I have shared in here before that I was considering taking the pill for peri-menopausal symptoms. I know you're going to be disappointed because I got the impression everyone thinks we should do everything we can before resorting to this. Well, I gave in. Started it this past weekend and will let you know how I feel in two months!

The doctor assured me my cysts should get better, I should have less problem with cramps, and PMS should be at a minimum.

I continue to take Vitamin E, Evening Primrose Oil, and Calcium.

Who takes Black Cohosh, and why do you take it? I keep hearing that's another good vitamin for women at mid-life. Was I talking about myself when I said mid-life?

No you are not talking to yourself....My doctor won't put me on the pill. He says I'm on so many drugs now that he felt that I didn't need any more. I have horrible mood swings. I get very depressed. But I have a hard time figuring if its the PMS thing or my arthritis thing. They both make me irritable. I'm on new drugs for the arthritis and I'm feeling better physical my mental self is still not good. I haven't really worked at all the natural remedies yet but its on my mind.

Dotsie,

You knw you have to go with your gut on this one. You did your homework and logically decided that a try with the Pill was the correct thing to do after weighing your choices.

I am an advocate of herbal remedies and saw an acupuncturist for years. But sometimes the western medical doctors have the right answer.

I am very interested in how you do. Please keep us posted. I am right behind you with the symptoms etc.

Lynn

Smilingthru and Lynn, I'll definitely keep you osted on this. Still too soon to tell. If this works, I think I did this right in the knick of time. Boy was my cycle changing!

Smile, have you tried any of he herbal remedies, or Estroven?

I have tried the estroven and it helped the moodiness and I think my skin was better. But recently I have not been regular about taking it. Guess it's getting time to get over my averstion to taking pills. Menopause is not for sissies!
Maybe not taking it regularly is why my skin is becoming dry.
Having no uterus, but having ovaries is confusing. I never know where I am in the hormone situation. I had a blood test before I started the estroven that said I still have functioning ovaries, but the doctor said maybe I was peri-menopausal and wanted to start premarin. I decided to try the estroven instead.
Glad you reminded me to get back to it.
smile

[ April 02, 2004, 05:40 PM: Message edited by: smilinize ]

I am inendated regulalily with medical and natural remedy information. I have an extensive library on NATURAL treatments & cures for things. Every article says that Premarin is poison. Do you know how its gathered, the poor female pregnant mares suffer unbelievably. If no one takes this crap, then there won't be any reason to produce it. Have you tried Wild Yam Root? Comes in capsule form and Puritan Pride carries it. There vitamins etc. are the safest in the world. FREE catalog can be obtained from:
www.puritan.com Check it out!

I signed up for their newsletter. I'm only recently becoming educated in vitamins that deal with perimenopause. I figure I could learn a thing or two.

Do you purchase from puritan?

Several years ago I undertook a Bible study about food. I was astounded at the references to food in the Bible. Seems like food is mentioned in some way in almost every chapter of every book.
When I was a nurse I many serious ill effects from pharmaceuticals so as a part of that study, I began to look at herbs.
Herbs are different than vitamins. Vitamins can come from herbs, but they can also be synthesized just like pharmaceutical drugs. The minimum daily requirements for vitamins is just an estimate based on very little real research and there appears to be a different requirement for each individual.

Herbs are plants that were given to man by God in the Garden of Eden and are referred to as medicines in several places in the Bible. I thought maybe all of the herbs were in the Garden of Eden, but were later dispersed throughout the world as they are today.
The more I learned about the pharmaceutical industry, the more frightened I become. Herbs that you get at the healthfood store can be corrupted and they are certainly not what they would be if eaten from the plant as they were supplied by God.
Because herbs are foods, they are not regulated by a government agency. However, the healthfood industry has established what may be a better policing system than what exists within the government where FDA officials who give approval of certain drugs have been paid off and/or rewarded with lucrative jobs after approving very profitable, but questinable pharmaceuticals.
I think at menopause your vitamin needs change and you may need supplements to keep your system healthy. To help your body deal with the changes of menopause, you may want to look at herbal supplements as well.
There are several herbal remedies and each person's body seems to respond differently so you may have to experiment. I don't fear experimenting with herbs as much as I would with pharmaceuticals because most of the herbs that you can buy at a healthfood store are probably a part of the daily diet of people somewhere in the world.
Well, that's pretty much the way I think about herbs.
Blessings and good luck.
smile

So far, so good. At this stage of the game I'd have to say I recommend trying the pill to relieve peri-menopausal symptoms. Still want to give it two more months trial.

Dotsie, yes I do order all my vitamins etc. from Puritan Pride. I am a researcher, old habits die hard, and after years of trial and error I find Puritans Pride one of the safest, well governed companies out there. There guarantee is exceptional and during the three for one sales, you can't beat their prices. I have been a satisfied customer now for 14 years. Most of my friends and relatives have started ordering from them as well and all have been satisfied. I do not recommend products I have not tested and use myself.