Menopause/hotflashes, probiotics, maca

Bless you heart. I've never had any hot flashes. For I while (10 years, I'm slow) I took bio identical hormones like Suzanne Sommers talks about in her books. Finally I had some blood work done after my doctor said, "let go of the feather dumbo, you can fly!" And found out that it was all a con. My hormone levels were they same whether I was taking them or not, i had spent $20,000.00. So sad. Now I take prempro. Good Luck!

WEll, I have them too. All the time. Especially in the afternoons. I am getting use to them. I thought too, that with the EXTREME changes in my diet and exercise they would calm a lot, but that was what I got for thinking! LOL
I was on HRT for about 7 months but that was just temporary as my doc just wanted to sort of adjust me. He is not a fan and knows that HRT causes cancer or at least there is a significant number of woman on those pills that get cancer, especially breast.
So , he took me off. I pissed and moaned, but he really wants me to go the natural route and I am taking evestrel, natural hormones. They have helped a bit but I STILL have a ton of HF's.
I have never tried the other things you mentioned.
I think it is just one of those things we have to deal with. And being not as overweight, I really do not suffer like I use to. PLUS all the depression is gone. I had hotflashes and lots of HEAVY depression. That did go away.

good luck honey. I know how you feel there!

Hot flashes just started for me in the last month or so. I was hoping these things were something we only had to suffer for a short time! Reading some of y'all's posts I gather they can go on for years?!?

I have really bad hot flashes and have been taking Evamist for the past couple of years. I love that stuff!!!! I don't currently have insurance so it's $100 a month but so worth it!

My cousin uses some OTC drops that go under your tongue that she gets from a specialty pharmacy.

I hope you get some relief :flowerforyou:

I suffered mightily from hot flashes. The only thing that helped was extract of rhubarb; I had to get it from a naturopath. It didn't get rid of them, but they were less severe.,

When I found myself awake all night long because of night sweats I began getting depressed, and started HRT. It has made a huge difference for me. I am well aware of the risks, but sleeping is more important than I ever knew.

Yes, I've had hot flashes for 15 years. recently I started taking probiotics for digestive issues and haven't had a single hot flash for about a week. I'm taking culturelle which is lactobacillis GG, a very specific probiotic which costs about a dollar a day. I also feel better in general. it's only been a week but hopefully will continue. I also take a prebiotic, fiber choice, and eat fruit and nuts when I take the probiotic. Hope this helps.

Maybe this is why I have not had too many hot flashes, I take like 2 probiotics a day. I do get night sweats and become hormonal. My weight loss and slowed greatly this month. I was going to look into the cheapest OTC I could find to try.

Good luck.

I started having hotflashes about 6 (yes, !) years ago and had them every ten minutes with hives that also burned and felt like someone was jabbing me with needles, in July no less. After 2 years of suffering I was put on estradiol and zyrtec. Problem solved. Then, I found out that I have a genetic mutation that predisposes me to blood clots, so goodbye estradiol! Cold turkey. The hotflashes came back with a vengeance along with horrible night sweats. It sucked and still does!I'm now taking Estroven Energy and it works for me a lot better than the plain Estroven. I still have hotflashes but the night sweats are gone and the hives are still under control. Thank God for that. Maybe you can try it again? I also eat roasted soybeans and sometimes Silk Light chocolate soymilk, and they seem to help the hotflashes a little.
Now if I could figure out how to have a hotflash when I'm freezing. I can never make that happen. grrrrr
One odd fact for me is that I never have one while working out or for hours afterwards. Usually mine strike if I get overheated with a coat on or at the precise moment that I'm in bed and JUST get warm. It's so annoying!
Thank you for your post!

Edited to add: My Dr. told me that the symptoms would get worse with weightloss because your fat hangs onto estrogen and when you lose the fat, the estrogen goes with it. I believe that to be true for me, but I'd much rather have hotflashes -40lbs than to have them when I was heavier.

One odd fact for me is that I never have one while working out or for hours afterwards. Usually mine strike if I get overheated with a coat on or at the precise moment that I'm in bed and JUST get warm. It's so annoying!

Thats exactly what happens to me!! If i get warm walking to work wearing a coat, i sweat for hours afterwards, and frequently wake up dripping with sweat, but the dr has done blood tests and says its not menopause related - i'm 44. But its been happening for about 2 years! The only advantage is that i can turn my heating down for a few hours most days because i get ridiculously hot otherwise!!

I got rid of my hot flashes using Kefir, you have to make it yourself and drink a glass every day and they should vanish within a couple of weeks, I discovered this by accident. I know it works because if i stop taking it or have to have a course of anti-biotics then they return straight away and go again once I resume the kefir intake. Hope this helps you ladies because I tried everything and nothing else works, but this does!