Perimenopause

[Meg]

I have been reading up on perimenopause. Something that I am pretty sure I am going through right now, and for longer than I thought. The Perimenopause Blog has been an exceptional resource. I've posted some articles below from that site and from a couple of other places on perimenopause.

As far as supplements, daily I have been taking Primrose oil 1300mg 2x, 400IU vitamin E 3x, 4000 IU Vitamin D & 100 mg Vitamin K2 1x, multi-B 1x, 625mg magnesium malate 3x and GABA Calm 250mg 3x. They help a lot! Especially the primrose, vitamin E, magnesium and GABA.

35 Symptoms of Perimenopause
by Magnolia on September 5, 2014

When I was in the midst of the worst of my perimenopause symptoms, I had one over-riding thought:

“I feel like I’m going crazy”

Yes, I had hot flashes, night sweats, irregular periods and those gawdawful mood-swings. But without question, the underlying and most compelling emotion was that I was certain I was finally going nuts. In fact, it was my anxiety and emotional turmoil that drove me to begin blogging about perimenopause in the first place.

Like most women, I needed to talk through my anxiety and emotional angst so that I could sort through the feelings and make some sense out of what was happening to me. Perhaps that is what has brought you here as well.

Maybe you’re feeling crazy too, vulnerable, not yourself, and hanging on by a very thin thread. So, before I go any further, let me say very plainly – I understand, and you are not going crazy.

It’s difficult to explain to others who have not been through it, what perimenopause feels like. It’s especially difficult to explain to our husbands who can’t begin to understand or even remotely connect to the female experience. Not only is this frustrating but it can add to the feelings of isolation and vulnerability.

The symptoms and signs of perimenopause are long and varied. You may have many or a few. There is no typical perimenopausal experience, though most women seem to have hot flashes, night sweats, irregular periods and mood-swings. In fact, these four symptoms are usually what signals to women that they are in perimenopause – which, by the way are similar to Yaz birth control side effects, which you can learn about at DrugNews.

As of right now, most experts, health care providers and those devoted to understanding and helping women in perimenopause agree there are at least 35 symptoms of perimenopause. It’s not necessarily a comprehensive list but it’s certainly a good starting point.

If you have any of these symptoms and feel you may be in perimenopause see a physician or health care provider right away. The good news is we have plenty of options. Just do something. There is no reason to suffer with perimenopause if we don’t have to.
35 Symptoms of Perimenopause

Hot flashes, flushes, night sweats and/or cold flashes, clammy feeling
Irregular heart beat
Irritability
Mood swings, sudden tears
Trouble sleeping through the night (with or without night sweats)
Irregular periods; shorter, lighter periods; heavier periods, flooding; phantom periods, shorter cycles, longer cycles
Loss of libido
Dry vagina
Crashing fatigue
Anxiety, feeling ill at ease
Feelings of dread, apprehension, doom
Difficulty concentrating, disorientation, mental confusion
Disturbing memory lapses
Incontinence, especially upon sneezing, laughing; urge incontinence
Itchy, crawly skin
Aching, sore joints, muscles and tendons
Increased tension in muscles
Breast tenderness
Headache change: increase or decrease
Gastrointestinal distress, indigestion, flatulence, gas pain, nausea
Sudden bouts of bloat
Depression
Exacerbation of existing conditions
Increase in allergies
Weight gain
Hair loss or thinning, head, pubic, or whole body; increase in facial hair
Dizziness, vertigo, light-headedness, episodes of loss of balance
Changes in body odor
Electric shock sensation under the skin and in the head
Tingling in the extremities
Gum problems, increased bleeding
Burning tongue, burning roof of mouth, bad taste in mouth, change in breath odor
Osteoporosis (after several years)
Changes in fingernails: softer, crack or break easier
Tinnitus: ringing in ears, bells, ‘whooshing,’ buzzing etc.

I would add rashes too. They appeared on my legs. The primrose oil took care of them. Mine looked somewhat like this, but not as severe. They happened mostly at night and went away in about 1/2 an hour after I'd wake up.

More from WebMD:

Perimenopause

Perimenopause, or menopause transition, begins several years before menopause. It's the time when the ovaries gradually begin to make less estrogen. It usually starts in a woman's 40s, but can start in her 30s or even earlier.

Perimenopause lasts up until menopause, the point when the ovaries stop releasing eggs. In the last 1 to 2 years of perimenopause, this drop in estrogen speeds up. At this stage, many women have menopause symptoms.

How Long Does Perimenopause Last?

The average length of perimenopause is 4 years, but for some women this stage may last only a few months or continue for 10 years. Perimenopause ends when a woman has gone 12 months without having her period.

What Are the Signs of Perimenopause?

Women in perimenopause have at least some these symptoms:

Hot flashes
Breast tenderness
Worse premenstrual syndrome
Lower sex drive
Fatigue
Irregular periods
Vaginal dryness; discomfort during sex
Urine leakage when coughing or sneezing
Urinary urgency (an urgent need to urinate more frequently)
Mood swings
Trouble sleeping

http://www.webmd.com/menopause/guide/guide-perimenopause

At What Ages Does Perimenopause Begin?
By Magnolia Miller | Published Jul 25, 2012

Western medicine isn't always precise. When it comes to menopause and perimenopause, trust your instincts.In order to understand when perimenopause begins, it’s important to understand the difference between perimenopause and actual menopause.

Menopause is generally defined as when a women has not had a menstrual cycle for twelve consecutive months. Once that time is reached, the subsequent years are referred to as the post-menopause years.

Peri-menopause then, is defined as the time prior to actual menopause. It is the time when women exhibit symptoms of their shifting hormonal landscape. Hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, irregular menstrual cycles, are all symptoms which indicate perimenopause.

However, there is often a lot of confusion surrounding the actual age at which a woman is considered to be in perimenopause. I’m not exactly certain why that is, but it is nonetheless very common for women who are in their 40s to be told they are too young to be in perimenopause.

The Medical Law of Averages

Thanks to all of the science and statistics involved in Western medicine, most health issues are defined and understood by averages. Risks for certain diseases and health conditions are all calculated and determined in an actuary type fashion, with a variety of variables (family history, age, gender, race, etc.,) influencing what those numbers are.

While these systems are helpful in defining what can sometimes be very nebulous ideas surrounding our physical bodies, these same systems can sometimes lock physicians into a boiler plate mentality, rendering them incapable of believing what their eyes and ears might be telling them. After all, if something does not fit into what is already defined, then it is easily dismissed.

Therefore, if a physician believes that menopause does not occur until sometime in a woman’s 50s and that the transition period is only about 2 years, then it is not difficult to understand how and why so many women are told they are not in perimenopause when they are in their 30s and early 40s.

But the reality is that many women begin to enter perimenopause not only in their early 40s, but also in their mid to late 30s as well. Though some women show absolutely no symptoms of perimenopause whatsoever until their late 40s and early 50s.

