<p>laserp, I, too, had the raving lunatic problem. I’d get totally ticked about something stupid like a dish left in the sink instead of being put in the dishwasher. It was not how I’d been at all. I had numerous other symptoms, but it was the raging PMS that made me go see my doc. Went for low-dose BC pills which doc said would not pose a big risk for me, since I didn’t smoke, drink (or not much), am in really good shape & exercise, etc. </p>
<p>WELL: long story short–it nearly killed me! I got blood clots in my calf that went into my lungs. I am very lucky to be alive! So, I tell my friends to think long and hard about hormones, even if they have ‘very low’ risk factors. AGE is a huge risk factor all by itself.</p>
<p>Also–I was fortunate that I got warning signs that sent me to the ER. My doc said many cases of pulmonary embolisms (clots in lungs) are diagnosed on the autospy table!</p>
<p>As to what helps, for me it was cutting caffeine, increasing leafy greens in my diet, and exercising a lot more. Also, adding in some stress-reduction yoga. Those 3 things really helped me. Oh, and I also got a prescription for sleep aid for when the insomnia was really bad. I would take half a pill, just enough to help. I am totally off those now, but that seemed like the best non-hormone helper. Sleep deprivation makes EVERYTHING worse!</p>
<p>Also–you might try melatonin for sleep. (natural supplement product). I did not like it–gave me weird unsettled sleep–but maybe I didn’t give it a long enough trial. I have friends who said it helped them. For me, a very small dose of Ambien worked better.</p>
<p>Low estrogen causes hot flashes, but what triggers them is more of a mystery. They are interferring with my sleep, too. I’m considering installing a plunge pool in the master bedroom so I can jump in when a hot flash occurs, but I’ll also need a hot tub for the full-body chills that occur afterwards. I just don’t think there’s enough room! :)</p>
<p>I take one benadryl about 30 minutes before bed to help me sleep. It makes me drowsy enough to nod off. I had the crazy mood swings, too, but had a hysterectomy in November. I’ve felt calm and level-headed from the moment I woke up post-op. It changed my life dramatically for the better. I feel like another person, moodwise. The only drawback has been the increase in hot flashes. I’m 53 and had been having some mild hot flashes pre-surgery, but now they are frequent, long-lasting, and hit me round the clock. I’m taking 2 TBL of ground flax seed per day (sprinkled on cereal). It’s only been two weeks, so not sure if it’s helping. An ice-cold washcloth on the back of my neck is my “go to” instant relief.</p>
<p>I haven’t really run into the hot flashes, but I’ve always been a light sleeper, not to mention the middle of the night bathroom breaks (bleh.) But lately I find I can’t get back to sleep if I wake up, whether from aformentioned peeing, or a car passes or, I don’t know, a floor creaks? I just know I wake up easily and if I don’t go right back to sleep, it’s hours of trying to quiet a racing brain. This used to happen to me in the past, but I didn’t wake up as often then. then when the frequent waking first became common, I got better at getting back to sleep. Now, it’s both combined–frequent waking, inability to fall back asleep. It’s exhausting and my days become very unproductive. Very frustrating.</p>
<p>laserp–I unfortunately can relate. I thought I was going nuts with my brain racing all the time. I think limiting caffeine helps a lot, and the benedryl at bedtime to help sleep would be good too. Sleep deprivation can play havoc with your emotions.
