Okay, perimenopause is causing issues. Please help!

[Pamela H in Texas]

So one day, I was watching Dr. Oz (well, I was flipping channels and it caught my eye so I watched). Basically, the discussion was talking about perfectly normal women who LOSE it on a dime the second half of their cycles. It said it was called perimenopausal rage. The suggestion was progesterone cream. I saw some other mention of some other natural things for "midlife" (am I at midlife yet?) like chasteberry and cohash?

 

I know Dr. Lee is considered THE guy for Progesterone creams.

 

I guess I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions if I were to go to the health food store tomorrow. And will it help NOW?

 

ETA: I'm still fighting this "midlife" thing. Seriously, the above picture is a year old (almost exactly). But regardless of what we call it, I need help!

Edited December 29, 2011 by 2J5M9K

[Myeightkiddies]

:lurk5:

 

Curious myself. I only have a couple cycles a year so things can go bad at any time. Thankfully it isn't often but small things can set me off if I'm not careful.

[AuntieM]

Hmmm... Trotting over to amazon to see if Lee's book is available in kindle format...

 

I have no answers for you, Pam, but thanks for the reminder.

[Sunshine State Sue]

Poll: Natural Progesterone

 

Hot flashes, cold chills, and dark mood

 

I walked into the health food store and looked around the women's health aisle and tried several things. I do take an herbal concoction called "Change of Life" formulated and sold at a local place. They say it's their best seller.

 

HTH!

[jennsmile]

I use natural woman progestrone cream this past spring by products of nature. It helped my rages, it also helped me get and stay pregnant. ;)

[Pamela H in Texas]

Jenn, wouldn't that be crazy? get pregnant after over 16 years of infertility? LOL

I think I'll settle for just the rages and headaches to settle!

Being so hot and weird periods would be nice to lose also, but I won't be greedy.

[jennsmile]

Yes it would Pamela. Dr Lee outlines it in his book, how to increase your fertility. I followed it and it worked that month. I just a had slightly low progesterone and I was still ovulating but nothing was sticking. At least that is what I think. :001_smile: I have had 3 miscarriage over the years and my friend kept insisting I try this to prevent anymore miscarriages. And it worked.

[Pamela H in Texas]

Yeah, I had progesterone shots every other day for the first trimester when I was preggo with ds. Unfortunately, I have a LOT more wrong than just that so it is very unlikely. Well, and I'm a bit old for a baby! I know other people do it, but.....

[zookeeper]

I can't speak highly enough of using progesterone cream. I just saw my hormone dr yesterday and I swear, going to see her has changed my life so dramatically! I turned 40 this year and feel better than I did throughout my whole 30s. I use bioidentical progesterone through a troche (dissolves in your mouth) but have used cream in the past.

 

I would encourage you to get your hormone levels tested by a knowledgeable dr. Call a compounding pharmacy and ask for names of drs who prescribe bioidentical hormones.

[KS_]

 

I guess I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions if I were to go to the health food store tomorrow. And will it help NOW?

 

ETA: I'm still fighting this "midlife" thing. Seriously, the above picture is a year old (almost exactly). But regardless of what we call it, I need help!

 

I will be 41 in Feb and started getting hot flashes and irregularities in my cycle length several years ago (cycle irregularities started first). I used chaste tree (vitex) for that, but then when the hot flashes started, got a recommendation for Enzymatic Therapy Perimenopause Formula. There's a pill for AM and one for PM. I haven't had hot flashes since being on it and it helps keep things regular and more on an even keel, although I have found that a B vitamin complex also helps me with the mood stability.

[Scarlett]

So one day, I was watching Dr. Oz (well, I was flipping channels and it caught my eye so I watched). Basically, the discussion was talking about perfectly normal women who LOSE it on a dime the second half of their cycles. It said it was called perimenopausal rage. The suggestion was progesterone cream. I saw some other mention of some other natural things for "midlife" (am I at midlife yet?) like chasteberry and cohash?

 

I know Dr. Lee is considered THE guy for Progesterone creams.

 

I guess I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions if I were to go to the health food store tomorrow. And will it help NOW?

 

ETA: I'm still fighting this "midlife" thing. Seriously, the above picture is a year old (almost exactly). But regardless of what we call it, I need help!

 

Pam, I am DONE completely....but still taking a very low dose of estrogen daily. If I don't I can feel the anxiety (and sometimes rage) creeping up my body until my head is itching and I can't think straight. When it first starting I couldn't be sure if it was the stress from my divorce or something else...I think it was a combo and blood tests showed my numbers were all over the map. Within a year though I felt sure it was NOT my divorce and they rechecked and sure enough I was done. So he started me on the little pill...I resisted at first, (because my mom had breast cancer) but then I decided I could NOT live like that (which was REAL and NOW) out of fear of what MIGHT happen later on.

 

I hope to get off it someday soon...not sure how that works. But for now it works like magic.