However, if we keep with the law of averages, the average age a woman enters perimenopause is sometime in her mid-40s. Barring some other physical illness which should be ruled out if at all possible, if you are in your mid to late 30s or even in your early 40s and you are exhibiting what you believe are symptoms of perimenopause, then you are very likely entering perimenopause.
Trust Your Instinct

The intuitive nature of women is powerful. Unfortunately, when faced with the facts of science and medicine, we tend to discount what we may actually know because it is not something that has “facts and figures” attached to it.

Do not underestimate your instincts and hunches regarding your health. If you suspect you might be entering perimenopause, trust yourself. No one is a better advocate or expert in matters pertaining to your personal health than you.

http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/hold-that-pause/at-what-age-does-perimenopause-begin

35 Symptoms of Perimenopause: Good Grief

by Magnolia on December 11, 2011
Post image for 35 Symptoms of Perimenopause: Good Grief

Okay, technically, grief is not usually mentioned as a symptom of perimenopause. But, it should be. Because, believe it or not, good old fashioned mourning and an overwhelming sense of loss (aka, grief) is something that many women experience when they enter perimenopause.

It usually comes out of left field too. I mean, most of us are expecting hot flashes. And we’re usually prepared for a few good rounds of night sweats and mood swings too. But, who is prepared for grief? Yet, grief and the process of grieving, is as much a part of perimenopause as hot flashes, night sweats and mood swings.

We Should be Talking About This

Unfortunately, very little is said about grieving during perimenopause. Why that is, I do not know. Maybe we lump it in under the broader heading of mood swings and depression and don’t identify it as grief.

But, we shouldn’t, because grief is not like irritability, weepiness, hormonally induced depression or even those dreaded rages. It is about mourning a loss and coming to terms with a new life on the other side of that loss.

The Life You Once Lived Has Passed

Usually when we speak of grief, it is in the context of death. We understand that grief is based in loss and death is certainly a loss. But, in many ways, perimenopause is a death too. No, it is not a physical death, but it is a biological death, and most definitely a loss.

It is the loss of your life as you once knew it. It is the loss of a personal identity that many of us defined by our fertility and sexuality. Not to mention the roles in our life that grew out of fertility and sexuality, like marriage and family.

So, it only stands to reason that when fertility ceases, menstrual cycles end, sexuality changes, children leave home, and we get older, that a sense of loss is experienced.

And speaking of getting older – grief during perimenopause is often compounded by the fact that many of us fear getting older. Yeah, we all pay lip service to the notion that we are aging and that one day we will die.

But, which one of us is running forward to meet old age and death, much less embracing it?

Unfortunately, life doesn’t give us a choice about aging or dying, and neither does perimenopause.

There is only one ending to this story and that is, life as you once knew it is over – hence, the grief.

Allow the Change to Occur

If you know anything about grief and loss, then you probably know that denial is one of the primary coping mechanisms.

Denial is like psychological blinders and ear plugs. It cushions you from the full psychological and emotional impact of loss, which enables us to cope. In the appropriate context, a certain amount of denial can be healthy.

But, chronic denial which is rooted in fear can be not only crippling and paralyzing, but it can keep us stuck in place, spinning our wheels and creating a rut which is just short of the grave.

In her book The Wisdom of Menopause: Creating Physical and Emotional Health and Healing During the Change, Dr. Christiane Northrup addresses the transition and transformation of perimenopause and says that we need to allow ourselves to feel the “pain of loss and grieve for those parts of our lives that we are leaving behind.”

“We should allow ourselves to feel the pain of loss and grieve for those parts of our lives that we are leaving behind.”

The grief process requires that we move through the change. We don’t avoid it. We don’t fight against it or push it to the side for a rainy day.

We have to allow ourselves to fully experience the emotions and pain of loss in order to heal and come out whole on the other side.

Otherwise, we may find ourselves stuck in the pain and wounds of emotional baggage that only serves to weigh us down.

Ah…..Menopause

For all that is said about the perimenopause, there should be equally as much said about actual menopause. But, unfortunately, we just don’t talk about how great life can be once we transition through perimenopause.

While there is definitely a sadness associated with leaving behind the years that brought us to the pivotal point of menopause, it seems to me, that life no longer punctuated by a period doesn’t sound half bad.

Can I hear an amen?

http://www.theperimenopauseblog.com/35-symptoms-of-perimenopause-good-grief/

More on grief and perimenopause from a reader of the perimenopause blog:

Today’s Dear Magnolia post is from Lisa.

Lisa is grieving.

Yes, she’s also experiencing other symptoms of perimenopause, namely, anxiety, depression, and other symptoms related to estrogen dominance. But, she’s also struggling with grief .

Grief is the part of perimenopause that no one talks about. Well, not very much.

Grief doesn’t sell, I guess.

You can’t take birth control pills, drugs, hormones, or some kind of food supplement, to erase the sadness and heavy heart one feels when grieving. No amount of therapy really helps either.

And you don’t just “get over” grief. You have to go through it. That’s it. There are no short-cuts or easy ways out. You have to feel the emotions, experience the sadness, and work your way through to the other side.¹

Most of you know that I recently became divorced. At the beginning of the divorce process in 2011, my father died. Just after my divorce was final in 2013, my mother died.

Ask me about grief.

Grief in perimenopause might not be as overwhelming as the grief of losing a marriage or one’s parents. But there is loss in perimenopause. , and where there is loss, there is grief. t is grief just the same. In perimenopause you lose your fertility. You lose hormones. You lose the ability to have more children. You lose the life that you knew thus far, and all that it represents. And now that you are in mid-life, there are no guarantees you have as many years left on this earth as you have lived getting here.

So, there’s that very sobering truth.

Perimenopause means you’re saying good-bye to the “young you” and getting acquainted with a “new you. ” But, it’s not an easy introduction. You have go through all of those other symptoms too – and it’s not easy.

I thought Lisa’s comment was poignant, and a perfect example of how women feel when they are grieving in perimenopause. She’s not unique, but her grief is certainly her own. I do not mean to diminish it in anyway when I say it is common.

Grief is common. But, when it’s yours, it’s unique.

Lisa

Hi Magnolia.

I just wanted to add my voice to the many women who’ve thanked you for sharing your experience and wisdom on this blog. I’m 43 and perimenopausal (at least, I think I am; I had a hysterectomy six years ago and only kept one ovary, so I don’t have periods).

After a few crippling bouts of anxiety and depression to the point where I was housebound, my doctor had some blood work done and explained I was in perimenopause.

She put me on bioidentical estrogen and progesterone. After several months of no improvement I got myself a saliva test that indicated I was estrogen dominant. So I’ve cut out the estrogen and have had my progesterone increased from 100 mg to 200 mg.

It’s only been a month on that regimen, so I think I have a long way to go. She also thinks I may be suffering from adrenal fatigue. I guess the stress of feeling like crap all the time, and the fact that I don’t sleep well anymore has compromised my system even worse.

