I used soy isoflavins, still do.

didn't get too much heat, but I did learn to wear sleeveless tops, lightweight clothes, use cool cotton sheets & pillowcases, do my hottest jobs early in the morning, wear sandals.

There's a fabric product whose name I forget (see, it affects us all differently: I think I could stand the hot flashes better than the loss of my mind!) that's made into pajamas for hot ladies.

Maybe someone else knows?

and don't get one of the "sleep number" beds or anything of the sort:
one of my friends got one, & she says the darn thing wraps around her & heats her up even more!

Nobody likes my answers.I'll give em anyway....Exercise,especially Yoga helps control hormones and raises all the chemicals in your body that elevate mood. Lots of water. Um.... eat lots of fruits and vegies except spinach. PJ

To add to what PJ said, pay attention to what you're eating and drinking. A co-worker had a hysterectomy, and went through sudden onset menopause (I just made that term up - it's not an official medical term, but it could play one on t.v. hee-hee) complete with hot flashes. Anyway, she used to drink diet coke all the time, every day. For some reason, she went without them, and her hot flashes stopped. She drank one, and they returned. It was clear to her that the diet cokes contributed to the hot flashes. Maybe it was the aspertame, but who knows. That's not to say giving up diet soda will cure hot flashes, but it worked for her. Everyone has their own sensitivities. That's why I suggest paying attention to what you eat.

Good luck.

Sally

Because of advanced ostoporosis & a hysterectomy 20+ years ago I still have to take estrogen in a small dose. I also take black cohash capsules 2 X a day and soy. Try the black cohash, you should get some relief in just a couple weeks.

Complete agreement with black cohosh and yoga.
They have worked wonders for my 'girl issues' and helped with the back pain.

My DH and I gave up carbonation 6 weeks ago on a recomendation by his gastro-doc. It is shocking how much better we feel! His blood pressure dropped, lost 6 pounds and he refuses to drink anything with bubbles ever again.

Heck fire girl, I just thought you were in the garden crying over the hydrangeas again.
PJ you would suggest exercise! I walk the dogs & garden,isn't that enough?
Sally you are actually right, sudden onset menopause IS a medical term. Heck you can be a Doctor now!
I try and try to give up Pepsi. It's a life-long addiction. I get down to 1 or even weeks and then.....it MAKES me drink it, I swear, it holds a gun to my head. If I ever do quit the company will go broke!

Good luck. Don't overdo it on the soy though.
Tally HO!

My boss gave up Dr. Pepper, something he was very addicted to, and started drinking ice tea. It's kind of too bad for us employees, cause we could easily bribe him, or soften the blow if we did messed up, by bringing him a Dr. Pepper. Somehow, an ice tea just doesn't seem to have the same bribery impact.

Wow, I can be a doctor now?, Oh, boy! Lets see, the trick to being a doctor is to meet with the drug pushers, uh, I mean salespeople, and then find out from them how to treat the various illnesses, and then spend 5 minutes, at most, with the patient telling them what the drug salespeople told them to say. Oh, and take home a huge paycheck. Have I about got it?

Here's a link to info about black cohosh.

Here is a link that might be useful: Black Cohosh info

YOU ARE A DOCTOR! I KNEW IT! Don't forget to whine to the nurses about your vacation in the South Pacific because they didn't make your fish the way you want it. OH, and bring the nurses the leftover wedding cake from your wedding, that you didn't invite them to, from 3 weeks ago. Tally HO!

Oh, you mean the wedding in Vegas? ;-)

Sally

This works, take it from some-one who had a total hysterectomy, couldn't take HRT, almost had nervous breakdown. Hot flashes every 20 min. This is a miracle.
Hot Flash Cocktail.
400 Vit.e
500-600 mg.calcium Citrate
200 mg. magnesium citrate
500 mg.vit.C bioflavoniods
omega 3 fatty acids
5hrt..(miracle) I get Natrol brand walmart.One a day
It took 5 weeks to work.I feel great. Hot Flashes gone.

I wasn't having hot flashes, but I was having night sweats. Couldn't sleep with the AC above 65. I tried Estroven, which said it would take several weeks to work, but it worked for me right away. I haven't taken it in a while and still have night sweats but they are not as severe. However, I'm just pre-menopausal, not in full swing... For some reason it also helped me to get to sleep quicker. It's just an over the counter herbal, vitamin thing.

If there is a local Curves for Women place near you, they have a magazine they give to their members and it has a lot of excellent information about perimenopause, etc. and all the symptoms, ways to reduce the symptoms, etc. Go in and ask if you could have a copy. Information can be found at the link below. I workout there and have read the articles through a couple times - very good information. The workout is good too.

Here is a link that might be useful: Curves

I had the sudden onset, otherwise known as instant menopause! I'm on HRT and very happy with it. I'm still warm though. I used to be the coldest person in the room. Now I don't really notice. Heat doesn't bother me and neither does cold. Never had a single symptom. Thank you premarin! My doc is a gyn-oncologist and leader in gyn research so if he says HRT I take HRT.
Tally Ho!

