily_in_nc]

I'm glad you brought this thread back, missjean -- I was the OP.

Originally the Black Cohosh worked very well indeed for me, eventually completely stopping my nighttime hot flashes (really the only time I have them, though I do very occasionally have one during the day, it's rare though). But over time, the flashes gradually started coming back. Don't know if I became habituated to the herb or what, but that was my experience.

So, I added non-GMO soy to the black cohosh, and gradually the nighttime hot flashes disappeared again. They're now gone again. I take one capsule of Nature's Way EstroSoy Plus every night before bed. It contains fermented soybeans, red clover blossoms, and black cohosh. I take one Remifemin (black cohosh only) in the morning. Once I am done with this pack of Remifemin, I'm going to try eliminating that dose in the morning and just taking the EstroSoy, as they're both kind of pricey. We'll see if that continues to hold the hot flashes at bay.

Glad you've had some success with the accupuncture. Whatever works sound good to me!

[ny biker]

Bump!

Emily, is the soy supplement still working for you? I'm in a phase now where I have to choose between being cold or having flashes -- every time I put a sweater on or use more than a light blanket on the bed, the internal furnace kicks in. It's getting annoying.

And thanks for this thread!

[emily_in_nc]

Bump!

Emily, is the soy supplement still working for you? I'm in a phase now where I have to choose between being cold or having flashes -- every time I put a sweater on or use more than a light blanket on the bed, the internal furnace kicks in. It's getting annoying.

And thanks for this thread!

I actually stopped taking it after I ran out sometime in late summer. The flashes haven't been too bad. I have the same issue, though; if I pull up a blanket on the bed (even if I am cold initially), I quickly get really hot and sweaty. So I mostly just sleep with a sheet -- helps that I am in Mexico for the winter,where it's plenty warm so no blanket is needed! I definitely still have some hot flashes and night sweats, but they are over quickly and not super frequent, so for now I am doing without any medications.

You should consider giving it a try, though...I do think it decreased the frequency for me.