QuestionI am 54 yrs old and have been going through the menopause for nearly 8 yrs.I have used HRT on and off for the same amout of time.I suffer from horrendous hot flushes,about 20 to 30 a day and night.The only thing that stops them is HRT but my sister has breast cancer so i have decided to stop HRT for good.I have tried many alternative HRT but nothing helps.I am so depressed and want every thing to stop,i could put up with a few flushes and not so hot but they have not eased in all the time i have been going through the menopause.M y doctor is very good and understandable but can only say that it is unusual that i am still suffering.Will this go on for ever and am i the only woman to have such awful hot flushes.?Please can you show a light at the end of this miserable tunnel?
AnswerI feel for you Jackie, your flushes sound awful. The good news is you're on the road to discover a new way to deal with them.
I know women who can handle flushes just by supplementing Vit B12. I also know a woman who is 70 and still has them but takes an herbal combination including black cohosh (which now is controversial).
You're going to have to explore more alternatives. Here's where to start.
First, if you are open to the idea, find a doctor who specializes in holistic medicine, or maybe your current doctor is open to alternative hormones therapies. You can find doctors in your area by going to www.everythingmenopause.com and click on treatment options.
You need a hormone panel done, typically blood or saliva tests, to see where your estrogen, progesterone and testosterone levels are. Then the doctor can tell you how to supplement any deficienices properly.
Next, you may have to make some lifestyles changes - which can be difficult at our age. I know when I started flushing, and over-the-counter progesterone cream worked for me.
But I also significantly changed my diet and added more exercise, and now I don't even need to use the progesterone. I stopped eating, sugar, caffeine (this is a mandatory for flushes), white flour, corn (maltodextrin etc), and dairy. I also take supplements from Standard Process that are high-grade vitamins and minerals. Add 80 ounces of water a day - and you're well on your way to relief.
Listen to what other women are saying. You'll find a good menopause forum at www.power-surge.com.
The toughest part my friend, is making the changes to a healthy lifestyle permanent. Take it one day at a time, and remember - you are not alone!
