The End?

Thanks for the good information. Are you taking all those vitamins? Also, my MIL had a couple of those lights that are similar to the natural sun light. Have you heard of them? I think they sell them at Sharper Image and/or Brookstone. They aren't cheap but they worked for her.

No, Dotsie, I'm not taking all those vitamins.....yet, I'm going to purchase the B Formula (all those vitamins in one small tablet). Not that I have the BLUES but from reading the book I gather they help make you feel more uplifted.

Interesting about the light, I might look into it further and see if they having something similar over here.

Flossie those 'true as sunlight' light bulbs really work...I use them and have recommended them to friends living in the Midwest where it can be cloudy for weeks on end.

Wow ...

well sisters, we know we are not alone in this 'female' thing.

Really, must say that the herbs I take do help ... and minimize my discomfort. Have gained a little weight, lost a little weight, a few gray hairs on the way, and all the aging stuff that comes with it. Thank God it is a slow process and a very natural process to boot. Always wonder what women in the older centuries went through and did to alleviate the female hormone symptoms. Will have to do a little history study.

I do wish each of you the very best in and thru all of this menopause stuff ... since we are all quite unique and handle it in our own way accordingly.

Sorry Dotsie, I missed your post from 5/31. No, I do not take anything for my hot flashes. They are truly horrible. I had a heart attack 2 1/2 years ago after taking that 50 mg. Imitrex for my migraines and am not allowed to take anything for menopause. Hormones are absolutely OUT! And, the over the counter herbal stuff is not recommended either. I listen to my cardiologist as if he were a god! Really, he is wonderful. Sooooo....I simply hang on to the hope that it will be over soon!

I'm in what's known as perimenopause, which my gynecologist says is the onset before full blown menopause. So why do we have to have a PREVIEW??? I say BRING IT ON and GET IT OVER WITH.

By the way, I've written about this very subject in a book entitled: WHATEVER! A baby Boomer's Journey Into Middle Age.
Read the reviews on my website and I would certainly appreciate your support of the book.

Peace & Blessings,
Beverly
www.talk2bev.com
WHATEVER! A Baby Boomer's Journey Into Middle Age

Pam, Im so sorry you have no relief. Do you have hot flashes at night? If so, Rick and June (Kathy) has sleepwaer that can help.

Bamgibb, I totally agree with you....why do we need the preview! Can't we just get on with it and be DONE with it!

~cookie~

But Bamgibb and Cookie, once its over with and you pass from the perimenopause stage to the actual menopause stage you still get the flashes, sweats, and who knows what else. I'm total menopause at 52 (total hysterectomy 6 months ago) and I haven't found the cure for this excessive body heat....yet,.....and some here say it can still go on for a fews years!

Oooooooooh, Flossie, now I didn't want to hear that!!

Me neither!!!! SCARY!

Please check out my website and sign my guest book.
Don't you just love this site?!

Peace & Blessings,
Beverly
www.talk2bev.com
Author, WHATEVER! A baby Boomer's Journey Into Middle Age

Stick around you two because I'm experimenting with various things to releave the sweats.......... and when I find it!??!...... I'll let you know!

Oh Flossie...
Can you hurry up?! The only good thing about a hot flash is when I'm at the gym, the sweat and heat all seems to mix together with the strenuous workout so it's not as noticeable!

Beverly
www.talk2bev.com

What worked for me when I had my flashes for a couple of years was a Chinese patent medicine called Da Bu Yin Wan - I noticed an effect within 3 days! I took them on and off over a two year period, as needed. American ginseng is good too, as it builds vitality, plus it is a cooling and moistening form of ginseng(the regular panax it too heating - you don't want that right now). This is a whole lot better and healthier than going the hormone route, IMO. Your mileage may vary on this one, but looking into traditional Chinese medicine might be a good idea, as they have a long track record with dealing with women's conditions. If your condition is more severe than what a patent herbal formula would address, the acupuncturist will prescribe a custom formula of a bag of herbs to cooked up by you at home. This is the strongest form of the herbal medicine! Often, the drink looks and tastes exactly like mud-water, but trust me, these are good things(had this type of stuff for flu)! Acupuncture treatments, and especially the herbal formulas will really help balance out the body and improve one's general health and vitality. Plus in TCM the whole attitude towards women is different, not the patronizing one so commonly found in Western(esp. male doctors)medicine.
I haven't had experience with this, but supposedly Western herbs like black cohosh, etc. are good too.
A few Chinese dietary tips to reduce the dehydrating heat one has going on with hot flashes, is to either cut out(or seriously limit) the heating, drying culprits like coffee, hot spicy food(if that seems to aggravate your symptoms - if it doesn't and you like hot spicy then by all means keep it). Alot of meat(esp. red), sugar and alcohol make hot flashes worse too. The presence of these last three in the diet over a long period of time leading up to menopause almost guarantee extreme menopausal symptoms. As far as the meat(unless organic or wild), the presence of all sorts of antibiotics and hormones in it have something to do with it, and not in a good way either! So the Chinese indicate the dietary antidote(along with an appropriate herbal formula)is moistening, cooling foods - this a good time to get in alot more raw produce(both fruits and veggies)into the diet if it is not there already. Load up on those meal-in-a-bowl salads, with the emphasis on the greens, and a nutritious, homemade dressing. Simple soyfoods like tempeh and tofu are good too, better than taking the so-called soy supplements, which can be unbalancing. Cooling drinks like lemon or lime ice water are good, too, especially with summer right upon us, and very alkalizing, so much better and way cheaper than soda(avoid that stuff like the plague!)If you do some research on the web about Chinese medicine and diet most likely you'll be able to find lists of foods that are cooling and moistening.
Second, exercise, exercise, and exercise - this has to be part of your day. Strength training, Ashtanga yoga(very active, powerful, strengthening form of yoga that can have a HUGE effect on balancing hormones as one of its positive effects), and of course cardio of some sort.
Last but not least, ongoing stress will certainly make hot flashes worse, so anything you can do for "stress-busters" is especially indicated, like yoga, meditation, inner spiritual work.
If you do implement a several-pronged approach, the hot flashes will be safely addressed, and you can seriously improve your overall health in the process!
Hope this all helps!

What a great bunch of Ladies we have here and the replies are trememdous.

Being smack right in the middle of menopause ... or hopfully nearing its ending binge ... I have really found all your comments and suggestions of great help and relief.

Thank you all so much. AND, in the mist of all this ... we can continue to be vital and vibrant women too!

Once again Cara4art......great info in that post. I know where there is a Chinese medicine shop so might go looking for that Da Bu Yin Wan and try that. I'm not liking the hormone cream!

Have you heard of Maca? I've seen it mentioned a few times on this site as being good for hot flashes?

If you go to www.boomerwomenspeak.com, then scroll down, it's in the middle of the page. It shows a box titled "moments" with a smiling woman (she must not be in menopause!) and there is a link underneath that will take you to that site.