I started using soy Isoflavone capsules a year after my surgical menopause for cancer as I was not allowed HRT.
I assumed that all the sleepless nights, anxiety, dreadful hot flashes and tearfulness which continued until recently were as a result of the surgical menopause and I suppose they were in the beginning.

A couple of months ago I bought a product called Emerita phytoestrogen cream for meno symptoms. It is has lots of different herbs and isoflavones etc in it. After a week I had such dreadful tearfulness and low mood I realised it must be this product and stopped using it.
I then went immediately back to the soy capsules and actually increased the dose. I noticed that I was still very tearful and anxious and the penny finally dropped! All this time I have been using phytos and they don't help me at all-they actually make me feel worse. If I hadn't doubled up on the soy capsules I don't think I would have clicked but as soon as I did I stopped them.
To make matters worse I have been blaming Estriol cream for the increased tearfulness I get when using it.
I know it will affect me to an extent but I think using it with the soy has been making me even worse.

Since I stopped the soy about three weeks ago I have had a miraculous improvement in all aspects of the way I feel. My hot flashes are way down .I am sleeping at night and my anxiety has gone!
I have even began to wonder if it could be the Olay Regenerist cream which everyone has been raving about doing the trick but I don't think so !
I am going to give the estriol another try now and see if I get such a strong reaction without the added soy.
I feel quite excited about it as I would really like to use it.
Has anyone else found soy has made them worse?I know lots of people swear by it!
janet c

I am glad you feel better, and I hope you continue to get better. Soy has been a miracle for me. It has lessened all my symptoms, and my husband is glad. Some people react differently to different thimgs, so maybe soy is not for everyone.

I bought the Revial soy and I swear that after a week of it, I felt worse so I stopped. I am just using Estrogel now and my symptoms are much better. Also before stopping the soy, I got a very bad period after not bleeding for 2 months. So I am not sure, but for me, I think I will stop the soy. A mutli, calcium my mag and estrogel and lets give it a whirl.

Thanks for your replies.
Well last night I used some estriol cream for the first time since I stopped using the soy. I have now proven my theory because I have woken this morning actually feeling calmer than ever and no sign of any tearfulness, anxiety or hot sweats. I was blaming the estriol when in fact it was the soy! I can't believe it!
I will never use it again!
I am happy for anyone who does get relief from it but it has never worked for me.

janet c

hey Janet!

I think it may depend on what is out of balance with you....have you had your hormones tested to see where they are at?

I recently had a a saliva test done for post meno, and my testosterone, estrogen and progesterone were too high.....my alternative Dr. asked me if I was taking any hormones or soy, I said only soy milk and a herbal balancing mix (Herbal equilibrium from womentowomen.com)...she told me to stop them immediately!...she said what was strange was that my levels were mimicking someone that was taking HRT.

I did stop my H.Equil, however I started getting hot spells and more sleeplessness in the last week..!!!.so now I must stop the soy milk (which I really only take in tea and occasional bowl of cereal) and see what happens.

What form of soy have you been taking and how much?

Caz

Hi Caz
No I have not had my hormones tested as basically I dont have any
A bit of an exaggeration but you know what I mean? I had my ovaries removed three years ago when I had surgery for cancer and I am not on HRT although I do use a little dab of testosterone from time to time.

I started on the soy once my surgeon gave me permission- about a year after my surgery- and I had been using it ever since. I was drinking soy milk and eating youghurts in the beginning but I was using so much I was putting on weight so I switched to the capsules. I think they are 400mg and I firstly used one a day. I assumed my continued anxiety and hot sweats was a sign my body had not got used to its new state and I cannot believe how well I feel now I have stopped the soy. I had been inadvertantly prolonging things

janet c

Hi Janet! Sorry you are having to struggle so much to find a solution. I used Revival for about a year and found out I am allergic to soy. I was going overboard with the soy products and my health really suffered for it. Anyway, I went off the Revival and cut the soy milk!! Hope you feel better soon.

