I am going the same road as you, Lenora. Two years now, and counting! I know what you mean about the hotness, but I'm wary of taking anything, even so-called natural supplements. After all, herbs and other 'natural' things can have just as powerful effects as synthetic medications; nothing much more natural than and Amanita Death-Cap mushroom, but it can still kill you!

Hi ladies
I am now going into my 3rd month without any HRT! It was really hard adjusting, but now the only thing that I have to contend with is hot flashes especially at night! I use to be such a cold person, now I get very warm, very often, especially during the night. Do you find you get more flashes when you are very tired or stressed. Is there anything that will eliminate them, besides HRT. I do take Remefemin, given by my gyn. It is black cohosh, but I still get the flashes. Thanks Lou

I'm always so happy to hear of women who don't take anything.....and don't want to jump off a bridge! I am struggling with things. I wanted so badly to get off my patch, and gave it 2 and 1/2 months........but life got so bad, I cried "Uncle" and put the patch back on. I truly believe I am an alien and don't have the usual human body.
I have been way too hot my whole life.....but now that menopause is staring......I actually get cold flashes! I've always had the opposite reactions to everything.
One question I have for you all.........It seems like there's not an OB/GYN alive who thinks it's okay to not take hormones (unless you have a history of breast cancer). It's really scary to do it "eau natural" when the medical community has us convinced that our body's will snap in two, and we'll drop dead of cardiac arrest if we don't take HRT. At present, my life is unliveable without HRT......but I'll sure try again some time to get off it..........maybe when my kids are moved out of the house, and I have nothing to do but scream in pain with constant headaches, and nail plywood over all my doors and windows and shake with fear and panic in some dark corner. ;)
Anyhow.......I'm really happy for those of you who can do without this stuff!

Sorry that you are having such a hard time, Catherine, and only you can decide what you need for it. The reason that I have no problem with the medics you mention is that I don't go to them! I have a local doctor (here in France) that I go to for anything such a recent sinus infection, but I have never consulted him with regard to my menopausal symptoms, and do not plan to, at least if things continue as they are. I do not have regular contact with a gynaecologist - last time I saw one was ten years ago when I had a hysterectomy. I used to see a doctor fairly regularly in England because of chronic asthma, but again, never spoke to her about menopause.
I haven't consulted anyone mainly because I haven't felt the need to do so, but also I am unwilling to expose myself to the sort of pressure you mention.

Hi Ladies

I have hot flushes (flashes you call them) periodically but don't take any medication and don't intend to. After a hot flush, I then feel extra cold for a while. I've had a lot of success coping with them by adjusting my lifestyle. I feel very well and know I am lucky to be so and I don't consider the hot flushes to be anything more than a minor nuisance. They were worse a year ago, than they are now.

I recommend: Keeping as cool as possible by wearing natural fibres such as cotton, etc.
I sleep nude unless its very cold.
Keeping bedclothes to the minimum - just enough to stay warm enough to sleep without becoming over heated.
Dressing in layers so that outer layers can come off quickly if necessary and then go on again just as speedily.
I agree tiredness and stress will aggravate them so its time to take care of yourself.
Exercise and losing excess weight are all very helpful.

I find that if I keep my hot flushes to a minimum by paying attention to these things, then my days and nights are pretty flush free.

Good luck
Joan

It's wonderful for the women who can get through the process without hormonal supplements and I think most women do not need them. It has not been my experience with doctors (internists or ob/gyns) that they pushed hormones on me, just the opposite. When I asked about HRT, I was given written information, and told it was better if I could get through menopause without it. However, I know women who have been told they need it even when they had no problems at all. There does not seem to be any consistency among doctors in this regard.

I have dealt with hot flashes for years in the same manner as Joan H who posted above. All those things help a lot. I would add one thing: FANS - I keep them all over the house. But after 5 years of hot flashes that did nothing but get worse, I am using hormones in tiny doses. It makes the hot flashes less intense and less frequent; not gone, but bearable.

Ani
What kind of small dosage hormones are you taking, HRT or just progesterone? I was thinking the same..............maybe a very small dose of HRT. Thanks Lou

I think I have read just about everything on the net about HRT!! Having read www.rxmixer.com/hormone3.html I am seriously considering taking natural progesterone only - apparently progesterone is a building block from which the body can make estrogen. I am perimenopausal and have had a go at taking HRT twice to relieve unpleasant symptoms but both times stopped due to bloating and weight gain. Am seeing my gynae on 15 jan to discuss options. Has anyone tried Crinone 4% progesterone vaginal gel?

Pretty much taking nothing, here. Asian women experience meno symptoms at a far lesse degree of severity than US women (only 10% of Japanese women report having symptoms worth mentioning, according to one study I read.) Diet and cultural mores apparently play a large part in this. Ditto women in many other cultures, actually.

I eat well, get plenty of exercise and try not to dwell on things or whine about it. I refuse to be manipulated by the pharmaceutical and supplement mega-industries that menopause is a medical condition needing all sorts of "treatment." Pooie on them.

And my SO is a doctor and backs me 100%. I'll get a bone scan in a few years and continue to get annual checkups. But until I have an ACTUAL medical condition that clearly warrants intervention, I'll steer clear of HRT & stuff.