The hardest part is, I think, the grief. I go through bouts of anxiety and depression, but the grief is just constant. It’s this sadness that just follows me everywhere. It’s in every thought and everything I do. I have such a hard time explaining how I feel to people who’ve never been there.

My kids are still fairly young (11 and 8). But, all I can do is cry over the fact that they’re not babies anymore. I feel so old and useless. I used to take great pride in keeping a good house and being a good cook. Now, all I do is look around and think how I’m only good for cleaning toilets and frankly, who gives a crap about dinner?

Anyway, I just had to thank you. You’ve helped me keep what’s left of my sanity. And even though I’m not convinced this will ever end, it helps to hear from other women who’ve survived and are enjoying life on the other side.

Magnolia

Dear Lisa,

Your comment touched me. I was in my early 40s when I began to go through perimenopause too. My children, like yours, were also young.

I remember feeling exactly the way you feel. I was getting older, my looks were leaving with each passing year, and my children would one day grow up and leave too. “Who am I and what am I living for?” was a constant refrain in my head.

That you’ve had a hysterectomy probably adds an additional layer of sadness as your children grow older, because you can’t have anymore without your ovaries and uterus.

That alone can certainly trigger a lot of grief for many women.

It is very common for women to question their worth and value when they start entering perimenopause. In Western culture where youth and beauty are revered, perimenopause and menopause is the death sentence for American women.

Though we would like to say that we are women, hear us roar, and none of these things affect us; the truth is, we can’t escape the pressures of our society and culture. When we are bombarded every day with messages that tell us we are useless and unwanted because we are no longer young, beautiful, hot, and sexually desirable, it’s certainly depressing.

I’ve been in menopause for well over 3 years now. I am passed the grief of losing my youth, my looks, and my fertility. I am now edging closer to 60. But, one of the gifts of menopause is self-acceptance. I’ve come to terms with moving past the years of reproduction. I have accepted that I am no longer the hot 30-year old I once was, and it’s okay.

I do not live with the nagging pressure to please everyone anymore; and if someone does not accept me for who I am, I do not lose one iota of sleep over it. There is great peace in that.

I’m now in graduate school pursuing my masters and soon my doctorate in a field of study I’ve always loved. I’m doing things that make me happy. Of course, you still have a few years to go before you can do things for yourself. But, those years are coming, and I can assure you you will feel less sad as you inch closer to menopause, and accepting of the change.

For now, give yourself grace. Be kind to yourself, and repeat as often as you need to……this too shall pass. Savor the times you have left with your children. They do in deed grow up and move on. Mine are now in their 20s, and late teens.

Though I sometimes long for the days when they were babies and I was the center of their world, I’m also very happy that I don’t have to change diapers anymore or referee spatting school children!

 

[Meg]

Hypothyroidism and adrenal fatigue can also be a symptom of perimenopause.

35 Symptoms of Perimenopause – Hypothyroidism
by Magnolia on April 28, 2010

One of the more eye-opening revelations I’ve had in my quest to understand and cope with my hormonal issues has been the link between perimenopause and hypothyroidism.¹

Though I had certainly heard of hypothyroidism, it never occurred to me that I would or even could have issues with it. I had always associated hypothyroidism with excessive weight gain. Since I have always been a naturally lean person, it didn’t seem like a plausible explanation for any of my symptoms.

Imagine my surprise then, when I did my latest book review on Hormones, Health, and Happiness: A Natural Medical Formula for Redescovering Youth with Bioidentical Hormones, by Dr. Steven F. Hotze, to learn that not only can perimenopause lead to hypothyroidism, but that many of the symptoms that I had previously attributed to perimenopause could very likely be secondary symptoms associated with hypothyroidism. Talk about a double whammy.

What is Hypothyroidism?

The Greek prefix “hypo” means beneath, below or under. When we speak of hypoglycemia for example, we are speaking of low blood sugar. Medically speaking then, hypothyroidism is a low functioning thyroid gland, producing low or inadequate levels of much needed thyroid hormones.

What Role Does the Thyroid Play in the Body?

The thyroid has a relatively simple but enormously important function in our body. Particularly as it relates to energy level and the general quality of physical well being.

The thyroid produces two important hormones, triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). Though the thyroid produces a higher quantity of T4, it is actually converted to T3 which is then used to produce energy in our cells.¹

The pituitary gland, located at the base of the brain, monitors the levels of T4 & T3 in our bodies. If at any time, there is an imbalance or inadequate levels in the bloodstream, the pituary gland responds by secreting another hormone called TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone). TSH then responds by stimulating the production of thyroid hormones.¹

What are the Symptoms of Hypothyroidism?

The more commonly known symptoms of hypothyroidism are weight gain, low basal body temperature, brittle fingernails with ridging, cold intolerance and cold extremities, like your hands and/or your feet.

However, the list of symptoms that can be associated with hypothyroidism is actually quite long, varied and can include symptoms that most women might attribute to perimenopause, such as: fatigue, muscle and joint pain, menstrual irregularities, hair loss, loss of libido, infertility, weight gain, decreased mental sharpness (brain fog), fluid retention, depression and/or mood swings.

How Does Perimenopause Affect Thyroid Function?

In normal monthly menstrual function, a woman’s estrogen levels rise at the beginning of her cycle in preparation for possible pregnancy. Around mid-cycle, the progesterone levels also rise to prepare for implantation of a fertilized egg. If pregnancy and implantation does not occur, the levels of progesterone will drop dramatically and menstruation occurs.

As women begin to enter perimenopause the ovaries produce decreasing amounts of progesterone which in turn, leads to estrogen dominance which causes the symptoms of perimenopause such as severe menstrual cramps, heavy periods with clotting, irregular cycles, anxiety, depression, breast tenderness, decreased libido, mood swings, infertility and weight gain, just to name a few.

If that were not enough, the excess estrogen also causes the liver to produce increasing levels of a protein called TBG (thyroid-binding globulin). This protein attaches to the thyroid hormones (T4 & T3) and prevents our cells from absorbing them.

Under normal conditions only .05% of thyroid hormones are circulating in the bloodstream with the rest remaining unavailable to cells in the body.

So, in effect what can happen is that women can not only be dealing the symptoms associated with perimenopause, but also with the excess TBG causing even less of the necessary thyroid hormones to be absorbed by the body.

To compound the problem, blood levels can still show normal ratios of T4 & T3, indicating normal thyroid function. But the body is still unable to absorb them properly because of the excess estrogen.

Is it any wonder then that women often feel like they are going crazy with their symptoms? We know we feel awful and exhausted and that something is “just not right’, yet our lab work shows everything to be normal.

What Can We Do About it?

Restoring a healthy balance to our hormones should be our primary goal. For some of us, like myself, who are closer to actual menopause it is still advisable to restore the natural hormone balance that is lost as we age.

As I have continued to blog, read and learn about perimenopause and maintaining optimum hormonal health, I have come to a very strong conclusion that bio-identical hormones are the healthier choice.

In the short term, women can purchase over-the-counter progesterone creams to use during her monthly cycle to help balance the estrogen dominance that causes so many nasty and debilitating symptoms.