I finally went on HRT. Like Tally, I'm still warm. Before menopause, I was so cold blooded that I couldn't sleep with the a/c on, no matter how hot it was. (My poor family)

I did find that humid weather was the worst hot flash culprit. I was literally a barometer. I would go nuts telling my family, "Either it's going to rain in 24 hours or I'm going crazy".

I tried all sorts of things, but nothing worked. Last winter was the last straw. My family was freezing, while I refused to let them turn on the heat.

I hope that you are feeling better now that the humidity has gone down.

Also, watch out for central heating during the winter. The sudden change from a cold to hot environment can trigger hot flashes.

I found that night sweats occured most often during cold nights. If my body thought it was "cold" , it would keep heating itself while I was asleep.

Their's also the Book ( The Wisdom of Menopause ) by,
Christiane Northrup M.D. I bought it to get more Information of what's ahead. Just wanted to share, today.

I've got the best cure to help with hot flashes - Koolabandas! Follow this link to see what I'm talking about:

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Koolabanda

Here is a link that might be useful: Koolabandas

I take black cohosh, and have about 1 yr.. How long does this mess last???? These things are a pain. the cohosh does help though.
I am sure not a DoC though.
Deb

I am new over here, but wanted to chime in with my experiences. I am thru it and have the following advice.

Most important is: don't assume every symptom is due to menopause, pre, mid or post. I did and had some dr's that said my symptoms were exactly that. Later, I was discovered to have a major B-12 deficiency which caused a lot of nerve damage because it went undetected.

I did take Estroven (OTC) and it helped alot with hot flashes. Finally, I got on hrt, a very low dose, was on it a very short time and was weened gradually off of it and that helped alot. Also, I found the coolest nightgowns possible, nothing with sleeves nor high collar.

For tired: take a nap. Even 10 minutes helps. For weepy: just cry. Get it out. For hot: take a cold shower, swim, cold compress to your forehead/neck, or cold water to the wrists. Take NO drugs. NO herbs. Menopause is natural. Drugs and herbs are not. Your symptoms will pass.

I don't know how long menopause is supposed to last, but I started having hot flashes in 99 and still have them. Eating anything with sugar in it brings them on, and also carbonated drinks. I also had the night sweats, but those are mostly gone now.

BTW I have a sleep number bed and never had a problem with it 'wrapping' around me. I like it and sleep pretty well in it most of the time. Lately there has been this little 2yo grandson sleeping between me and DH though and he is a hot flash. When I wake up now in the middle of the night, like right now, all hot and sweaty, it's because the little darling has wrapped himself around me like a wool coat, and I have to get out of bed to cool off.

I have discovered the good thing about menopause. I won't be having any more children of my own. Taking care of DGS is a joy and a priveledge, but holy smokes I am exhausted at the end of the day. It's a good exhausted, really.

I took the Estroven and it helped some. Soy helped some, but the best thing was quitting the sugar. Cheryl

