I have been dealing with seven years of severe, debilitating menopause symptoms. Fog, fatigue, anxiety and dizziness. Have been to many doctors and specialists, as usual they just grin and say there is nothing wrong. I am thinking of starting Hormone replacement with the Climara patch. Does hormone replacement help? If so how long before I would see improvement? wet noodle

It is probably menopause but thryoid problems cause the same symtpmos and are very common.

Just to be sure and before your start any hormone replacement check by blood thryoid with FT3, FT4 and TSH and the antibodies for thryoid diseases Graves and Hashimotos.

If no problems found in thryoid, you can try, in my humble opinon, hormone help. It does help some women...but some, like me, it does not. Good luck! Joan

BTW I am suffering for 8 years....it is tough isn't it! Joan

I had good relief of insomnia, fatigue, and hot flashes with the estrogen patches. I still have severe brain fog and am also now adding progesterone cream. The Climara patch is bioidentical so try it and stop suffering any more than you have to. Good luck! Libby

Hi All,
I have tried so many things that worked a little bit in the begining .... then petered out....... I have thought about BHRT....... I am hearing the sames things about it that I hear about the horse urine pills,........ This is all so confusing......Is there an answer without Cancer? Why Do we have to go through all of this??? ICKY HAIR, SKIN, MIND FOG, INSOMNIA, SLEEPING TOO MUCH, DEPRESSION, HOT FLASHES, NIGHT SWEATS, FACIAL HAIR, BLOAT AND WEIGHT GAIN, LOW LABIDO, HIGH LABIDO, MOOD SWINGS,ETC ETC ECT!!!!!!!!!!! I look in the mirror some days and see my Dad and other days I look just like Mom.......... it is creepy!!! Hormones are very tricky and they even play games with your mind!!!!!!! Why do women have to take the brunt of it all??? I never saw this coming!!!!
If any one has a real answer............. find me!!!!!!!!!!!<<<< AND TELL ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GOOD LUCK TO ALL ON THIS JOURNEY OF WOMANHOOD!!!
CAROLYN

Hi All,
I have tried so many things that worked a little bit in the begining .... then petered out....... I have thought about BHRT....... I am hearing the sames things about it that I hear about the horse urine pills,........ This is all so confusing......Is there an answer without Cancer? Why Do we have to go through all of this??? ICKY HAIR, SKIN, MIND FOG, INSOMNIA, SLEEPING TOO MUCH, DEPRESSION, HOT FLASHES, NIGHT SWEATS, FACIAL HAIR, BLOAT AND WEIGHT GAIN, LOW LABIDO, HIGH LABIDO, MOOD SWINGS,ETC ETC ECT!!!!!!!!!!! I look in the mirror some days and see my Dad and other days I look just like Mom.......... it is creepy!!! Hormones are very tricky and they even play games with your mind!!!!!!! Why do women have to take the brunt of it all??? I never saw this coming!!!!
If any one has a real answer............. find me!!!!!!!!!!!<<<< AND TELL ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GOOD LUCK TO ALL ON THIS JOURNEY OF WOMANHOOD!!!
CAROLYN

I am currently using estrogel and prometrium and I have had huge success with it. I feel pretty darn normal these days, I can sleep well most nights, no anxiety or panic anymore, I can usually concentrate...I swear by the hormones personally. If it causes cancer, well at least it will have given me quality of life....which had become such an issue, that I didn't even want to go on living the way I was feeling before the hormones. menopause had completely destroyed my life.

If a woman gets through meno without hormones, I say more power to them! But if menopause totally destroys your life like it did mine, hormones can be a good way to get your life back!

Good luck and I hope you find relief soon.

Floater

Hi

my symptom went from 0 to Over The Top in 6 weeks.

I started on the patch, 0.25, then incrementally increased it to 0.1, with prometrium for progesterone. I had little or no relief. My gyno upped it .625, and that finally helped. It reduced the intensity of the symptoms, but did not eliminate them. I still additionally use estring for dryness, and the insomnia is debilitating, but its better than without.

For the record, the tablets were also incrementally increased up to 2 mg/day, and the prometrium doubled. The increases did not help any more than the estrogen at .625, so I've just had the doctor readjust the dose back to that level

The symptoms are further reduced with anti-depressants, in my case, Wellbutrin. Thank Goodness for health care plans.