In the long term, however, a medical evaluation which may include blood work, saliva tests and/or other measures of your hormone levels is desirable. A personalized prescription of bio-identical hormones compounded just for you is certainly going to help you feel better than a one-size fits all approach.

If there are no physicians in your area that can provide the necessary evaluations to help you get a prescription for bio-identical hormones, you can purchase home tests from Virginia Hopkins Health Watch. I would strongly advise, however, that you take the time to read about each of tests before you purchase them to make sure you are getting the appropriate one.

Bodylogic.com is also an excellent website to help find physicians in your area who prescribe bio-identical hormones. Go to the front page of the site and there is a section where you plug in your zip code. It will give you a list of physicians that are in and around your area.

Finally, be sure and check out Drhotze.com. Dr. Hotze’s site is chock full of great information on perimenopause, bio-identical hormones, more information on hypothyroidism and guidance to help you understand what is happening to your body.

And don’t forget to pick up his book as well if you want to read more about hypothyroidism and perimenopause. Remember ladies! We don’t have to take this lying down!

35 Symptoms of Perimenopause: Adrenal Fatigue
by Magnolia on September 22, 2014

A common complaint among women in perimenopause is an overwhelming sense of fatigue and exhaustion. Often described as crashing fatigue.

While many women might chalk it up as the result of sleepless nights associated with night sweats and insomnia, the real culprit is likely adrenal fatigue.

What are the Adrenal Glands and What do they Do?

The adrenal glands are two walnut sized endocrine organs located just above the kidneys. Comprised of the inner-medulla and the outer-cortex, the adrenals work in tandem, playing a key role in our body’s response to stress by releasing three hormones: adrenaline, also called norepinephrine, cortosol, and DHEA.

Commonly known as the “fight or flight” hormone, adrenaline is released by the inner-medulla gland when there is a perceived threat or danger. To prepare us for either a “fight or flight” response, our body releases quick shots of adrenaline.

The adrenaline increases our heart rate, causes blood to rush to our organs and large muscle groups, dilates our pupils, sharpens our mental alertness, and increases our tolerance for pain.

The fight or flight response is engaged many times throughout our day by simple actions such as, swerving to avoid a potential fender bender, or from the anxiety one may feel by getting pulled over by a traffic cop. Ordinary, day to day to day encounters at a stressful job can also engage the fight or flight response as well.

Cortisol and Chronic Stress

When we are under prolonged periods of chronic stress it is the outer-cortex of the adrenal glands that comes to the body’s rescue by releasing cortisol. Cortisol’s main function is to metabolize fats and proteins into sugars to create and maintain energy.

Cortisol also helps the body adapt to chronic stress by increasing energy levels, stabilizing emotions,a a and acting as an anti-inflammatory and pain reliever, among other things.

As with everything, however, too much of a good thing has its downside. If cortisol levels become too high over a long period of time, it can cause a loss of bone density, muscle atrophy, thinning of the skin, kidney damage, blood sugar problems, weight gain, and an increased susceptibility to illness.

DHEA – The Great Equalizer

DHEA is an androgen, a steroid hormone released by both the adrenal glands and the ovaries. Like adrenaline and cortisol, DHEA also improves the body’s ability to recover from and cope with stress and trauma.

But, it also helps to neutralize some of the damaging effects of high levels of cortisol in the body, namely, the tendency of cortisol to suppress the immune system. As a result, DHEA is useful in helping the body resist sickness and disease.

Estrogen Dominance and Adrenal Fatigue

When women are in perimenopause and experiencing fluctuating progesterone levels, estrogen dominance often occurs.

In addition to the many symptoms of perimenopause that excess estrogen causes, it also causes high levels of cortisol-binding globulins in the blood stream.

The binding actions of the globulins inhibit free movement of cortisol throughout the body, essentially rendering it useless.

So, while a woman may have adequate levels of cortisol in her system, the body is unable to efficiently use it which results in a reduced ability to effectively manage and cope with stress.

Even though the adrenal glands are providing necessary stores of adrenaline, DHEA and cortisol, it is rendered ineffective by the effects of excess estrogen.

Over time, the adrenal glands become fatigued and exhausted, unable to produce the necessary levels of adrenaline, cortisol and DHEA. Factor in chronic insomnia, mood swings, night sweats and hot flashes and you have the recipe for the relentless, debilitating, crashing fatigue that women complain about during perimenopause.

How to Relieve Adrenal Fatigue

One of the first and most obvious helps to relieve your body of adrenal fatigue is to rest. Western culture is likely the most sleep-deprived culture in the world, and chronic exhaustion associated with adrenal fatigue is one of the by-products of poor sleep habits.

Eight to ten hours sleep per day is necessary to help your body recover from adrenal fatigue. A diet rich in low-glycemic index foods is also downloadan excellent remedy for adrenal fatigue, as they help stabilize blood sugar.

Vitamin C (3,000 to 6,000 units) is recommended as a supplement along, with B-complex vitamins, zinc and magnesium for at least three months.

Moderate exercise and exposure to sunlight is also helpful in restoring healthy, adrenal function.

Dr. Christiane Northrup addresses adrenal fatigue, among many other symptoms of perimenopause in her best-selling book The Wisdom of Menopause.

It is an excellent reference book which covers in great detail, but also very easy to read, all you need to know about the experience of perimenopause and menopause.

She also gives great tips and advice on how to recover from adrenal fatigue naturally. It is not a cheap book, but worth the expense to have in your personal library.

Based on what I have read, I am going to stick with supplements, pass on any hormones and just let my body work it out as naturally as possible.

 

[Meg]

I also ran across this in Gnosis II. I understood it to mean that Evil Archons/Matrix/General Law loses interest in you once you hit menopause. I am sure there are exceptions to that. With the links between hormones and emotions being food, it makes sense. Those who are more well versed in Mouravieff, please correct me if I am wrong. :)

The direct intervention of Absolute III in human life generally occurs at the time of puberty; he perturbs the organism by various manifestations, from sexual attraction to a vivid upsurge of imagination which is the source of all sorts of romantic and other illusions. The hold of the Absolute III over man and woman ends progressively from the menopause in women, and from the time of analogous troubles in men.

Normally, the surplus of sexual energy in excess of that needed for reproduction in humans is provided not simply for the pleasures of carnal love-wasting it for nothing- but to give these sad beings (malheureux [miserable]) the chance to escape from their otherwise inescapable condition. This surplus of energy, once mastered and utilized in an appropriate way, can assist in the growth and development of the Personality. It is in this that man has a choice: by beginning to climb the Staircase he places himself progressively under the authority of the Absolute II, to whom he will finally become subject after the second Birth.

Sexual attraction and the pleasure of carnal love continue to exert a decisive influence over those who still remain on the wrong side of the first Threshold. They actually seek this attraction, and it takes many forms because of the unlimited possibilities of the imagination.

