I also am very happy to find websites like this. Never had a problem until 64 and doctor thought I needed some estrogen for "dryness" issues. I was on Estriol compounded as it is not sold in U.S. but is in other countries. 2 1/2 months had to stop using as it made me ill. I realized later it was ordered too strong . My Gyn was also an Ob and specialized in adolescent pregnancy. What was I thinking !! Started very disturbing symptoms about 2 months after the end of Estriol. Profuse sweating, followed by chills, rapid increase in heart rate (over 130), dizziness and nausea in the middle of the night, night after night. I was so exhausted I ended up passing out and in the hospital. First Cardiologist, then Endocrinologist and finally going next week to GYN specialist. Of course went through the "you must be having anxiety" talk. Did I mention I am a retired Major in the Army Nurse Corps and psychiatric trained Reg. Nurse. I only mention this as I was almost starting to believe them. Thank GOD, and I mean this, I started to do my own research. Hot Flashes and Night Sweats with severe vasomotor reaction, very common. Well I say with all my heart thank you ladies for sharing on sites like these. It has been 81/2 months and they are definitely less. I am using magnesium, Vit. E, watching sugar intake, doing deep breathing , trying to control stress and thinking about Remifemin. Good luck to everyone .

Funny the Chillow was mentioned. I've been considering it for a couple of years and just saw it in a catalog again tonight. I am sleeping well again but if I feel the slightest bit warm I wake up and don't go back to sleep until I feel cool again. I've noticed that if I move my feet around to find a cool spot, I almost instantly start to doze back to sleep. A cool spot works like magic for me, so I bet the Chillow would feel terrific. I have always turned my pillow to the cool side. I thought I was the only one until I saw Jay Leno joke about it during his monologue one night. :-) Jen

I didn't start with constant bleeding...but my periods would be so heavy I literally could not leave the house when that was going on. My doctor wasn't concerned, only told me if I started passing blood clots the size of a 50 cent piece THEN we would need to discuss options. I would have less than two weeks between periods but at least it wasn't every day all month. The high anxiety was the symptom that sent me to the doctor because I was certain I was having a nervous breakdown. Looking back now...the beginning of feeling like I was 'out-of-control'...'out of whack' with what used to be a normal life was the beginning of the change. Now I'm just waiting to get to the other side and hopefully find what's left of my brain there and pick up the pieces and move on!

GM, a couple of years ago I was put on Effexor to try to wean off of HRT. I'm sorry I cannot remember the specific side effects, but I ended up back on HRT. I happen to be extremely sensitive to most medications and I've tried a lot of AD's because of chronic depression(in addition to menopause). I've never been able to take any of the SSRI/SNRI's(Effexor is one). These meds in general kept me up at night, made me jittery, and some made me itch intensely. That being said, Effexor did help with my hotflashes. You might ask your doctor if you can start with the very lowest dose you can, and work up from there. Maybe start with a regular release instead of the timed release you've been given so you can split pills and start with a very low dose. And, if it doesn't eventually help with your symptoms, it's very important to wean off of these drugs gradually, not by stopping cold turkey. Another drug that has been used for hotflashes is Neurontin(Gabapentin). It is I believe an anti-seizure drug that is also used 'off label' for neuropathic pain, hotflashes, and more. I tried this one too(I have FMS along with everything else), and I couldn't even get up to a therapeutic dose(typical in my case)before I had bad side effects, although it did help with hotflashes. And, it has helped others...I'm just very sensitive. So if you are against, or are not a candidate for HRT, I would give these meds a go, being careful to start at the lowest dose. Good luck to you, and keep trying! You deserve some relief!