My next step is to beg my doctor's locum to let me try testosterone.

the following article might help you, not just with meno symptoms, but with other issues you might face:

http://www.power-surge.com/transcripts/rako4.htm

Hi Floater,
I am glad that you feel better with the Bhrt.... I am seriously considering it these days... There are not many DRS in NJ that are experienced with BHRT. That is what is scaring me most right now.... I may travel to NYC to get some help. It will probably cost me more for parking there than the office visit!!! I just cannot beleive that in NJ ...a very densly populated area... that some smart astute DR has not opened a practice here for women's health!
My primary care DR is a wonderful DR for a sore throat, sniffle ect.... but he cannot think of one Dr that does BHRT.... nor can my Gyno... or any women that I know.... Amazing. So i just keep searching!!!! I Just keep hoping that this will end and I will feel good again.
If any of you know of a good DR in NJ let me know!!!!!!!
Happy Easter
Carolyn

Hi Floater,
I am glad that you feel better with the Bhrt.... I am seriously considering it these days... There are not many DRS in NJ that are experienced with BHRT. That is what is scaring me most right now.... I may travel to NYC to get some help. It will probably cost me more for parking there than the office visit!!! I just cannot beleive that in NJ ...a very densly populated area... that some smart astute DR has not opened a practice here for women's health!
My primary care DR is a wonderful DR for a sore throat, sniffle ect.... but he cannot think of one Dr that does BHRT.... nor can my Gyno... or any women that I know.... Amazing. So i just keep searching!!!! I Just keep hoping that this will end and I will feel good again.
If any of you know of a good DR in NJ let me know!!!!!!!
Happy Easter
Carolyn

Hi!

I have been looking for you. We had previously posted about our horrible menopause symptoms, including fatigue, emotional problems, etc. It is very debilitating.

Do you remember me? How are you doing? My email address has changed to libbettdw@yahoo.com.

Hugs,
Libbett

Hey Carolyn:

I decided not to go compounded hormones, I went FDA approved bio identical hormones which I got from my regular doctor. I did my own research, and drew my own conclusions. My doctor was willing to let me give my own ideas a try, and I have been successful so far. I have had to increase my estrogel dose a little bit, but I am still feeling good.

If you have any more questions, feel free to PM me if you wish.

Floater

I am using an oestrogen patch. I have tried three different dosages and finally found one that helps with the main symptoms that drive me crazy - sleeplessness and mood swings. I do take herbal sleep capsules too but find I only wake about once during the night and go to sleep much more quickly than I did. The mood swings were really making it difficult on my poor husband but the patch has evened me out quite a bit. Mind you my husband says he can tell when I am due to replace the patch because I start to go a bit wiggy! PS I am only adding oestrogen at present because I am still having periods and am still on the Pill so I am getting the Progesterone I need.

Gee, I feel as if I don't have all that much to complain about when reading some of these blogs.

I have said previously that my symptoms started "a couple" of years ago but the truth is, I don't know when they started in terms of the irritability and fatigue and mood swings. I was a single parent so I was always those things in one way or another. But I have noticed an increase in the entire lot in the past couple of years. I did the "Over-the-counter" Estroven and Black Cohosh which had a bad effect on my blood pressure. I tried the tumeric, ginger, and 22 vitamins a day program. That just kept my stomach upset. I tried the "three glasses of wine a night" deal which kept me happy and content as long as I stayed "lit," but caused severe hot flashes the next day. I've tried exercising, low carb, low fat, counselling sessions, weight watchers, Nutri-system and hypnotism. I planted an herb garden, cut out all the sugar as well as caffeine and still I've suffered. Of late, I tried BHRT which left me gasping for air. I did the Vivelle Dot patch (lowest doseage possible) with Progesterone pills, testosterone cream 1% and Vagifem tablets for vaginal atrophy. I just stopped ALL of these due to severe anxiety attacks, tinnitus, nonstop crying and shear misery. So as you can see...if it can be done, I've tried it.

The only thing I can say for myself is that "some" things helped a bit or for awhile and other things didn't help at all. I'll be truthful when I say that I've been waiting for that "magic pill." The one that's going to motivate me to eat right and exericise and feel better about everything. This pill is going to get me up smiling in the morning and keep me happy all day long. It's going to make my hair shine, my skin clear and younger looking and my desire for my husband shoot thru the roof. I also feel that it doesn't exist but, that it may be a mixture of all of the things I've tried and I've just not found the right "concoction." I can't bring myelf to believing that it's going to be this bad for years and years, for it already has in many ways.

I watched my mother go thru menopause and she made my life and my sister's lives a total nightmare, yet my grandmother (her mother) seemed unphased by the entire experience. I had an aunt who stated that she never experienced a "hot flash" or a "night sweat" in her entire life, and just one day she simply didn't have a period anymore. For me, as well as others on this forum, it's seems to have been a bit more traumatic as well as troublesome.