The Gnostics, who also may have figured among Mouravieff's influences, maintained that the Earth and material creation in general were the product of an evil demiurge, chief of the "archons of darkness" or "princes of the air." Mouravieff calls this being or principle Absolute III and also indirectly identifies it as the Yahweh of the Old Testament, just as the Gnostics did. This Absolute III through various spirits plays humanity against itself as in a game of chess, with the effect of generating vibrations for "feeding the moon."

http://glossary.cassiopaea.com/glossary.php?id=2

 

[Nancy2feathers]

For woman who are at the age of perimenopause or menopause, I highly recommend Susun Weed`s Wise Woman`s books and info on her website.
Here is some info at her website for perimenopause http://www.susunweed.com/An_Article_wisewoman2b.htm
and for menopause http://www.herbalmedicinehealing.com/store/item_view.php?id=1000021&item=new-menopausal-years-the-wise-woman-way

Some years back I attended many workshops Susun gave on making tinctures, infusions, salves and so on using herbs. Her herbal remedies helped me greatly transitioning through perimenopause and menopause. I learned how to embrace this stage of my life as hard as it was at times.

Healing Wise and Menopausal Years the Wise Woman Way by Susun Weed are both excellent books imo if one wants to go the herbal way.

Thank you for starting this thread, Menerva. :)

 

[truth seeker]

I'm not sure if I'm perimenopausal or not. I recognize some of the symptoms, but there aren't enough of them for me to be sure. One thing I found interesting was the symptom below. From what I've read, this can also be called buzzing which describes more closely what I experience along with anxiety:

Electric shock sensation under the skin and in the head

It seems from the quote below that quite a few of the symptoms may be related to fluctuations in the firing of nerves due to excess estrogen:

Some women in perimenopause (the 2-10 year phase before actual menopause) report the feeling of electric shocks to their skin and of a buzzing sensation coursing through their bodies. The shock can shoot rapidly down the arm, through the breast area, in the leg, the back or indeed any part of the body. Some women describe it as a rubber band snapping or a zinging type of pain.

Women are at first mystified and in some cases alarmed by this sensation. It is important to point out that it does not mean that you have a neurological condition such as Multiple Sclerosis, although it is important to consult with your healthcare professional to ensure that there are no underlying neurological problems, particularly, if you are experiencing many of these sensations or if they cause any weakness or clumsiness in your muscle control.

Although an electrical shock sensation can happen at any time, it is known to often occur immediately before a hot flush.

Electric shocks range in severity from being minor fleeting sensations lasting only a few seconds to interfering with everyday functions such as dressing and walking.

and

Researchers believe that estrogen works within the nervous system to send certain neurological messages.

It is a certain fact that the female hormones behave erratically in perimenopause and menopause.

Millions of nerves are linked to one another inside your body which make up your central nervous system.

Your central nervous system is the channel where information is transmitted to the brain.
Your brain analyses messages in split seconds and feeds back to your body to take the appropriate action.

When hormonal imbalance is interfering with the nerve function, although the nerves may be in good working order, the signal is distorted or misconstrued, giving the wrong message to the brain.

Medics also contribute this electric shock sensation to postmenopausal osteoporosis of the sacrum or spine, if the shocks occur in the back.

Some medics are of the opinion that medications prescribed for the treatment of hot flushes and night sweats may induce episodes of electric shock. Anxiety, another menopausal symptom linked to hormonal fluctuations can also give rise to electric shocks.

_http://menopausehealthmatters.com/electric-shock-sensation.html

Much of this goes over my head, so any corrections are welcome, but I thought what Dr. Kruse's site says is interesting:

Iodine, Estrogen and Ketosis: The Wake-Up Call for Menopausal Women

Iodine is the link back to autoimmunity and the neurogenesis connection of the MHC 1 gene. Iodine absorption falls in the human gut when estrogen levels rise from any cause. This helps explain why women have much higher rates of autoimmune diseases like Multiple Sclerosis and hypothyroidism than men. It also explains why women have less myelin formation than men in adulthood. Remember from Energy and Epigenetics 1, we must be ketotic to make myelin in humans. Women have less iodine absorption by design. Women have higher estrogen levels to bear children. Lower levels of myelination allow women to be “more sensitive” to environmental triggers to pass that information to their offspring’s DNA. Myelination also happens to be a proxy for mammalian regeneration. This was proven by Robert O. Becker, as set forth in his The Body Electric Book. This now explains why women also make T2 thyroid hormone from their ovaries and breasts. This helps them offset their decrease ability to absorb iodine from their guts.

Biology Geeks: Until recent years, T2, because of its very low affinity for thyroid hormone receptors (THR), was considered an inactive metabolite of thyroid hormones. However, several recent studies indicate that T2 is more important than originally thought. In fact, T2 is necessary for production of the deiodinase enzyme that converts the less active T4 into the potent T3 in the body. Early studies on diiodothyronine revealed its ability to stimulate cellular/mitochondrial respiration during the activation of the Pentose phosphate fat burning pathway by a receptor-independent pathway. Mitochondrial and energy-releasing mechanisms seem to be major targets of T2, although outside the mitochondria T2 also has effects on carriers, ion-exchangers, and enzymes.

Significant increases in the liver actions of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and malic enzyme were found in studies cited below. These enzymes are necessary for fat metabolism and liberation of energy in the form of beta oxidation. T2 exhibits significant increases in Growth Hormone release from the pituitary have been found in studies. Both T2 and T3 increased Growth Hormone release by 5-fold. This makes sense when you consider women need growth hormone to stimulate their breast and ovarian tissue for fertility and reproduction.

Non-Geeks: In women, iodine is also critical in making breast milk, tears and saliva. The higher your estrogen level, or the lower your SHBG level, the more likely your eyes, mouth, skin and vagina will be dry. You also won’t make a lot of breast milk to feed a child. Your ability to sweat will also be altered.

I personally believe this is why women go through menopause now. It is because of their evolutionary design. No one seems to have a clue why menopause exists. I think I do. Women need to lower their estrogen levels as they age, to reclaim their total body iodine levels, to help them have a longer lifespan as they age, by being able to cool their surface semiconductors with sweat protecting the PUFA’s in synapses (DHA) from oxidation by increasing their ability to myelinate to increase their regenerative DC current by increasing their iodine absorption. This also helps explain why diabetic women have a higher incidence of peripheral neuropathy than men do. They have less myelin, so any further decline in iodine assimilation impairs ketogenesis to regenerate myelin and diminishes their ability to heal and regenerate. This is where the decreased immunity seen in diabetes rears its ugly head for those with metabolic syndrome.

This also helps explain why women in menopause get hot flashes and night sweats. Iodine stimulates uncoupling proteins and it stimulates the sweat glands. When they had their menstrual period, they did not have the stimulatory effect of iodine, but now without their cycle they do, rather suddenly. It is not from a lack of estrogen, as most physicians believe, it is from more iodine in their bodies. Sweating is a new evolutionary design in hominids. Primates do not have the sweat gland we do. It is a change to the mammalian body plan unique to humans. This was done to be able to cool our bodies down to save energy, because they transmit energy when their surfaces are better cooled down by sweat because it increases semiconducting currents. In this way, they are able to return entropy back to the environment best by heat transfer from their dural venous system in their brains. This is why humans lose most of their heat through their head.

