menopause help!

Hi Liz 

well said hun, hope your well..

i better just explain incase ladies are worried and thinking Huh ! 

Premique, Prempak C and Premarin HRT are equine..

made of pregnant mares Urine .. Not that the Docs tell you that ..

and we aint horses..

and its cruel too

Pre = Pregnant ... Related to Mares .. ( horses) 

The HRT fact sheet says Equine = Horses 

jay xx

 

Hi Lara 

good advice there 😀

if your ovaries are not removed then you still have your hormones until menopause comes naturally... 

your mum would of had her uterus removed then ( partial ) for the bleeding issues ( thickened uterine wall thickness etc) 

its full hyster and ovary removal thats a sudden menopause post op..

glad your feeling brighter.. keep on with the B6 ( must be at least 100mg ) and B12 😀

remember Vit E is great and Chelated Magnesium..

i wont take zinc ..

jay xx

 

thanks for all the great comments

Have been crying constantly for two days and resorted to Dr today

She was very understanding not pushing the HRT which I am glad of as this brings on migraine and am very reluctant to take for many reasons

She did however prescribe an antidepressant due the emotional state i am in

I have been taking St Johns wart, menosan and pasiflora as a natural route but I really dont feel I am going forward and have been taking them long enough for them to have had some form of effect

Dr suggests to withdraw from everything until the antidepressant takes effect

Feel like i am in a constant dilemma of what to take and why? Lara What do you take B6 and 12 for? x

hi dee

st johns wort should be stopped .. It interacts with alot of medications 

France has banned the use of St. John’s wort products. The ban appears to be based on a report issued by the French Health Product Safety Agency warning of significant interactions between St. John’s wort and some medications. Several other countries, including Japan, the United Kingdom, and Canada, are in the process of including drug-herb interaction warnings on St. John’s wort products.

jay xx

Dee

i take B6 and B12 as its very beneficial for menopause..

and any ladies find it useful too ..

Everyone needs B-vitamins for good health. Without them we can suffer from a variety of serious ailments. For a woman going through perimenopause, B-vitamins can be essential for effectively managing symptoms.   

Adrenal fatigue, for example, is a common secondary condition for many women going through perimenopause. B-vitamins support healthy adrenal function, along with calming and maintaining a healthy nervous system. Many women also suffer with mood swings during perimenopause. Both B12 and B6 vitamins aid in the production of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, a key brain chemical needed to stabilize moods and promote feelings of wellness and contentment.

For women who suffer with brain fog, and memory issues in perimenopause, low levels of B6 could be part of the problem.

Depression, confusion, and an inability to concentrate are all associated with B6 deficiency. Vertigo, dizziness, and heart palpitations are also common complaints from women going through perimenopause.

All of these symptoms have been associated with (among other things) a B12 deficiency.

Vitamin B6 can also help with stubborn weight gain in perimenopause. It is key in the breakdown and utilization of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins in our diet, and is necessary for a healthy metabolism - both which can help manage weight.

Thank you Jay

Do you have any other advice regarding my situation...should I go with what the Dr has prescribed and take it from there...like I say I am really keen to use natural remedies but am really not coping at all just now and what I have been recommended is not touching it

Finding all your comments very helpful x

wow this is fabulous advice

Thank you

These are all symptoms that are taking over my life just now and as i say am at a loss as what to try

I will def go and get both of these supplements

Now I am questioning whether to begin the antidepressant given to me today!? x

Hi dee 

what is the type of antidepressant been given to you 

Name of it ..

jay xx

She has prescribed Citalopram 20mg tabs 1 a day

I would also say that up until a couple of months ago I had been taking fluoxetine for several years and had decided to wean myself off of them as I didnt feel it was good to be on something like this for so many years

I now wonder if my symptoms are worse because of this?! x

hi Dee 

Vit E 400iu daily 

Vitamin E

This is an important vitamin to consider at the menopause. Over many years clinical studies have shown its effect on reducing hot flushes.

Vitamin E is also helpful for vaginal dryness and one study showed that just 400iu taken daily for between 1 and 4 months helped 50 percent of the women given supplemental vitamin E.

Although most women fear breast cancer, our biggest killer is heart disease. There is now such a wealth of information on the beneficial effects of nutrition on heart disease and unfortunately HRT has been shown to increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

A study published in the Lancet showed that 2000 patients with arteriosclerosis (fatty deposits in the arteries) had a 75 percent reduction in their risk of heart attack when given vitamin E. At the time, researchers claimed that vitamin E was even more effective than aspirin in reducing heart attacks.

hi dee

i cant say hun..

i only can only comment of my experience .. That was years ago i was put on anti depressants and they made me sluggish, in a world of my own, and masked the the real problem .. I tried many this was years ago..not for peri menopause ..

never again for me personally.

i got through a 10 year peri meno with out antidepressants  even though they were pushed at me and i didnt take them.. My anxiety was not depression, it was simply peri menopause  symptoms for me .. 

its your decision this one hun.. They work for some ..

but not what i wanted .. For me they affected my thinking too much and i drive alot so a no no for me..

jay xx

Dee 

read about Chelate Magnesium ( helps too for many things and periods) 

chelated magnesium = ( Bisglycinate ) magnesium 

useful magnesium  info .... 

i take Solgar Chaleted ( Bisglycinate) Magnesium

Magnesium bisglycinate is an essential mineral needed for more than 300 enzymatic reactions in the body.