[Tigger]

I can't speak highly enough of using progesterone cream. I just saw my hormone dr yesterday and I swear, going to see her has changed my life so dramatically! I turned 40 this year and feel better than I did throughout my whole 30s. I use bioidentical progesterone through a troche (dissolves in your mouth) but have used cream in the past.

 

I would encourage you to get your hormone levels tested by a knowledgeable dr. Call a compounding pharmacy and ask for names of drs who prescribe bioidentical hormones.

 

:iagree:

 

IMO it's not a good idea to DIY with hormones - whether OTC or winging it with a doctor who hasn't taken the time to really know what they're doing....getting blood levels drawn is a good first step (you'll want a serial series done, over one cycle, to see how your hormone levels change throughout your cycle) - and you need to find a doctor who knows what they're doing. A compounding pharmacy, that is routinely filling the scripts, is a great place to start asking for names....you'll also likely hear about who to avoid like the plague!

[DianeW88]

I take Ortho Tri-Lo (a low dose bcp) for contraception and because my mom had ovarian cancer. It's a miracle worker. I have no symptoms of perimenopause at. all. And I won't. Ever. Woo hoo!!

 

I know a lot of people are afraid of bcps, but seriously....if your life is miserable on a daily basis because of your hormones, and the end isn't coming for another TEN YEARS or more....look into it. Because honestly...it will get worse before it gets better. I had a friend who was completely incapacitated with her peri-menopausal symptoms and she finally decided to just try a low dose pill (her dh BEGGED her because of her vicious mood swings...not to mention the hot flashes, foggy brain, etc.) and she is sincerely a new woman. Now she's upset that she waited for so long, and as she says, "Put everyone around me through h*ll."

[justamouse]

alright, alright, alright I'm going to go. :glare: Pffft. I'm not flashing, no insomnia, no mood swings, but I know I should go and get my levels checked because I DO have foggy brain.

[Scarlett]

I take Ortho Tri-Lo (a low dose bcp) for contraception and because my mom had ovarian cancer. It's a miracle worker. I have no symptoms of perimenopause at. all. And I won't. Ever. Woo hoo!!

 

I know a lot of people are afraid of bcps, but seriously....if your life is miserable on a daily basis because of your hormones, and the end isn't coming for another TEN YEARS or more....look into it. Because honestly...it will get worse before it gets better. I had a friend who was completely incapacitated with her peri-menopausal symptoms and she finally decided to just try a low dose pill (her dh BEGGED her because of her vicious mood swings...not to mention the hot flashes, foggy brain, etc.) and she is sincerely a new woman. Now she's upset that she waited for so long, and as she says, "Put everyone around me through h*ll."

 

 

:iagree: EXACTLY how I feel about it.

[Carol in Cal.]

I never progressed to the point of needing the artificial hormones because I used borage oil successfully. I consider it less invasive and more natural, so I'm glad that it was enough. I recommend trying it.

[Pamela H in Texas]

I set up a dr appt for the third. I'll wait for testing to start anything. Maybe I'll stay on a deserted island the second half of the next cycle.

[leeannpal]

I take Ortho Tri-Lo (a low dose bcp) for contraception and because my mom had ovarian cancer. It's a miracle worker. I have no symptoms of perimenopause at. all. And I won't. Ever. Woo hoo!!

 

I know a lot of people are afraid of bcps, but seriously....if your life is miserable on a daily basis because of your hormones, and the end isn't coming for another TEN YEARS or more....look into it. Because honestly...it will get worse before it gets better. I had a friend who was completely incapacitated with her peri-menopausal symptoms and she finally decided to just try a low dose pill (her dh BEGGED her because of her vicious mood swings...not to mention the hot flashes, foggy brain, etc.) and she is sincerely a new woman. Now she's upset that she waited for so long, and as she says, "Put everyone around me through h*ll."

 

But some people, like me, can't take birth control pills. I have high blood pressure, and the last time (3 years ago) the gyno tried to put me on BCP, my blood pressure skyrocketed, whereas it is normally easily under control with one medication. Yes, it was a low dose pill too. So, is there any hope for me. I definitely have those rages during the second half of the month and have for several years. I'm 45 now.

[Carol in Cal.]

I would not rely on your doctor for this. They don't know that much about nutrition-based wellness. They tend to go for the most drastic solutions first.

[sheryl]

Bless.your.heat - I meant heart! :lol:

 

Wow, this brings back memories. When I was p.m. I would become slightly enraged with the least little issue. That was about 5 years ago and I'm not so much enraged these days as always.hot. Oy!

 

I'm going the au naturale route. However, if I don't start cooling down (and, btw, it doesn't help we live in the southeast), I may look for some help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :tongue_smilie:

[Pamela H in Texas]

I'm going the au naturale route. However, if I don't start cooling down (and, btw, it doesn't help we live in the southeast), I may look for some help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

au naturale, huh? TMI