Primates use vitamin C as an endogenous antioxidant but humans evolved to use iodine as their peripheral antioxidant. We have large brains so we have a lot more semiconductors to cool everywhere on our body. Iodine also helps lower the oxidation of DHA in synapses in humans. This is why the brain has its own thyroid hormone control system because we have way more semiconduction circuits in our brain. When we lose our iodine function in the brain we lose the ability to offset some of the inflammatory cytokines in the brain circuits. this is when we see high IL-6 levels in the brain and altered salivary cortisol and melatonin levels on lab assays. In the frontal lobes these change can cause ADHD or depression and in the leptin receptors it causes an inability to sense energy balance and leads to obesity. When humans become energy inefficient they usually gain weight, as I laid out in EMF 2 and recently in Energy and Epigenetics 4, using Kleiber’s law.

Sweating is another buffer that we use to become more energy efficient, before we need to expand out fat mass to have the same effect. This is why women gain fat mass in menopause too. It happens because they are less energy efficient because of their loss of progesterone and prolactin from their hypothalamus. This reflex sweating, seen in humans, is done to cool down women’s newfound rediscovery of efficient semiconduction, as their estrogen levels fall in menopause. Women with hot flashes usually have abnormal sweating as a result. Once they acclimate to their new increased iodine absorption, their symptoms resolve because they adapt by increasing their myelination and their DC current improves. Many menopausal women get placed upon estrogen and sometimes their symptoms of hot flashes goes away, but so does their ability to reclaim iodine to myelinate. Here is where a supplement might not be wise. This implies they can alter their immune balance as they age. Iodine happens to increase neurogenesis in humans, so when iodine is low, cognitive haze is also a result. The brain has its own thyroid hormone system to control neurogenesis even if the body stores are low. This is an example of how the brain controls energy partitioning for itself, over vegetative systems that dominate in the thyroid gland to control the body. This pattern of energy distribution and loss is what we see in atoms too. Atoms tend to lose valence electrons before they lose nuclear protons.

So if you get placed upon estrogen, or happen to be estrogen dominant for any reason at all, male or female, you may get cognitive haze. Iodine increases our ability to become ketotic to myelinate and regenerate our immune system and our brain because of the MHC 1 evolutionary connection. If you do not eat a ketotic diet when these changes happen these benefits will be hidden from you. For most of the blogosphere they remain a mystery.

_http://jackkruse.com/energy-epigenetics-7/

 

[Chad]

I would add rashes too. They appeared on my legs. The primrose oil took care of them. Mine looked somewhat like this, but not as severe. They happened mostly at night and went away in about 1/2 an hour after I'd wake up.

Just scanning this thread, i suffered rashes due to an accident that messed up my muscles, and at night or after a hot bath i would get a pretty painful histamine (i think) reaction, i found peppermint oil (only a few drops, preferably diluted in a carrier oil - like olive, hemp, almond) really helped cool and soothe the itching, and i presume it increases blood flow which perhaps helped 'clean out' the area as it absorbed. It works very quickly. Beware around sensitive areas because it feels like liquid nitrogen and can actually have you shivering. I mention it as a quick fix because when it happens, you're willing to try anything! Also, making into a spray may help handle hot flashes.

 

[Chu]

I'm sorry to hear that you are going through this, Menrva!!

Have you tried the cold showers/baths? It says in one of the articles you posted that one gets cold intolerance, but maybe that therapy can help strengthen the immune system, if you can adapt to the cold gently? For the rash, you may also want to take some probiotics for extra support.

Some of those symptoms can be due to inflammation, so, following the ketogenic diet strictly for a while, plus the cold therapy, can only help, I think.

For adrenal fatigue, there is also the protocol with very low doses of hydrocortisone.

FWIW.

 

[Meg]

I would add rashes too. They appeared on my legs. The primrose oil took care of them. Mine looked somewhat like this, but not as severe. They happened mostly at night and went away in about 1/2 an hour after I'd wake up.

Just scanning this thread, i suffered rashes due to an accident that messed up my muscles, and at night or after a hot bath i would get a pretty painful histamine (i think) reaction, i found peppermint oil (only a few drops, preferably diluted in a carrier oil - like olive, hemp, almond) really helped cool and soothe the itching, and i presume it increases blood flow which perhaps helped 'clean out' the area as it absorbed. It works very quickly. Beware around sensitive areas because it feels like liquid nitrogen and can actually have you shivering. I mention it as a quick fix because when it happens, you're willing to try anything! Also, making into a spray may help handle hot flashes.

I'll give it a shot. Thanks Itellsya.

I'm sorry to hear that you are going through this, Menrva!!

Have you tried the cold showers/baths? It says in one of the articles you posted that one gets cold intolerance, but maybe that therapy can help strengthen the immune system, if you can adapt to the cold gently? For the rash, you may also want to take some probiotics for extra support.

Some of those symptoms can be due to inflammation, so, following the ketogenic diet strictly for a while, plus the cold therapy, can only help, I think.

For adrenal fatigue, there is also the protocol with very low doses of hydrocortisone.

FWIW.

Thanks Chu. Yes, I am cold showering. My cold tolerance goes back and forth, but I am persisting. Night sweats can be caused by cold showering/therapy also.

The rashes stopped when I started taking Primrose oil, but probiotics can't hurt.

I think I am definitely still inflamed. I am adding Salmon oil at night. I'll give tumeric tea and the low dose hydrocortisone a shot also. My diet is pretty low carb, but based on what I have been reading, ditching them completely will help a lot.

 

[Bluefyre]

A book I found very enlightening when I was going through this was Hormone Heresy, available at -http://www.amazon.com/Hormone-Heresy-Women-About-Hormones/dp/0958725209. It's been about 4 years now. My body just completely stopped the periods, there was no tapering off, with one last hurrah about a year after I stopped. I felt no sense of loss, just so happy that I didn't have to deal with it anymore. I never had children, so didn't feel the sense of loss cited in the articles. The only symptom I had in perimenaupose was the incontinence until I read this book. She talks about progesterone cream. I lived in the US at the time and could order it. In Canada you need a prescription from a doctor, but I was pretty much past it when I moved back in 2006. Also discovering I had celiac disease, changing my diet and adding magnesium made a world of difference. From what I remember, the uterus produces less progesterone as we go into perimenopause and that can contribute to the mood swings and all the other symptoms. The book gives very clear instructions for how to use it. You rub it into the places where the skin is thinner, inner thighs, belly, inside of upper arms, alternating sites, as I recall and only for certain days of the cycle.

I always had very painful periods, would take codeine if I could get my hands on it to knock myself out for the first few hours. Knowing about the severe magnesium deficiency sooner would probably have helped. The author is a lay person, did research because she didn't like the information or lack thereof available from doctors, so it's very readable and understandable without a lot of terminology and jargon.