This mineral is required for the formation of healthy bones and teeth, protein and fatty acid formation, activating B vitamins, supporting muscle activity, nerve transmission, relaxing blood vessels, clotting blood, temperature regulation and ensuring intestinal mobility also called bowel movements. 

Magnesium bisglycinate is magnesium bound to the amino acid glycine. This binding makes the magnesium highly absorbable.

For example you would have to take 4 times the amount of magnesium citrate to get the equivalent amount of magnesium bisglycinate.

The bisglycinate form of magnesium does not require stomach acid for absorption as it passes into the cell via its amino acid transport which means even those with poor digestion or absorption get the benefits.

Magnesium bisglycinate is the only magnesium shown to cross the blood brain barrier which makes it an excellent choice for aiding those with depression and/or anxiety, or migraine headaches. 

Stress of all types including chemical, emotional, hormonal or physical stress depletes magnesium from the body.

Since magnesium relaxes muscles and nerves, more magnesium is needed when you are under stress.

When we are under stress our adrenal glands produce cortisol which further increases acidity in the body thereby increasing the need for even more magnesium. 

Because magnesium is required in the metabolism of estrogen in the body, low levels of magnesium increases estrogen leading to estrogen dominance.

Symptoms of too much estrogen include premenstrual breast and uterine pain, headaches, backaches, premenstrual depression and mood swings.

Women on the birth control pill or hormone replacement therapy also become deficient in magnesium as the drugs deplete magnesium.

Anyone with an estrogen dominant condition like endometriosis, PMS, fibroids, ovarian cysts, period problems or breast cysts need magnesium bisglycinate.

Interestingly, many women crave chocolate during their premenstrual and menstrual period. Chocolate is high in magnesium! 

Magnesium deficiency is common due to our consumption of processed foods and the depletion of magnesium from agricultural soils and water.

Magnesium supplementation can help with many conditions from high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat or heart palpitations, to insomnia, anxiety and depression to fibromyalgia, osteoporosis and leg cramps at night or following exercise.

 Always make sure when you are purchasing minerals that the label states whether or not the dosage is in its elemental value. This tells you if you are getting exactly what you are paying for. 

Which Magnesium Is Best?

Magnesium oxide and citrates are *laxatives causing diarrhea and they are poorly absorbed.

Magnesium bisglycinate is much better absorbed and it does not cause diarrhea.

Magnesium bisglycinate is four times more effective than citrate forms of magnesium 

I completely understand

I went to Dr in desperation today before I had had any of this conversation due to feeling so bad and not knowing what else to do

I have just stopped one antidepressant and not really sure I want to start another! like i say its shear desperation (my sanity and that of my household are at stake here!? haha)

Since this discussion I am wondering if trying the B6 and 12 Should be what I try first?

None of this is helped by my inability to think straight or crying at the merest obstacle!

xx

hi dee

i went through a tearful phase too..

mainly this last year ( my post menopause year) felt sensitive, took things to heart that normally i wouldnt ..

then i took 150mg B6 and B12 etc 

rainforest foods Maca is fab

i taken that in early peri and still do.

Also Menapol Plus x 2 daily 

and the vit E 

solgar Chelated Magnesium 

Natecal ( vit D & Calcium)  

B6 

B12 

plus more 

Holland and Barret do a Mega B 100 complex time realease it has the B6 100mg in it 

jay xx

wow

Thats a lot of tabs! and not that I grudge my health but must cost a small fortune

Which would be a good starter?

Also wondering how do you know the different stages of menopause..ie peri/post etc? x

Hi dee 

i started my peri aged 40 

your periods will be erratic, heavy, missed, light etc and not monthly anymore.

my peri was 10 years long and i am age 50 post menopause 

if you do natural route with supplements then get a diary and keep note of them..

every year you will have less and less ..

When you have 12 months no period you are then classes as post manupause 

jay x

I cant speak for everyone as all different 

but i started with 

rain forest food Maca 

but Vit B6 is a must too ( even my doct gave me that in early peri) 

Jay xx

thank you so much again for all your advice

I will look into everything you have given me

Wish I had done this weeks ago x

My doc also said 

calcium and vit D too early on 

Natecal is good ... Its all in one 

jay xx

Dare I say it, Jay, for the past couple of days, I almost feel normal again. Having terrible IBS issues lately though. Getting checked out at doc, to make sure there's nothing sinister going on, but he thinks it should be ok.  Like I said before, my mum told me about the benefits of B6\B12 many, many years ago so I'll keep taking those, I think, but could you remind me please, what is Vit E good for again?

