A quick note about using herbal remedies to help alleviate the symptoms of menopause and/or to boost your flagging libido and support your vaginal tissues…
Herbal supplements, for the most part, are developed and marketed in the U.S. as food stuffs. For this reason they do not require clinical studies to test their efficacy or to measure their side effects. They are also not subject to manufacturing rigor that would guarantee their potency. So I can’t promise or deny their effectiveness or safety.
At the same time, there is no doubt some of my patients have experienced some relief of their symptoms by using various supplements. Very few of the herbal products designed for menopause support are known to be harmful, and trying them yourself may be the best way to learn of any benefit. It’s your body. How these supplements work for you is really the question.
A good way to test their efficacy and safety for you is to keep a symptom journal for a week or so before starting a new supplement, and then for 12 weeks after starting it, tracking the type and severity of your symptoms and how they change over time. The accepted wisdom for herbal supplements is that 12 weeks is an adequate time to determine whether a supplement will help your symptoms or not.
There are so many supplements out there thought to support us as our hormones are changing. What has been your experience of supportive supplements? Any that have helped you? Any cautionary tales?
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Wow — thanks Barb — you are one in a million M.D.’s who will suggest and help with alternative plan to anything!! I’ve been on the testing myself plan for about 30 years — but — have not seen a clear approach to how and when to expect good or not so good change!!!
Have been very disgusted with some doctors who are trying to get vitamins and supplements onto prescriptions. They have finally woken up to the fact that not all of their patients are willing to use the heavy drugs for their problems. I went to a member of parliament in England about 40 years ago when this was tried there — and thank God – it failed. Had to laugh at their reasoning — the ‘people’ don’t know how to use these alternatives and could damage themselves. And what about the people on sleepiing pills, pain pills, who die every year. Have not heard of anyone dying of overdosing on vitamins — except the guy who turned orange when he ate too many carrots.
Also, those ‘empty’ warnings by the FDA are funny if they weren’t so obvious. They approve the prozac’s (history of suicide) and others with impunity and try to get the revenue to the doctors via of prescriptions — how bloody obvious!!!
Maybe I vented too much???
I learned much from personal experience as I went through menopause around 18 years ago. I had a rough time with little support that long ago. I also recently researched alternative methods for the menopause chapter in my book, Sex for Grownups. I’ve also lived in India where what we call alternatives are standard. The truth is, they work for some and don’t for others. I think it’s always up to the women to be a personal proactive pioneer and explorer when it comes to her own treatment. What works for one, may not work for another. I wish it were simpler than that. But, it isn’t. Tha ks for bringing up the issue, Barb.
I am using Herbal Equilibrium from Women to Women and have found complete relief from hot flashes and night sweats.
I use Remifemin. It has really helped me to deal with the hot flashes. I have not noticed any ill side effects. I highly recommend using alternative remedies.
Hi Barb,
In your practice are you doing blood test for Vitamin D levels? It is the new darling of tests as so many women are low and feel more vitality once they reach normal levels.
For those of us who are breast cancer survivors with Estrogen positive, many of the herbs are made from plant estrogens and not recommended for us. No estrogen in any form, which of course makes us all sweat! I can not resist to plug my moisture wicking sleepwear here for a dryer night sleep as a helpful tool.
I love my maca! made all the difference in the world to me. I suffered from horrendous hot flashes and sweats and after about 1-2 months of use, the flashes lessened in intensity and practically ceased. I could tell it worked because when I tried to stop taking them after a year, the hot flashes resumed although not as severe. BTW, added benefit is increased libido.
Madc, can I ask you if you still have ovaries? The reason I ask is because I was reading some recent research on Maca, and the article was saying something like Maca may work in
part because if it’s effect on the ovaries–and I don’t have any, lol! Would much appreciate finding out, as I would love to try Maca…..
Thanks much,
Leigh
yes I do have my ovaries. sorry. do some research and given they are supposed to have no bad side effects (I certainly have noticed none) you might want to try it anyway. good luck leigh
When I was going through Menopause, I was told I needed a hysterectomy. My Mother and Aunt had both gone that direction. They both had heart attacks after the surgery. I needed a different path. I chose herbal remedies and it worked very well. It took time to get the right combination and then I breezed through menopause. I am sure that different herbal remedies work different for different people, yet I found that once I had the right combination, my life became so much better. I am very thankful for a good alternative to surgery. It was amazing the difference that herbal medicine made in my going through menopause.
I was just recently told by my doc that i needed potassium because of the meds for blood pressure and before I took it I got on the computer and chhecked it out as I do with any new medication I have been given,suprising to see that some docs give it to woman to help with menopause symptoms.I cant say how well it work but I can say this … I was diadnosed with fibromyalgia 3 years ago which has gotten worse over the past 3 years,i wasnt able to run around the yard with my two goldens I would feel week and like my legs had weights on them,affraid I would fall and break some thing I didnt run with them anymore but 2 days ago I started the potassium 99 mg how weird over the counter and the second day wasnt feelin as bad as the day before but was sceptical and that night i was in the yard with my pups and started to play and felt kinda strong so i started to run and i felt strong not week and i took off so fast i shocked myself i felt like a teenager again it was amazing im convinced the potassium helped .and today i feel stronger yet today I had the brain fog which is with monopause and fibro and I feel a little clearer today I even have less muscle pain in my one arm that had been getting worse the last year and it feels better than it has .weel wait to see.also I found out after gaining 30 lbs that the meds Diovan for blood pressure make you gain weight fast and it did has alot of other bad side effects was the cause of my potassium def.we have to be our own doctors I was and i would still be feeling like death if I wasnt good luck .by the way my freind was using herbs for hormonal issues too and at 45 developed stage 3 breast cancer nows she fighting for her life .nothing is safe.
Potassium is a very important electrolyte in our system, important to muscle and cardiac function, but too much is dangerous too so it should only by supplemented under the direction of a physician.
Amen to this! Most of my family and friends went the traditional medicine/hysterectomy road, somehow thinking by just cutting everything out or medicating themselves life would be simple and symptom free. NOT. I learned from them what NOT to do. I chose a healthy diet/exercise regimen and herbal remedies to stay in balance and stay as far away from traditional medicine as possible. Hey, it worked for me. Massage and relaxation meditation takes care of any tensions that sneak in.
As you mention, doing the basics goes a long way…..great nutrition, enough sleep and regular exercise. But waiting until age 50 to implement that may not be ideal (of course, better late than never!)
I used a natural progesterone cream that you can get at a health food store. It cut down on hot flashes very well. I hardly noticed menopause at all!
I am a very big fan of using natural products if needed. I have managed most of my life to avoid drugs in any form (well, unless you count some alcohol…).
I used homeopathy for complete relief