 

[Ask-Seek-Knock]

Thank you! Thank you! To everyone that provided information on this thread. My mom went through menopause at 40 and my sister is now going through it, also at 40. I just turned 39 and I am starting to get the perimenopause systems. This thread is super helpful. Thanks so much everyone!

 

[Nancy2feathers]

When I went trough perimenopause I used wild yam root in the form of a salve to ease hot flashes and mood swings. I found it very helpful in making the transition. Apparently wild yam root is a natural form of progesterone and can hep balance out estrogen levels.

Here is an article I found that might be helpful.

Natural Progesterone: Questions and Answers
John R. Lee, M.D. and Jerilyn C. Pryor, M.D.

John R. Lee, MD, has successfully treated female patients with natural progesterone cream for over 15 years. Dr. Lee has defined the signs of progesterone deficiency for women over 35 years of age to include swollen breasts, depression, low thyroid, fibrocystic breasts, water retention, weight gain, and loss of libido.
Jerilyn C. Pryor, MD, an endocrinology professor at the University of British Columbia, found through testing that 50 per cent of the women in North America are severely deficient in progesterone by age 35 and that, during the menopausal years, progesterone levels decrease to almost zero while estrogen levels only decrease by 40 to 60 per cent. Dr. Lee defines this syndrome as "estrogen dominance." When this hormonal imbalance occurs, the estrogen becomes toxic to the body. Treatment with natural progesterone restores the balance between these two main female hormones, eliminating the need for synthetic hormone therapy, and the undesirable side effects.

Natural Woman Essential Body Cream
The most effective method of restoring physiologic, equivalent to normal body function, progesterone levels is with the proper supplementation of transdermally applied natural progesterone. Products of Nature's Natural Woman Essential Body Cream is a technologically advanced light, greaseless, moisturizing formulation containing 960 mg. of natural progesterone in a hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic (won't clog pores) aloe vera base, free of colors and fragrance.

What is application of natural progesterone cream?
Natural progesterone (derived from the Mexican wild yam root) in a moisturizing cream can be applied to the face, hands, chest, abdomen, inner arms, inner thighs, and in cases of osteoporosis, to the entire trabecular spine. The cream is readily absorbed and leaves no trace after a few minutes. During absorption the cream bypasses the liver and goes to specific receptor sites where progesterone is needed. When the action is completed, residue is then excreted from the body. Absorption rate varies from person to person as does the relative need for progesterone.

Please Note: Everyone is different. Some women require more progesterone cream to help alleviate symptoms, while others can use less. For the first 3 months, use one 2 oz. jar per month. Then try cutting back on the amount of natural progesterone each month. If symptoms return, resume previous usage. It is important to stop using progesterone cream at least five days each month.

How do I know if I should use progesterone?
If you have PMS symptoms. PMS symptoms are those symptoms which occur consistently a week or 10 days before the period and stop with or shortly thereafter.
If you have Estrogen Dominance symptoms. These symptoms are water retention, breast swelling, fibrocystic breast, uterine fibroid, loss of libido, mood swings, depression, craving for sweets, and weight gain, fat deposited at hips and thighs.
If you have menopausal symptoms. Estrogen continues to be produced from the fat in cells even after menopause; however, progesterone production virtually ends. Hot flashes are the most prominent symptoms of menopause.
Osteoporosis. Women over 50 years of age should use natural progesterone cream to prevent osteoporosis.

When do I use natural progesterone cream?
If you are still menstruating, use one-quarter teaspoon of cream twice a day after ovulation (which is generally 12-14 days from the first day of menstrual flow. You do not need natural progesterone while menstruating; however, if you experience menstrual cramps try rubbing a small amount of cream on the lower abdomen. For migraines, rub cream on back of your neck.
If you have menopausal symptoms and are still menstruating, use one-quarter teaspoon cream twice per day beginning with the 8th day from day one of menstruation onset until the next menstruation cycle begins.
If you have menopausal symptoms and are not menstruating; have osteoporosis or for prevention of osteoporosis, use based on calendar month. Use one-quarter teaspoon twice per day beginning on the 6th day of each calendar month and continue for the remainder of the month.

What exactly is natural progesterone and how does it differ from synthetic progesterone?
Natural progesterone, a cholesterol derivative, comes from the Mexican yam. It matches exactly the chemical formulation of the body's own progesterone. Manufacturers alter the chemical makeup of progesterone in order to create progestins. Progestins in their altered molecular structure may cause many side effects, such as birth defects or abortion, fluid retention, epilepsy, migraine, asthma, cardiac or kidney dysfunction and depression.

Can natural progesterone help with endometriosis or fibrocystic breast?
There are many factors that affect both of these conditions, one common factor being a higher level of circulation estrogen, indicating a hormonal imbalance. Progesterone is the precursor hormone and it helps to normalize all other endocrine and hormonal activity in the body. In this case, assisting to lower the level of estrogen in the body and thus, possibly helping to clear these conditions.

Do natural hormones help vaginal dryness?
Vaginal dryness can occur in women of all ages for various reasons, but it is primarily present in post menopausal women. Natural hormones in a cream base can be used intravaginally and has been very successful in treating vaginal dryness and vulvar atrophy associated with aging.

Should estrogen be used without natural progesterone?
Definitely not. It is very important that natural progesterone be used with any form of estrogen. Estrogen without progesterone can cause endometrial and vaginal carcinomas. Estrogen blocks thyroid production and causes water retention; and it can cause fibrocystic breast disease and even fibroid tumors and cysts in the ovary area.

Do I need a prescription for natural hormones?
No. Natural hormones in a cream or oil base comes from Mexican yams which is technically a food product.
I am already taking hormones from my doctor, why should I switch to natural hormones?
Natural hormones are simply an alternative to hormone replacement therapy. Synthetic progesterone (known as progestins) has many side effects, and synthetic estrogen can be dangerous to your health, especially if taken without any progesterone. If someone is taking both synthetic estrogen and progestins, a gradual step is to substitute natural progesterone cream; and gradually reduce the synthetic estrogen. (Reduce estrogen by one-half and continue to reduce over 90 days until discontinued use).

I'm post menopausal, will I start menstruating again if I use natural hormones?
Occasionally, upon beginning use of natural hormone supplement, a post menopausal woman could experience some breakthrough bleeding, or a "period.' This is a perfectly normal response and is nothing to cause alarm. The progesterone is simply causing the body to rid itself of excess stored estrogen which can sometimes stimulate a uterine shedding - thus breakthrough bleeding. If this continues for longer than several months you should consult a physician.

I have facial hair, especially above my upper lip, that requires shaving occasionally. What causes this?
This is a condition called "hirsutism' (defined as excessive growth of facial and body hair). It indicates that there is a hormonal imbalance between estrogen, testosterone (the dominant male hormone) and progesterone. Progesterone acts as a regulator for the entire endocrine system. A woman who has the hirsute problem probably has PMS too. Both menopausal and menstruating women have reported that facial hair (and body hair) decreased or completely disappeared after three to six months of regular application of cream twice a day. Natural progesterone is needed to effect proper hormonal balance.