I think it was around 6 months or so and then those symptoms finally went away. I didn’t take anything.</p>
<p>I have been using wild yam extract cream. I posted this few years back, but was told by someone (I think Pizzagirl) that it may not be good for everyone. It is a natural remedy. I put a bit of it on my body everyday and it helps with my mood swings, kind of evens it out a bit. I started getting hot flashes 2 years ago. The first year was bad, I would get it during the day also. I could literally feel it coming over me, from head to toes. I learned to just be calm and let it pass. I used to wake up sweating at night. But now I rarely get it during the day. At night, I would just feel hot sometimes, but not sweaty any more. I had an old fashioned Ob-gyn. He didn’t believe in any hormone treatments. He said I would get pass it faster if I just let my body adjust to the change naturally. My period just gradually went away, nothing earth shattering. I eat a lot of yam (sweet potato) and tofu. I thought menopause was going to be a lot worse, I was pleasantly surprised.</p>
<p>Luckily I have not had too much of a problem with hot flashes. I’m 53 and only get them once in awhile, some in the day, some at night. Have gone thru the same thing with the sleep problems though. For a period of time I had trouble falling asleep then I went thru a period where I fell asleep quickly but would wake up 4 hours later and have trouble falling back asleep. Now I have a whole night time routine: When i go up stairs to get ready for bed I take a melatonin and a calcium pill, get ready for bed and then read 1/2 hr or so, then I go to the bathroom 1 more time to make sure I don’t have to go in the middle of the night (hopefully) and I take 2 Benadryl. I have a fan going for the white noise (otherwise every little noise in the house wakes me up or keeps me awake) and another thing that I found that helps me is to turn the light on my alarm clock all the way off. That way the light is not shining in my face (have heard that that is terrible for people trying to sleep ) and also if I do wake up the 1st thing I would do is look to see what time it was which would wake me up even more. Now, if I do wake up, I can’t see what time it is and sometimes I can just drift back off to sleep.</p>
<p>I have had 2 periods in the past year each 6 mos apart! Weird!</p>
<p>I do have the fan on for white noise–once I finally got my H to accept it (he doesn’t like the sound but he’s a really good sleeper, so he’s accepted he can deal with it), it was the reason I had been able to fall back asleep. Now that has failed me. Sigh. I’ll look in into some of these ideas and products. I have cut back on coffee. I can go to sleep easily (usually); it’s that wakeup in the middle of the night. But I agree that looking at the time is deadly, and I try not to do it.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the great ideas! IUmom7, hearing your story reminds me why I haven’t wanted to take any hormones. I know lots of people who take them with no problems, but I think I have lots of other avenues to try before I go down that route. Thank God, you got help with the clots before they became deadly. I’m going to start with Benadryl and see if that makes any difference and cut out the ice tea. I’m not a coffee drinker, but enjoy drinking black ice tea from lunch to dinner. Also, now that the holidays are over and my routine is getting back to normal, that might help me feel better as well. I normally love the holidays, but this year, I was ready for them to be over before they started. I’m hoping getting my sleep regulated again will help my mood. If not, I’ll reevaluate.</p>
<p>Laserp–yeah, mine might be the holidays somewhat also. We did more than the usual running around, and I have several life projects and family issues going on. Need to work on routine!</p>
<p>Also, with winter weather and busy-ness, I’m not getting enough outside time and exercise. I think I need to work on those and get them back into the routine. Hopefully that will help.</p>
<p>I really try to avoid being reliant on medications as I find one thing seems to lead to other problems, leading to more meds. (that’s just me; not saying they’re not good for others.)</p>
<p>After all my years of awful cramps, heavy periods, and PMS, I am incredibly grateful that at 47, it all simply stopped. It’s been 5.5 years, and the only effect is that I sleep warmer than I used to - not hot flashes or night sweats, just don’t need a down comforter or electric blanket to get warm like I once did.</p>
<p>Rough night last night - could not sleep, felt like bursting into tears for no reason. I just give myself a timeout and go upstairs to fold laundry or do paperwork while watching something mindless on tv. I am 48 and get one monster hot flash at the start of my cycle each month (may be TMI, but this one terrible day a month includes severe lower back pain and very heavy flow). All of the stuff I have tried (herbal supplements, diet) give me digestive issues. I cannot wait for this transition to be over! It started about 2 years ago and gets worse each month. Took my mom about 5 years until it ended. So far, I am resisting hormone treatments. At least we are not alone in this journey; I know others have it worse.</p>
<p>Thank you baseballmom for starting this thread. I have laughed over some of the posts (the dressing/undressing;covers on and off and on again; looking like a shiny faced hot mess) and some of the posts make me want to cry (again). The GYN told me that two years was the typical span for hot flashes. Two years, not possibly 10 years or more! I have made it past the horrible beet red flushing, but am still waking up in the cold clammy sweats. Blah. I’ve been counting on Two Years. Max. As it happens, I have my annual gyn appt tomorrow, and I will have words about this two years, or not :-/</p>
<p>56 and officially in menopause according to my doctor. Peri took about 5 years with occasional massive flows, night sweats, and I’m a cold flasher, too.<br>
The cold flashes seem to be done, but the last one I had was in July. I got the chills in my office, then went and sat in my car in the parking lot (about 95- 100 degrees). It felt sooo good! My night sweats are now “really too warms” so those are fading too.</p>
<p>Just wanted to post quickly and let everyone know that yesterday I only drank water and then at bedtime took one benadryl. It worked like a charm. Slept the entire night and had a little trouble waking up this morning, but it may be because I’m so sleep deprived, I need more :)) Will let you know if this is a continuing trend or just one time thing. I’m encouraged and I’m shouting out encouragement to all of you suffering!!</p>