Anyway, that's been my experience for whatever it's worth, and by-the-way, I'm still searching too but I'm also keeping my fingers crossed.

Krissy

How long were you on the patch? Did you try different levels of estrogen (the patch has 5 levels now, after that there's pills) Did you try testosterone? Have you had your thyroid tested?

If all this fails, see your doctor, as there are other things that can mimic meno symptoms.

Yes, I had my thyroid checked and it was "okay." As well as my Cortisol, hormone levels, iron levels, and LFT's. She did however put me on a thyroid booster and told me to that some DHEA pills. I'm wary and have not tried either as of yet. My Vivelle dot patch was the lowest doseage possible, and then yesterday my doctor called back and told me to "cut it in half." I've not tried that either as of yet but am contemplating it. I'm not a "pill popper" and the idea of drinking, shakes, downing 17 vitamins a day, tons of fiber and mounds of water leaves me cold.

I've spent well over $700 on vitamins, detox powder, thyroid boosters, and pills (natural) of different sorts. I keep a carton of Soy Milk and Green Tea in my fridge at all times.

The last two days were relatively "good" days. I was somewhat happy, joked with my co-workers, goofed off with friends, and got a good night's sleep both nights. Today, it's like "chalk and cheese." I'm weepy, shaky and emotionally down. I've stayed in my office all morning and have not felt much like venturing out amongst my co-workers. I could have stayed in bed all day and watched the TV and been perfectly content. Today is a "struggle" day, and so it goes...

Krissy,
Have you had blood or saliva tests done for your hormones so you know which ones you are high or low on? Have you worked with Pete at Belleview Pharmacy here on site?

Hi Kriss.. Hope you're feeling a tad better today.

HRT or BHT takes patience. It can take up to 3 months to get the full effect. When I finally hit the right dose of estrogen, I didn't know it for 6 weeks. Then all of a sudden, it kicked in.
Hang in there. ps... the idea of downing 17 vitamin pills with {{{{shudder}}}} soy milk doesn't do much for me, either

Thanks for your input, I have tried the Climara patch, but can't get past the first 24 hours as it makes me very dizzy. My doctor said to cut patch in half. Still dizzy, do you know anyway to get past this stage. How long before I know if it is working. //wet noodle

You'll know its working when the symptoms abate.

When I started on the patch, lowest dose, I felt great for 4 days. Then it crashed, and I had a massive period, followed by a second small one within two weeks. I quit smoking at that point. My doctors locum realized I was really suffering, and for the 2 months she was in the office she increased the doseage. When the top dose (0.1mg) didn't work, I asked to be refered to a specialist, who finally took the whole thing seriously.

In hindsight, those first few glorious days on the patch makes me think of someone lost in a desert, and finally given a thimble full of water. Marvelous for a heartbeat, but short lived. Oddly, when the specialist switched me from patch to pill, it took 6 weeks to feel the effect, but oh my goodness. When it happened... wow. I still have issues, but just getting 7 hours sleep after 13 months of never bettering 4 hours.... oh, wow.

ps There are three ways to beat this rubbish

1 is to wait it out.
2 hormone therapy
3 anti-depressant that subdues - to - eliminates meno symptoms, particularly flushing.

Duch, I am using methods 2 and 3! One was not enough...and method 1 was NOT an option for me.

So, there are some of you out there that have resorted to HRT?
My symptoms were life altering, so I finally did resort to Premphase. Yes, it helped tremendously, but I'm still working on finding someone to help me with BHRT.
Does it work as well as HRT, which I am really afraid of.

Floater

I'm on 2 and 3 as well, and there is still problems. But hey! I sleep. I've said this before: I know exactly what it's like to be incarcerated at Guantanamo Bay where being far too hot and deprived of sleep are the norm

TBS123

No one will tell you either HRT or BHRT are completely safe, but neither is menopause commando style. Lack of estrogen can lead to all sorts of issues, including a depletion of dopamine. That WHI study was misinterpreted.

There is absolutely no evidence that either HRT or BHRT is superior to the other, because its never been tested.

There are FDA approved bio identical hormones, which you can get from your doctor. This is the route I chose. Do a little research and you can decide which method you want to try. I went estrogel and oral prometrium and so far so good. I sleep, have more energy, much more even tempered, no panic attacks, much less anxiety, no hot flashes....I feel I have gotten my life back.