Menopause

[Joni]

I went into menopause after a radiation treatement last year. There was no time to prepare and I didn's know much about it. I am now noticing rapid changes in my body. I don't have any flashes for some reason though. Does anyone have any advise on herbs and vitamins for menopausal women for health and anti-aging? I am planning on getting some books about it too, if anyone can recommend any goods ones, I'd appreciate it also. Thank you for any info you can provide. Joni

 

[Phoebe]

Calcium.
B12.
Folic Acid.

 

[wildernesse]

Before you begin taking any kind of herbal remedy or vitamin, you should speak to your doctor. Especially if you are taking other medicines.

Herbs and other dietary supplements are not regulated by law, and their quality and effectiveness vary immensely. There are no laws that require herbs sold over the counter to be effective or safe.

If you and your doctor decide that taking an herbal remedy is right for you, the best thing to do would be to read all that you can about the purported effects of the remedy and get your herbs from a local, skilled herbalist--not off the shelf at Walmart or the drugstore.

European countries, like Germany, do test herbal remedies in the same way that the FDA tests drugs here in the US. If you were serious about taking something, then you should see if you can hunt up scientific studies and trials about the herbal remedy you would like to use.

Something that most people ignore is the effect that good nutrition can have on our bodies. You might want to visit with a licensed nutritionist/dietician to see if your body has different needs at this stage in your life and if you need to modify you diet accordingly.

I hope that you have good spirits as you go throught this time in your life.
--tibac

 

[Joni]

Very souns advise! I should find a doctor and a nutritionst who understand those things before I start doing anything on my own.

 

[loribee59]

I had surgical menopause, and soon after my surgery, my doctor put me on "Estridol" patch, which made me gain water weight up to 15 pounds within two months! Soon after, I was prescribed blood pressure pills to take out the water weight gain, what my patch put in. LOL I was really miserable, and after being on the patch for 6.5 months, I quit. I hated the way my body felt, and plus, it was very hard on my body as well; particularly arthritis in both knees.

After I quit the patch, I allowed my body to absorb the remaining medication, and let it run its course. Soon, I was experiencing hot flashes a week before Christmas! LOL I let my body "heal" for another month, and started taking black cohosh for the hot flash/nightsweats. But I was concerned about the bone density and my heart health. But I didn't want to take prescribed medications that I know would damage my body. And I certainly don't want animal-based hormones, either! (I find that animal-based hormones caused water weight gain, and possibly is the cause of most female cancers...which is the reason I quit, because of family history of breast cancer)

Did a some online research for alternative hormones, and found that plant-based hormones is better than NO hormones. I found one product (and yes, it's from Walmart) that helped me quite a bit: called "New Phase" that is entirely plant-based and had other herbs for bone/heart health and it also helps with the mood/irritability.

Now, mind you, I will NOT push this on you; this is entirely up to you...you do what you feel fits YOU best. I'm just sharing what I went through. Also, my doctor told me to keep taking hormones til I hit 50, then I allow my body to go through "menopause" DUH..I'm already going through it! LOL But her reasoning is, that you don't need to be on hormones forever; it's only temporary til you're not experiencing menopause anymore. Please, God...let it stop when I'm 50..!! LOL

Hope it helps...

~loribee59