CG

Thanks Careergirl
Yes as I posted I have been feeling better for a few weeks. It wasn't until yesterday that I also realised it must have been the soy interacting with the estriol that had been causing me more problems!
I have been feeling so well without the soy and so calm. Most of my problems have gone in three weeks! I wondered if the estriol would now be ok, so as I said, I tried it again last night. Well normally the tiniest little dot would cause me to be in floods of tears the next day but last night I used a lump and today I have felt fine. So I have been blaming all my problems on the wrong thing-silly me!
Mind you there is so much talked about the wonders of soy-its not surprising I didn't click. I am sure it works well for lots of women but obviously it doesn't suit everyone.
janet c

Hey there,

About 10 years ago when I started having terrible peri symptoms I took soy hoping for some relief. What happened to me was pretty crazy.
I blew up!
I gained a huge amount of weight and my boobs grew so big and were so heavy that they were extremely painful. I was headachy, very uptight and felt on the edge.
I couldn't figure out what was going on, but stopped the soy to see if that's what it was.
I also read at the time that soy should be avoided by anyone concerned about breast cancer because it mimics estrogen.
Well, it turns out that this is exactly what it did. I became terribly estrogen dominant from the soy.
I avoid it all together now.
It might not affect everyone this way, but it did me.

Thanks for that manyboys
Isn't it interesting how many women are popping up and saying they had problems with soy? I didn't think I would get any replies to my post but already there are quite a few saying they didn't like how they felt on it.
Thanks for replying ladies

I'm beginning to wonder if I need as much soy as I did during peri...

Presently, I have two soy shakes a day, laced with all sorts of greens, and other goodies...

However, lately I've noticed I feel better without it, or when I skip a few days...

I think on Monday, I'm going to stop my monthly order and see what happens...

I posted in another thread that i had stopped all soy the beginning of the year and feel so much better off the stuff....i had used it for quite a few years and thought it was helping me when in fact it was doing more harm than good.

I know it's not exactly the same thing, but I have heard that sweet potatoes (yams) have estrogen in them, and we started including them in our menus for that reason. Recently I noticed that the night we eat them I have worse night sweats and H.F. And The kind of gnawing ache that go right from the pelvic area down to the toes, and the following day much increased occurence and intensity: at least every 30 mins. So maybe what's good for some doesn't work for everyone? I'm wondering if medically induced menopause (ovaries removed as is my case) and naturally occurring menopause make the difference. Anyway-no more yams for me!

Interesting... I can't eat yams at all as it makes my meno symptoms kick up a few notches. I also had issues with soy isoflavones too. I'm on a bio estradiol right now and tolerate it pretty well. Go figure!

I don't do well on any soy products, but I can tolerate them in limited amounts.

I have come to the conclusion that our genetic make-up and ethnic background determines what foods are best suited for our bodies. For example: many times those who are lactose intolerant do well with soy products. Some people thrive on meat & fat!

Inuit (eskimos) used to eat large amount so fish & fat. Their diet was almost 75% protein & FAT! Although many seemed to be over-weight (by western standards), they were surprisingly healthy.
(Their metabolism is most likely different than Americans) I suspect that Inuits would not do very well with a diet of rice & soy. ????

I love rice, but one bowl=one pound on me! I avoid eating it. I do better with a meat based diet which includes a lot of vegetables. I need very little carbs, complex or not. LOL!

What do you think?


Shebee

Well I do know that my symptoms were similar to manyboys and Janet when I was taking soy milk and soy products and that I have learned as well that women who have low level of progesterone, should not take extra soy! It can actually induce breast cancer. However, making sure as we know to take vitamin D3 and as well making sure (for those of us who have no history of breast cancer) to grind our flaxseed oil seeds and add it to our meal on a regular basis as it will flush the extra estrogen that the body does not need.

Mrs Buff