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.

If you think working with Subs is difficult, try working with a "I know it all" husband. I'll agree, he has been in the architect/construction business for over 50 years, but he is stuck in the 70's when it comes to details and decorating that I want to do. I can't begin to count the times he said, "It just won't work"....but never tells me why...it is just "You won't understand". I swore when we built this last house, never again!!...but we are back in the planning stages of doing it again...or I should say HE is.... I want to buy a ready-built home, but he thinks he can build one being the contractor himself (of course, he will not be using a tool), and this one took 3 years to complete.....and I want this next one (if we do build) completed in my lifetime!!!! He drew all the plans and said I could pick out all of the inside stuff, but when I say I want something, he finds fault in it all.....UGH!!! You all could have it worse!!!...and I am sure I will be ready to say, "My way or the highway"....but I don't know which of us will be using that highway!

Trailrunner, Jterrilynn, & Nance...thanks for the kind words! Golddust, I love your haircut. It enhances your pretty, delicate, heart-shaped face & high cheekbones. Adorable! Dlm, wow! You have great hair & look marvelous with it straight or curly! Nice to have options. I assume that's your DH & son? They are certainly handsome too! Beautiful family. LvrGolden, Mona, & Rose...all beautiful ladies over 50 with great hair! Oakley, I am dying to know what you think of your virtual hairstyling! I think Kelly found just the right do for you, and you know what? You really, really do look like Meg Ryan! You two have very similar features except that you are not scarecrow thin like she is (fortunately...'cause that's scary!) You would look great with layers around your face if you want to take baby steps toward shorter hair. I'd be delighted to get free advice too, if anyone has any suggestions. All feedback is good feedback. It can be hard to know what hairstyle options to pursue as we find ourselves no longer 25!

Bakers Square restaurants are closing around here. "Kicking off April, Denver-based restaurant chain operator Vicorp Restaurants Inc., which Wind Point Partners and other co-investors closed a $225.5 million leveraged buyout of in 2003, filed for Chapter 11. Vicorp owns and operates the Village Inn and Bakers Square restaurants." Also Mrs. Fields Cookies. "Mrs. Fields Famous Brands LLC is the latest PE-backed company to consider a Chapter 11 filing. The Salt Lake City-based cookie company, which is majority owned by Capricorn Holdings Inc., is weighing a prepackaged filing, the company said June 5." Clare bankrupt companies