I think, for me, deciding to go the natural route removed alot of the anguish. I have always been wary of HRT and antidepressents

I didn't finish my post, sorry. Jay, I found where you put the benefits of Vit E so you don't have to type it again, thank you. I was being lazy and not looking properly. Dee, as I was saying, I think the decision to go the natural route made it easier for me but my symptoms are quite manageable, I think, and like Jay said, everyone's different. Seriously, I would get your iron level checked as that can have a huge effect on many aspects of your health, including mental health. As for the doc suggesting you stop all the natural stuff to let the anti depressents kick in, doctors are scientists and will never, ever condone the use of natural remedies. I've seen a doctors eyes literally glaze over when I start talking about supplements and vitamins. They will always push the medical route, because it is their job to do so. And unless a doctor is a woman in her late 40s or early 50s, he or she will have no idea about the menopause. They just think hot flushes, insomnia, a change in monthly cycle. They're not interested in any other symptoms. My lady doc told me yesterday that IBS is not at all common in menopause, it's just common in general. Well, I had never experienced it until about a year ago (I'm 48). Coincidence much? I've gotta go. I could 'talk' about this all day but my kids are yelling at me. Later ladies xxx

Hi Lara 

look on this page up near top 

about Vit E 

jay xx

Lara 

re .. IBS 

your not taking magnesium Citrate or Magnesium Oxide are you ?

this causes upset tum every morning 

did for me .. it has laxative effects ..

had to change to 

Solgar Chelated Magnesium as it doesnt up set stomach ..

( also mentioned on this page .. above..) 

only a thought ..

jay xx

Sorry, Jay, I meant to get back to you about this earlier. No, I'm not taking anything other than the B6, B12 and zinc. When I say IBS, I just mean lose movements (trying not to sound to icky !!). Not diaorrhea, just lose. I also sometimes get nauseous but no other symptoms apart from that. Because so far the docs haven't found anything wrong, I'm just putting it down to IBS during peri but it still could turn out to be something else. I must admit that, despite peri, I do still love a couple of glasses of wine in the evening, 3/4 times a week, and doubtless, that's not helping. Going back to docs on Monday about it so probably will be sent for a camera investigation !! Oh joy !!

I wanted to ask you, actually, why you said you don't take zinc? Are you aware of any health issues associated with it, or does it clash with something else you're taking? I must admit, I hadn't researched it before taking it but I was so fed up with recurring thrush and read somewhere that a zinc supplement might help so went out and bought some. Always keen to here other points of view though, in case there are risks that I'm not aware of x

hi Lara 

hello sweetie 😃

i personally wont take Zinc as it lowers estrogen.. I need all mine 😃 if theres any left ..

also it can have these side effects too.. So for me .. No.

unless Doctors prescribes for certain reasons i personally wont take it ..

Zinc may cause anorexia, asthma-related symptoms, blood disorders, changes in attention, changes in copper metabolism, changes in iron levels, changes in skin pigmentation, changes in thyroid function, changes in zinc levels, bad or different taste, bloating, changes in cholesterol levels, constipation, decreased zinc absorption, diarrhea, dizziness, drowsiness, dry mouth or nose, fatigue, feeling of burning or tingling, genital or urinary complications, headache, hormone changes, immune changes, increased risk of cancer, increased risk of lung or breathing disorders or infections, increased zinc in the urine, indigestion, kidney inflammation, liver failure or inflammation, loss of smell, mouth ulcers, nausea, skin symptoms, stomach cramps or bleeding, throat irritation, tingling in the nose, tissue death, and vomiting. 

Hi Lara 

recurring thrush ?  Are you sure its thrush ..

if its not going after treatment chances are you need a smear..

i had all this .. Turns out i needed antibiotics as it was Bacterial Vaginosis

( Cytolytic Vaginosis )  it mimics thrush and doesnt go after thrush treatment .

i also had upset stomach with mine too ..

BV is change in vaginal Flora..

sometimes no symptoms .. as the usual fishy smell odour, i didnt have that.

i just thought i had thrush .. Well i actually had both at the same time .

just something to be aware of ..

jay xx

 

Thanks so much, Jay. I'm up to date with my smears and all normal. Think I will stop the zinc. That's quite a list ! I do still sometimes get itchy down there but it goes away within a day or so. I have been swabbed and tested and it did come back as thrush, although that was a while ago now, I think at least 6 months ago. I think, next time I get itchy, I'll book an appointment with the nurse practitioner to get tested again. Your advice appreciated, as always. Wishing you a lovely day xx

Have you tried probiotics?