Menopause

Posted , 6 users are following.

Hi I am going through the menopause and really struggling.. mood swings and tiredness is driving me crazy.. this morning I have been to my doctors and have been given HRT patches. Can you tell me if this is a good idea? 

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  • Posted

    Hi Helen! I'm with you there! Hot flushes are doing me in every hour on the hour. Wish I could have some patches! My doc has suggested complimentary therapies, which I don't rate much from reading about them. From people I know who have patches they are amazing! Good luck 

    • Posted

      Hi mrsgm, can you tell me about complementary therapy? X
    • Posted

      I think I may have used the wrong word, sorry I'm tired! Things like St. John's wort, safe, sit, black cohosh all alternative tablets. The thing is with some of them the longevity of the research is unknown. So for example black cohosh has not been widely used for years to treat menopause symptoms so no one knows what it does to you. I wonder with hrt if you go on it or not, how they can link it to Breast cancer? I mean who's to say if you didn't have hrt and then you got breast cancer anyway? It's all a minefield from what im reading !!!

    • Posted

      Should have read sage and soy 
    • Posted

      I do read that HRT can increase the breast cancer . But that of course doesn't mean everyone will be effected. But if f one has a family history of breast cancer in the family should be extra caushious in my opinion. All the best

  • Posted

    Helen, it certainly won't hurt to try.  Some women love patches.  How long has it been since you had a period?  And what strength of patch were your given?  

    • Posted

      Hi Gailannie, I had a hysterectomy nearly 3 years ago but kept my ovaries. I have had really low mood for about a year with not sleeping it’s been a nightmare. I’m not sure of the strength of the patches as I haven’t collected them yet.  Really not sure about using them.  X
  • Posted

    No one can tell you if HRT is a good idea. Everyone is different. If you have a family history of breast cancer or blood clots, it's probably not a good idea. Some women say it changed their life and made them feel great again. I had three short stints on HRT. The first time was three months and I had a light period the entire time(this was after not having a period for two years), so I got off it. The next time was for six months and the HRT started to bother my fibroids so again I got off it. The last time it made my hair brittle and fall out and I felt like I had been run over by a truck everyday, so again I got off it, and I felt good. My hair stopped falling out and my body felt better. It just wasn't for me. I feel like it was God telling me not to use it. By the way all three times I was on the Combipatch(lowest dose).  Hope this helps. If you have a doctor you can really talk to discuss it further with him/her. It's really trial and error when it comes to menopause.  God bless and Good luck!

    • Posted

      Thank you juanita, that’s really helpful as feel very similar, as I feel like it’s something my body has to do. But really struggling. It’s just not nice!!  I also have breast cancer on both sides of my family and had a biopsy my self which thankfully came back none cancerous. X 
    • Posted

      Helen dear, if you have breast cancer in the family perhaps it is not a good idea to try HRT. Perhaps you should consider alternatives. Meltem
    • Posted

      Hi Juanita,

         I'd been trying to remember who it was that got dry brittle hair with HRT.  Sounds like it was you.  And sounds like the combi patch was horrid for your body.  

         Obviously you are not on anything. Can I ask how your hair feels?  Does it ever get back to semi normal?  And if you remember, how long does it take?  I've also had that hair going brittle thing.  It's the strangest sensation, and I can't figure it out.  What I know for sure, it that progesterone helps my hair.  It feels more normal, gets some lift and life back.  

    • Posted

      If your doctor tried to put you on HRT knowing you have breast cancer on both sides of your family, find another doctor!  I'm glad your biopsy was good!

      For the mood swings some ladies say that B12 helps them and magnesium. For me, it's been a combination of things to get through, some natural, some not. In the morning I take a tablespoon of unsulphured blackstrap molasses, and a tablespoon of olive oil. In a big runner type water bottle, I have a mixture of water, apple cider vinegar, honey and turmeric(this mixture seems to give me energy). Tumeric is an anti-inflammatory and also helps with anxiety, I take four big swallows of that.

      Once I eat breakfast at my desk I take a fish oil capsule and a magnesium tablet, and I try to drink plenty of water. Now as far as prescription meds I do take 100mg of Trazodone at night, it is an antidepressant/sleep aid that had been around forever and I have Valium for the rough patches. I usually only take the Valium once or twice a  week. I have fallen off the exercise wagon, but I need to get back on because it helped(right now I'm just climbing the two flights of stairs to my office). I was doing Yoga and weight class last summer and it helped so much! I have to say talking and listening to God has been the best thing. I truly believe he sent me to this forum. I have good days and bad days but mostly good.  Be kind to yourself, and do some research to see what may be best for you. It's sad really, women have been going through this since the beginning of time and we still have to do most of the legwork ourselves, not the doctors.neutral  Sorry to go on so.  God bless and take care.

    • Posted

      That’s great advice I will give some of those ago.  I am adding super seeds to my porridge and trying to eat the best I can.. I also have a treadmill which really helps mentally and physically.. it’s so good to hear from lovely people going though the same thing. Thank you, take care x
    • Posted

      gailannie, my hair is normal, feels like it did when I was younger, it's thick but not as long as it was.  Everyone is different, but after I got off the HRT my hair went back to normal within two weeks.

      Yes, the Combipatch was not good for me at all. After that I decided no more HRT in any shape form or fashion for me!!

    • Posted

      Thanks Juanita,

         I have gone off everything, but then my hair felt super brittle at times too.  And it would get these weird tangles.  I'm so scared of going bald, because my sister is and wears a wig full time.  

         It's amazing how these hormones effect everything about us.  From how we feel to how we look.  And at least for me, it severely effects my hair.  

         What I find interesting, is that each of the three times you tried the combi patch, you noticed different symptoms.  You didn't notice hair change issues the first couple times???   

    • Posted

      It did affect me differently all three times. The difference with my hair the last time may have been because I didn't have a perm in my hair.

    • Posted

      My sister has alopecia and once she went through menopause she lost most of her hair. This is also true for another friend, but she also has alopecia. I think thinning hair is a symptom, but I don't think you should worry about becoming bald.

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