Isoflavones - Menopause - help!

[kelownagirl]

Just wondering if anyone has used any homeopathic remedies for hot flashes. The hot flashes aren't really bothering me all that much but the night sweats are driving me crazy - I'm not getting any sleep. I don't want to take any hormones so I was looking at some of the OTC products such as Promensil which have plant estrogens called Isoflavones and claim to reduce hot flashes and night sweats.

Has anyone tried them with any success? Any weird or annoying side effects?

Thank you!

*sleepless in kelowna*


PS http://www.isoflavones.info/isoflavo...pause-symptoms

[malkin]

I tried and didn't notice any difference. I keep extra sleep shirts by the bed, so I can find a dry one in the night. (Ick)

[arielmoon]

Ugh! Night sweats are the worst! I was using Chinese herbs formulas from my acupuncturist for a while and it seemed to help a lot. I ran out recently and it hasnt been any worse. I did pick up more herbs but I havent taken them yet because I want to see if I still do need them. I did try some of the creams briefly but they did not seem to help for me. I know people that have found them effective though.

Best of luck!

[Grog]

I am still a ways away from menopause (hopefully) but a friend of mine with early-onset issues swore by soy products. (There is a soy-estrogen relationship, which you may want to research...) Increasing your tofu and soy milk consumption might help in a gentle way...

Good luck!

[kermit]

I met a woman that swears by evening primrose oil!

[divingbiker]

I had good luck taking Estroven for a while (OTC) but when I ran out I didn't get any more. Bad move. Then I got some black cohosh and it made no difference at all. So now I've started back on Estroven. It takes a couple of weeks for it to kick in, so I'm hoping to get some relief again soon.

I'm a vegan and eat a boatload of soy products, and it hasn't helped a bit, fwiw.

[navybeetle]

I am 46, have been on the pill for 22 years off and on but mostly on. Lately my period skips a month and I do a pregnancy test just in case and that comes out negative. A couple of months my period came a week early but was very light or seemed like break through bleeding which can be normal on the pill. This month it came a week and a half early and has lasted 10 days. Feel it more than usual in my abdomen and have little short cramps that are like a needle pricking me. Also have more abdominal discomfort than usual. To add to that I have had night sweats these past couple of days. Anybody go through this at my age? Thanks for any input, I do not want to totally rely on my doctor's opinion which I have not gotten yet

[OakLeaf]

I had very irregular periods for at least two years before they finally stopped. That's normal for perimenopause. Want a leftover pregnancy test?

[navybeetle]

I probably have an extra pregtest in the bathroom! Thanks though. Just reading this thread alone kind of confirms to me that I am in pre-menopause. I have trouble sleeping, sweats at night sometimes, irregular bleeding patterns while on the pill and very lethargic at times, especially when my period kicks in. I will be glad when this is over

[bmccasland]

I get doing the controlled breathing during the day, but how does that work at night?

I wound up going on HRT, and was moved down to the lowest dose 1:2.5 .

The rhetorical question about taking birth control pills for several years, but not HRT is a good one.

[navybeetle]

I do not know what HRT is, just started dealing with this in the past year or so :-)

[tiva]

I probably have an extra pregtest in the bathroom! Thanks though. Just reading this thread alone kind of confirms to me that I am in pre-menopause. I have trouble sleeping, sweats at night sometimes, irregular bleeding patterns while on the pill and very lethargic at times, especially when my period kicks in. I will be glad when this is over

Welcome to perimenopause! It's tons of fun. Seriously, here are some tips:
1. buy lots of fans
2. buy housemates lots of sweaters, so they stop complaining when you open the windows and turn on all the fans in mid-winter when it's 20 below out (wimps)
3. if hot flashes, night sweats, mood issues, cognition issues, etc are driving you crazy, don't hesitate to do something about them. Lots of options exist, from bioidentical hormones, to meditation, yoga, herbs--different women need different approaches
4. exercise a LOT & eat well (for me, that means lots of protein, lots of good fats, fruits and veggies, cut out the sugar and most grains--other people will do well on other foods).

[celticgarden]

Sheesh. I am in the club. I couldn't take the interrupted sleep and resulting energy, brain power crash. I desperately wanted to try and do this 'naturally.' Was drinking gallons of herbal infusions (sage from my garden, oatstraw, nettle) plus herbal tinctures but to NO AVAIL. I started taking BC pills again. They bring their own problems for me such as increased tendancy to yeast infections. I started trying to commute (14 miles round trip) yesterday and my girlie parts are crying with the beginnings of yeast today. This better not be a trend as I was planning on doing this commute as much as possible this Summer.

Anyway I'm here to offer my voice of sympathy. I'd rather take the risks of the pill than live like I was. Of course, I'm lucky, no major risk factors here.

Good luck to all of you.