Just an update - all that worry, and the treadmill part was so easy I could not believe it. I was a little short of breath when they finished and said I had reached my target heartrate. I was amazed, as I am very out of shape. Clothes did not matter there -The second worst part was having to wear this huge gown, no bra, pretty open in the front for all the wires although they did tape it for me - the armholes were so big you could see every thing anyways. The very worst part was when the technician kept jamming the ultrasound wand under & into my breast before and after the treadmill. I had to brace myself on the table she was pushing it in so hard, I thought she would push me off. Something was really pinching into me when she pushed, Not sure if it was a probe with a wire attached that was being pushed in by the wand or just the tip of the wand. THAT really hurt, almost as bad as the mammo. I had a mammo and the stress test back to back, but it was done quick so I had time to treat myself on my half day off to some shopping, but I got dizzy halfway thru the store so did not buy anything. I must say, This was the very worst (painful) mammo I have ever had too. Also,the blood pressure monitor for the stress test, wow, I have never had anyone cuff me so-o-o-o tightly before(three times!). She said something about the "lower your pressure is the tighter they have to wrap..." or such - never heard that before. No doctors were present when I was there, just the technicians, who were quite nice. Well, wonder when I will see the results. (Last time it took a month to hear from Dr. on my mammo, then another month to get an appt, then another month to get a referral for breast ultrasound, then same for a needle aspiration..)

Hi joan, Poor you! I can SO relate with your situation. I'm sure you've probably checked your neck for pinched nerves, right? How about your vitamins? Have you read up on which ones, when deficient, might cause your symptoms? I honestly believe that some of us cannot physically handle menopause very well, because so many of our systems have become so dependent on our hormones. I'm thinking FSH has some funky effects on some of us. I even wonder if we have some ovarian-type cells in areas we shouldn't have, and they react to increasing FSH levels too, when they shouldn't. I just wish more research was done on this, but because it just affects aging women, I don't think they're interested. :( To be honest with you, I've been afraid to use acupuncture for my various problems. I went through about 5 years during perimenopause of having horrendous headaches. In retrospect, I am very suspect of the PPI I was on, since now when I try to use them, I get a bad headache. I have a friend who is on MAO inhibitors for her migraines, and she tried acupuncture, and it worked for awhile, but then she had the worst headache of her life. So I'm afraid to have that rebound problem with acupuncture. My whole body would go crazy with hormone fluctuations. One day I had an estrogen level drawn and it was something like 45. A few days later it was 440!! So I'm not sure testing those levels is helpful. Plus......some of us are fine with certain levels and some of us go crazy with them. I'm sorry if I'm rambling. I have major thinking problems too! When I was going through perimenopause, I had a hypertensive crisis type thing. My heart rate was about 110 at resting, and my BP went through the roof. I was eventually put on Toprol, a beta blocker, and everything calmed down. Last December I decided to come off the Toprol after being on it for 5 years, and my BP has been pretty good, but the rest of my body started going crazy. I started having lots of pains, GI problems, and now the dizziness and nausea. It makes me wonder if I need to go back on the Toprol......even though its not really meant for those symptoms. (unfortunately, the Toprol has its own set of side-effects that I hate). But.....my point is, perhaps there is a drug whose off-label use could help you? I would do this: 1. figure out what vitamins you're low on make sure you don't have neck nerve problems 3. Go on a test dose of an H2 blocker or PPI. 4. Keep a really good food diary, in case your having food intolerance problems 5. Maybe consider a beta blocker for migraine variants. When I was on Toprol, it was like a miracle, the way it took care of my headaches. Are you finding you have other symptoms anywhere in your body? your bowels? your nervous system? I'm really pursuing my GI tract as possibly causing these problems for me. Do you have any stomach problems? Our vagus nerve is very close to our esophagus and when irritated can cause some funky problems. I have fibromyalgia, and was just reading that nausea and dizziness is common. Is it possible you have fibro too? Again, please forgive me for rambling. I have ADD/fibro and am in menopause, so its sort of good that I can even talk at all! lol!

I'll resuscitate this thread to report on my experience with flax seed. To start, my flashes are minor compared to some of the stories I've seen. I'd have them anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours apart during the day, and maybe three or four times per night. They only last about a minute, and for the most part are no more uncomfortable than being quite overdressed in a warm room. But, the waking up several times at night was beginning to wear on me. I decided to try flax, since DH already takes it for his digestive system. The recommended 40 grams is an awful lot, and I started slow to make sure how my digestive system would respond. I started with about three teaspoons per day. In the morning, I usually eat toast with something on it. So after I toast my bread, I sprinkle the flax on, then spread on the peanut butter or cream cheese or whatever. The flax disappears. At night, I often eat a banana before bed. With each bite, I dip the end of the banana into the ground flax. Or I mix a teaspoon into a tablespoon of peanut butter. Or I just mix it into some juice and drink it really fast. It's not bad, it mostly just sticks to my teeth. And the result is, my flashes have diminished greatly with just the three teaspoons per day. Sometimes I go for hours and realize I haven't had one. Or if I feel it starting, it will die out before I get too warm. I am only waking up maybe once per night due to flashes, sometimes not at all. (Weird dreams are a whole different issue!) It is inexpensive, good for me anyway, and easy to take. I am sold on flax.

I don't like drugs. Especially Tylenol, which wreaks havoc on your liver. I use L-Tryptophan with wonderful results! Note - this is not 5-HTP, which gives me terrible stomach pain - but real L-Tryptophan (it's still available; you just have to look for it). Also, I found that fixing my hormones (adrenals etc.) made a HUGE difference in my sleep -- my insomnia before that was realllllly bad: it got worse and worse over several years, to the point where I was only sleeping 15-30 minutes per night. Now I sleep 6 to 9 hours per night, usually waking up once to pee, sometimes not waking up at all -- it's so wonderful ! Love, JoJo