I would love to hear how the OP is doing now. I found this website because I was trying to find reviews on Estroven. It seems the "Estroven?" thread that was here is now closed. Hopefully, something in my experience will help "Tired & Weepy". I had a partial hysterectomy in 2006 at the age of 42 (removal of one ovary and uterus due to innumerable fibroids). I did have "surgical menopause" symptoms following surgery, but they subsided within a few months. During the two months following recovery, I went back to my Dr. complaining of cramping and other symptoms *similar* to what I had been complaining about prior to surgery. My Dr. sent me to a specialist and I learned that, along with the fibroids (and disrupted hormones due to same), I also had IBS. IBS cramping pain and other symptoms are triggered by certain foods and above-normal stress. 5 years later, I am now having what I consider to be very serious hot flashes and night sweats - so much so that I looked into OTC remedies as I wait to find an OBGYN in my new city. I found and just started Estroven last night. Right after my surgery, I turned down all meds from my Dr. to treat "surgical menopause" and was ok until now. I have noticed a direct connection between IBS "trigger foods" and hot flashes (and for me, the trigger foods are the same for IBS and hot flashes!). The only difference is that caffeine causes cramping for people like me with IBS (my hot flashes do not come with or from cramps, but caffeine does trigger hot flashes). These are my NO foods: chocolate in any form, caffeine in any form, sugar, sweets of any kind - even fruit (but I still take in fruit), spicy food, and large meals in general. It has gotten so bad that I will start face sweating just while eating a small bag of Skittles! Last night was my first night with Estroven Extra Strength. It did give me an increased heart rate so I had difficulty sleeping. I woke up sweaty, and I only got 4 hours of sleep, but that was just the first night on it. It is morning now and I just took my Estroven pill again and am keeping a diary to track the number of times I hot flash, what I eat and what happens, and the effects of exercise. I know it takes time to work, but I am dedicated to finding relief (I, too, am weepy and cry). In the past few months I gained a little weight. I am not convinced that menopause and weight gain are foregone conclusions because I went to see my primary care Dr. in late November and told him I was trying to lose weight. He told me it wasn't going to happen as long as I was not sleeping through the night. He stated that getting a good night's rest on a regular basis is critical to weight loss. From September through late December, I was not sleeping through the night because I was nursing my dog who was dying and I would wake myself up every 3 hours to check on him. He passed away in December and then, all of a sudden, I can't sleep through the night because of night sweats onset. If I do get a lot of sleep, it's only because of a prescription sleep aid. I do believe that exercise -- I recently started again with jogging/running, swimming, Pilates, dance, and yoga -- goes a long way toward keeping hormones balanced, but lately this menopause thing has TAKEN OVER MY LIFE no matter what I do! I will report back my Estroven results. Based on the "research" I've done on the web, it seems that lots and lots of women simply can't tolerate anything - or find longstanding relief - with any supplement. I hope I'm wrong about Estroven. I need to add that after learning about fibroids and having a hysterectomy because of them, I learned to HATE estrogen. Estrogen feeds fibroids, as I understand it, and I had too much estrogen to begin with. Too much or backed-up estrogen gave me Chloasma (facial skin darkening) which was treated by Dermatologists with bleaching creams and skin peels, LONG before the accurate "cause" diagnosis was made! My OBGYN at the time was incompetent. I am so grateful for the Dr. who diagnosed the fibroids as the source of so many of the problems I had been experiencing. After the hysterectomy, my skin issues resolved themselves. She gave me a lot of information about electing to have a hysterectomy -- I would choose to do it again, I only wish I had known years earlier what my problem was. I just now have to deal with menopause -- which is what I think is happening. I'm now past the peri-menopaus part because I'm getting cold flashes following the hot flashes and night sweats. I didn't have those before. After the hysterectomy and subsequent diagnosis of IBS, I lost 15lbs. What with being unemployed right now and having recently lost my dog, I gained 10lbs. I'm hoping that with increased exercise and Estroven, I can lose the 10lbs. Right now, though, I would be utterly grateful to just sleep through the night without sweat and -omg- the occasional enuresis that has just started. Anyone else having that in menopause?! It just started. Will address it with doctor). Although I mentioned that I have a "hate" relationship with estrogen, I'm willing to try Estroven (which I understand is a plant-based product) in the event that I'm wrong (theoretically, I should now be under-producing estrogen, right?). When I see the Dr., I will explain all of this to her and if Estroven hasn't helped, I will try progesterone cream or anything the Dr recommends with the exception of HRT. I will NOT do it. One of the other symptoms I noticed last night after taking Estroven was cramping. I will not know until later today if the cramping was due to the Skittles or the Estroven (or my morning coffee which I cannot do without!). Aside -- has there been a discussion of the impact of menopause to spouses? I can no longer even sleep in the same bed with my husband because of the sweating and tossing and turning. Driving is a nightmare for us. Too hot for me, too cold for him. Even the cats don't like sleeping with me anymore. Thanks for letting me share.

I have been taking Estroven Extra strength for 5 months. What a relief! I had meno symptoms severely. Hot flashes, mood swings, panic attacks, shortness of breath, night sweats, up every two hours at night...two weeks of taking Estroven all of it was decreased by at least 50%. By 3 weeks they were completely gone and I was sleeping like a baby at night...It has been 5 months and everything is coming back with vengence! Don't understand it. This stuff was amazing in the beginning and I think I will keep taking it just in case. I would like to say that getting on anti-depresents, especially Effexor is a baddddd idea. I was on Effexor for a while and trying to get off of these drugs is a complete nightmare! The side affects are horrible and last for months even some a year. If you think meno is bad, try getting off these anti-depressents. My doc said there were no side affects. Bull!!! Read some blogs about them. Good luck!

I found this forum because I was looking for a couple answers. I have been perimenopause now for several years and while the hot flashes were not too badup until a couple weeks ago.....they have become rather intense of lately . Along with these new hot flashes has come intense nausea ...all the time!!!! I wake up feeling nauseous and hot and go to sleep the same!!! I would rather be pregnant again then this...at least pregnancy only lasts nine months ! I have just turned 40 as well...I thought 40 would be an interesting year for me but not this interesting !!! Any natural remedies suggestions would be greatly appreciative !!!

I am another proponent of Estroven (with Energy). It has really mitigated my hot flashes. I am actually am afraid of not taking it at this point because I love not having hot flashes anymore and being able to sleep. I am 52 and close to going through the change. I also exercise and do a strength (weight) training. Another supplement I take is SAMe it is supposed to help with mood. My things that I am fighting still are anxiety attacks - better on estroven and weight gain in my middle. Driving me insane - never have had back fat in my life ugghhh. Fighting this tooth and nail.

For those that take that OTC Estroven stuff, is it supposed to work right away or build up in your system? I bought the generic extra strength kind from Walmart and it did nothing for me, but then again, I only took it like 5 times and not real regular-like.