severe Menapause for 9 yrs. tried natural remedies nothing has worked. Mother passed away with CA

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I have suffered severe hot flashes for 9 yrs. Tried many natural remedies, vitamins etc. nothing has worked. some hot flashes every 5min apart and last 5min long completely wet from head to toe. No sleep with severe hotflashes and insomnia. A midlife gyn. said we have to go to the big guns now and gave me a Rx for gabapentin which made me feel constantly drugged until 3 0r 4 pm. i had to keep upping the dose for it to be effective. Even though i felt like a zombie i slept a little getting up every 45 min to an hr. then that didnt work not only hot flashes but severe insomnia. I am on high risk because mother died with breast cancer in her 40's .I decided to go to a md who is supposed to specialize in anti- aging (very expensive $550 for first apt) she is not covered through insurace. After blood test & saliva/urine which is not covered by ins. she recomended progesterone pills and climera patch .025 daily. I brought results to pcp and my gyn and also dr. at the high risk clinic  all said not to start any hormones because i have been menapausal 9 yrs. and i am 58 yrs old and mother had cancer. I am in excellent health not overweight (i teach fitness classes)  but i am very stressed not sure what to do now. i dont want to live the rest of my life like this, its been 9 yrs. too many i just feel hot,exhausted, joints hurt and not the real me. This antiaging dr gave me Rx for bioidentical hormones  Please help with any info!!

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9 Replies

  • Posted

    Hello. I read your post and identified with you regarding the hot flashes and insomnia that were unbearable after I stopped taking HRT last year. They were so bad that I've been prescribed it again by my GP. I'm in the UK so I haven't had the investigations that you've had because we have guidelines issued by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) that clearly states any blood tests are unnecessary to determine if a woman is menopausal and that doctors must be guided by a woman's symptoms. So any woman over the age of 45 can be prescribed HRT however you have a close family history of breast cancer which makes prescribing more complicated but doesn't rule it out and GP's in primary care are advised to refer these ladies on to a specialist breast clinic for further assessment so in some cases HRT will not be ruled out. Gabapentin wouldn't be prescribed for your symptoms here. It's difficult for me to give you any advice because of the way HRT and menopause are treat differently in our countries so hopefully ladies in the US will respond. I know many use this forum. You have spent a lot if money reaching a diagnosis so hopefully you will get the treatment I feel you're entitled to. 
  • Posted

    Sorry to hear you have been suffering for so long. As I'm in UK and have no specialist knowledge to offer I can't suggest anything. However, was very confused as to why a gyn would prescribe you Gabapentin for menopausal symptoms. It is a drug that is used for epilepsy or nerve pain. I'm taking it for perifial(sorry spelling wrong) neuropathy from Lupus.

    Hope someone in a similar situation will be able to answer you shortly.

  • Posted

    I'm on Bio-identical hormone replacement therapy. Vaginal suppository. Had hormones tested via saliva. I had depression an anxiety. Been on them for 1yr an half. Adjusting in between as I started bleeding. Had all testing done everything ok. Im 47. Was 46 when menopause hit. Total shock. Never ever one female problem . I'm fixing to get rechecked an also include cortisol levels in 24 hr period. Have you had cortisol check? If it's high at night can cause hot flashes an insomnia. If I stop for more than 3 days I have night sweats. Im adopted so no medical history on breast cancer. I chose bio because it's at least more natural than a factory one size fits all pill. I spend 52$ a month. I hope you get worked out. Gabapentin shouldn't have been prescription! Dumb Dr. I would find a new one!
  • Posted

    Hello Superhot mar I was wondering if you had come to any decisions as to what you are going to do next. You've had so many tests and investigations I'd be interested to know what you may do next. Is there anyone you could talk to about the possible risks of breast cancer to you if you did take a form of HRT. As I mentioned in the UK a woman would be referred by her GP to a specialist to discuss this further and I wondered if there was someone in the US who could fulfill this role. I agree with stickinsect that Gabapentin isn't really appropriate however I presume your doctor must have had a reason to prescribe it. Please keep in touch x
    • Posted

      I have gone to a high risk clinic before and go there yearly for a check up..They said i could use the vaginal estring which  i do but would wanted me to take antidepressants for the hot flases/insomnia or gabapentin. i did not want to take antidepressants. i then took gabapentin until  recently but was  living like a zombie wasting 1/2 my day being drugged and exhausted. Cortisol was high in night not good. Took the urine/saliva test.

       So the bioidentical hormone dr wants to put me on progesterone pills and a estrogen patch called climara plus several other items from a place called neuroscience and DHEA. None of this is covered through insurance I am desparate for help and going broke at the same time. The hormone bioidentical  doc charges for every Q you ask on the phone. She did say she would talk with the gyn,. because the gyn did not want me on hormones because i have not been on hormones and its been 9 yrs. menapausal. I will also have to check into the pituitary glands. The 2 Drs. will talk next week! Thanks everyone for your responses, much appreciated!!!

    • Posted

      Good luck Superhot I hope you get some answers and some relief 
  • Posted

    I must admit superhot as still being really confused as to why they have given you Gabapentin for hot flushes. They don't have any effect on hot flushes. I know as I take them for Lupus nerve damage and still suffered from hot flushes which is why I started HRT. It's not even an off label med for hot flushes so that's completely beyond my comprehension. They aren't a medication that is normally prescribed unless for epilepsy or nerve pain as they have been described as having terrible withdrawal symptoms. Luckily due to my digestive issues I metabolise meds really fast and don't get withdrawal symptoms from any meds, Crohns and numerous major bowel surgery had it's advantages!

    Think you maybe need to speak to few specialist in this field who are able to give you pros and cons of HRT with a family history of cancer. Then I think, as with most things it will come down to, which to you personally gives you the quality of life. There are no guarantee's on anything and any medication you put in or on your body has some sort of negative aspect even if it is natural.

    Good luck in whatever you decide to do.

    • Posted

      I totally agree regarding the Gabapentin and in the UK doctors wouldn't be able to prescribe it for hot flushes because it's not licensed for that. You probably know that already anyway Stickinsect. They have strict rules here. I think you gave me some excellent advice on another forum when I was concerned I may have Lupus
    • Posted

      Here in the U.S. My GYN gave me gabapentin she said there were studies that were done for off label for the menapausal issues such as hot flashes/ insomnia. From 300 mg it increased to 1200 mg  every time I had an increase in Rx  It would work for a while then I guess my body got used to it then it didn't work and dr. Upped the dose.  I started to gradually take myself off of it recently .With gabapentin I'd have hot flashes every 45 min to an hr now I'm not on anything and in night hot flashes are every 5 to 15 min apart .Yes quality of life is suffering 

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