Is natural progesterone useful for hysterectomized, oophorectomized and menopausal women?
Yes. Many women experience hot flashes following premenopausal hysterectomy oophorectomy (complete removal of ovaries), and in the beginning of the natural onset of menopause. The cream which contains natural progesterone is effective for relieving symptoms of hot flashes. Most women have reported a complete cessation of flushing within 3 to 8 weeks.

Is natural progesterone indicated for osteoporosis?
Many medical authorities tell female patients who are post-menopausal that osteoporosis is inevitable. A physician in Mill Valley, California, John R. Lee, has proven that this often repeated statement is simply untrue. The results of his ongoing clinical study with 68 women is noteworthy. All have experienced new bone density ranging from 5 to 40 percent for women who have used natural progesterone cream from 6 to 48 months. His results also indicated this therapy is successful even several decades after menopause. One of his patients, who is 82 years of age and has been using natural progesterone cream for four years, has a greater than 40 percent new bone density as proven dualphoton absorptiometry. Dr. Lee has proven that osteoporosis is not only preventable, but is also reversible in most cases.

Can I use natural progesterone if there is family history of breast or uterine cancer?
Yes, it is recommended. Breast cancer and endometrial cancer are two cancers that are related in some way or other to gonadal hormones. They occur in tissues sensitive to these hormones. Unopposed estrogen is the only known cause of endometrial cancer though there may be other factors involved. Estrogen, or at least one or more of the various estrogens, are thought to contribute to breast cancer.

Are there any other benefits of natural progesterone use?
Additional benefits fro women include: improved brain function, diminished muscular aches and pains, improvement of skin problems including acne, seborrhea, rosacea, psoriasis and keratoses, and improved sleep pattern.

Recommended Reading
Lee, John R., M.D. with Virginia Hopkins. What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause.
The Breakthrough Book on Natural Progesterone. New York: Warner Books, 1996.
(800) 272-2323 • International Center for Nutritional Research, Inc. • Copyright © 1996-2013 • 1024 • 11/27/2012

 

[Gwenllian]

Thanks for this thread, Menrva! And others who have also contributed.

If I remember correctly in another thread of yours Laura recommended raspberry leaf tea. I have been drinking it for a few months now (with a few breaks in between) and I do think it helps. Have you tried it?
Found this also interesting:

Many women stop menstruating at some point during their 40s or 50s with little or no discomfort or disturbance of their lives, while others experience depression, irregular menstruation, excessively heavy periods amounting almost to haemorrhage, hot flushes, insomnia and other symptoms for long periods of time, sometimes several years. The progress of menopause does not seem to relate in any predictable way to previous menstrual history, childbearing, marriage or celibacy. It has been suggested that women with a career, or other sources of personal satisfaction are less likely to suffer depression and physical symptoms, while those who have devoted themselves to childrearing and housework are more likely to be affected as the physical changes often coincide with the time when children are leaving home. However I have seen many cases which make nonsense of this theory. ...
Many of the essential oils which help with menstrual irregularities earlier in life can be used to minimise the physical problems. In particular Geranium which is a hormonal balancer and Rose, which tones and cleanses the uterus and helps to regulate the menstrual cycle. Camomile is another oil which is often found helpful, being gently calming, soothing and antidepressant.

She also mentions oestrogenic oils, such as Clary Sage, Fennel and Star Anise...

One could also use acupressure, apparently. I have got two books here written by Michael Reed Gach and he mentions several points that help with perimenopause and menopause.

I think I have entered perimenopause, hence the raspberry leaf tea.:)
I will also be very glad when I stop menstruating. I am getting really tired of these periods, but maybe that is just part of the cycle of letting go, I don't know.

 

[Meg]

Thanks for this thread, Menrva! And others who have also contributed.

If I remember correctly in another thread of yours Laura recommended raspberry leaf tea. I have been drinking it for a few months now (with a few breaks in between) and I do think it helps. Have you tried it?

I did try it. I seemed to make it worse. More moodiness, saddness. I've tried it periodically, and it has the same effect. So far, the supplements I am taking are working wonderfully. Fingers crossed :)

 

[Skyfarmr]

Hey Menrva,
Thought I'd throw my two cents in, since I've been experiencing remarkable and unexpected relief from my menopause symptoms after being on Dr. Hulda Clark's parasite cleanse program.

It's outlined in her book "Cure for All Cancers". My husband and I went on it prophylactic-ally after finding out our newly acquired rescue dog was not UTD with shots and worming; he was positive for hookworm and roundworm (ascaris). After a few weeks now, we're just about ready to drop back to the maintenance dose (once a week, for life), and I realized it had been a long time since waking up to throw covers off (night sweats), or having hot flashes and emotional melt downs.

Not sure what to attribute the drastic reduction of these pesky symptoms to, but according to Dr Clark, ascaris can cause night sweats along with a host of other emotional and physical side effects. Maybe it's the ascaris going through estrogen/progesterone withdrawals :/ ?...

One of the parasite cleanse herbs is green Black Walnut Tincture(BWT), which is really high in iodine... maybe the organic source of iodine has something to do with the abatement of symptoms, as well. Fortunately, our (green) black walnuts have been falling for the last few weeks and I've been able to make a lot of this stuff for the coming year. Dr. Clark's recipe for green BWT provides your tincture will keep for years.

Also in this cleanse is wormwood and fresh ground cloves, both encapsulated, and L-Cysteine and ozonated olive oil. We haven't been taking the L-Cysteine that long and am still waiting for my water/oil ozonator to show up, so I can't attribute those to my menopause symptoms abatement.

Another benefit I've noticed is that my body seems to adapt to sudden temp swings better. The cool air actually feels refreshing, rather than bone-chilling, which is GREAT now that I have a dog to walk.

Here's one site that gives Dr Clark's protocol for the parasite cleanse. I'm sure there are others.
http://sbherbalremedies.com/The-Parasites-Cleanse-14.html

 

[Gwenllian]

Thanks for this thread, Menrva! And others who have also contributed.

If I remember correctly in another thread of yours Laura recommended raspberry leaf tea. I have been drinking it for a few months now (with a few breaks in between) and I do think it helps. Have you tried it?

I did try it. I seemed to make it worse. More moodiness, saddness. I've tried it periodically, and it has the same effect. So far, the supplements I am taking are working wonderfully. Fingers crossed :)

That's good to know, I have heard great things about the evening primrose oil. That rash looks awful and it reminds me a bit of a heat rash? When I was in Africa and when it was about 40-45 degrees Celsius my skin went crazy. Maybe these night sweats have the same effect? Could there be some serious detoxing going on as well?
I still drink raspberry leaf tea, but I make sure I take a break every three weeks or so. Herbs aren't as innocent as they seem. Interesting that it made things worse for you.