Thoughts on getting old vs aging

mainelylisa wrote: »

Can you be more specific about the post-menopausal and aging symptoms you're experiencing? Hormone therapy can work out fine for some people, but there are certain things it's common to attribute to menopause or aging that can be improved in other ways, as well. Bodies are complicated! :flowerforyou:

Hi @AnnPT77 First of all, congrats on beating the big C! And awesome you support others.

I think I'm experiencing classical symptoms--mentioned most of them (that I'm willing to mention publicly--hah!) I'm going to be careful with the hormones--get a full panel, etc. Learned that skin issues are often related to gut/IBS issues, so also looking for some supplements and possible food removal. But def open to additional measures if you have any suggestions.

I'm going to say some things about supplements, but will preface that by saying you really should have blood tests for deficiencies as a starting point, because it is possible to overdose some micronutrients (especially fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, K, and some minerals). Also I am not a medical professional, so what I'm intending to do here is suggest things you could look into, and review with your actual doctor. Some are obviously completely harmless, but for anything with even slight risk factors, please talk with your doctor!

For hot flashes:
* Some people are helped by supplementing B6, E (research support is mixed)
* Some research suggests hot flashes are related to a change in what amounts to our "internal thermostat", so that we over-respond to small changes in external temperature. Therefore, avoiding externally-caused warmth can minimize the number of flashes (so dressing lightly for the conditions, and in layers with attention to removing layers before getting really hot), drinking cool drinks in warm weather, avoiding direct hot sun when possible, and that sort of thing.
* At night, a cooled gel pack (from your local drugstore) can be a help for a period of time each night; under one's neck near the major blood vessels may be especially good; use a towel over the pack if it's too cold for direct contact.
* Cooling bandanas or headbands may help (the kind with crystals inside, that you soak in water, maybe even refrigerate, then wear).
* Some studies have shown benefits from acupuncture for hot flashes. Others have not. Probably not injurious to try, if available.
* Lots of us cancer people carry a paper fan. People don't stare as much as you'd think.
* Obesity/overweight and smoking, according to research, increase hot flashes.
* In most people, hot flashes decline over time.
* Some of the interventions (like bandanas, gel packs, etc., take a bit of time to work - try for a couple of weeks if tolerable, before giving up.
* There's some evidence that serotonin is involved in hot flashes. While I suspect your doctor wouldn't recommend it (in a person for whom HRT isn't severely contraindicated), if you need treatment for other issues, SSRIs might have benefits for the hot flashes as well.

Sleep:
* Rule out or treat other (non-menopausal) sleep issues. I'd always been a good sleeper, but had sleep interruption insomnia after cancer treatment/menopause (I can't separate the two, because chemotherapy put me in menopause). I was diagnosed with sleep apnea (and still have it, after weight loss). I assume I'd had it previously, but at a threshold level where it didn't show up until the post-chemo/post-menopause effect was stacked on top.
* At the risk of invoking a woo-factor: Hypnotherapy, from a licensed psychologist, helped my sleep more than almost any other intervention I tried, and I pretty much tried them all. I'm science oriented and skeptical, but was at my wits's end from lack of sleep, so tried it. I didn't get 100% resolution, but it helped. (There's also research suggesting that targeted hypnotherapy helps some women with hot flashes, BTW).
* Magnesium supplemenation helps some people. (Also can help if constipation is part of the gut issues.)
* Consider the nature of your sleep problems. If it's hot-flashes-related, then of course working on hot flashes may help. If it's waking up and not being able to go back to sleep (or failing to get to sleep initially) because of cycling cognitive activity (whirling thoughts, etc.), then cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) may help. So may a meditation practice, or guided imagery/meditation recordings or apps. (There's some limited evidence of those practices helping hot flashes, as well.)

Related to sexual function:
If vaginal dryness is a factor, of course try gels and lubricants. If hormones are needed, prescription intra-vaginal hormone creams or inserts can minimize systemic estrogens, for people concerned about them.

Diet:
* Some benefit from avoiding spicy foods and/or caffeine
* Some report benefits from foods containing phytoestrogens (plant estrogens). Soy foods, per most current research, seem to be safe even for cancer survivors like me, up to a couple of normal servings daily (and perhaps more - it's just that evidence is limited for higher levels); safety of soy isoflavone supplements in the post-cancer group is not established.
* Good overall nutrition is a always a good plan, of course, including the wide range of varied/colorful veggies and fruits.
* Sometimes digestive issues are helped by probiotic foods as a regular part of eating, alongside prebiotic foods (Probiotic foods are the fermented foods, such as live-culture yogurt, kefir, kombucha, miso, raw sauerkraut/kimchi, etc. Prebiotic foods are certain types of mostly veggies that contain human-indigestible fiber that one's gut bugs like to eat - probably best to google for ideas, because they're diverse and you'd want to pick things you like/tolerate well. I like jicama, onions (and others in the family like garlic, leeks, etc.), aspargus, apples . . . ).

Other supplements:
* Mixed evidence for value or safety of other "natural" treatments, like Black Cohosh, Red Clover, etc., in food or supplement form. Examine.com is a good neutral and research-based site for learning about evidence for supplements for this and other things, but some of their reports will be for subscribers only (that's their business model; they don't accept outside advertising).

Other issues:
Have you been tested for proper thyroid function (normal TSH, but also full panel to look at T3/T4 conversion)? Hypothyroidism is extremely common among women as we age (I have it), and some of the symptoms you report are also hypthyroidism symptoms. My joint stiffness/pain, in particular was relieved by treating my thyroid condition, and digestive issues (I've been diagnosed with IBS-C) improved.

Repeating what I said at the beginning: I am not a health professional. I am not qualified to give you health advice. Do not supplement vitamins/minerals without deficiency testing (taking them now may make future deficiency tests invalid/inaccurate). Consult with your doctor or a registered dietition about significant dietary changes or supplements, let alone actual medications.

The above is some of what I can think of off the top of my head, that you could look into, within those caveats. Hope you're able to find some solutions, be that HRT or other strategies!

@Wiseandcurious I echo your gratitude towards @AnnPT77 . Thank you very much. I'll def look into these things that I'm not familiar with, and get testing whenever I can do that again. I will say that I've cut out alcohol for now, but not willing to cut spicy nor coffee. I LIVE for spice!