you are experiencing what chinese medical practitioners call 'yin deficiency' which is extremely common during menopause. there are herbs and protocols which address the symptoms very nicely that you may want to look into. the problems with your memory is related to 'blood deficiency' also very common in women in general as we have a strong relationship with blood thru monthly cycles, childbirth etc. the herbs that treat yin and blood deficiency overlap as these two conditions are almost always seen together. suggest you find a practitioner of chinese herbal medicine, an acupuncturist or omd, and let them assess and treat you properly. best wishes you feel better soon. k

Doctors, whether promoting alternative treatments or prescribed medications, are subject to propaganda and are well paid by the corporate companies. I would guess less so by the alternative manufacturers since they don't have the millions of dollars to spend. But as the consumer we have to go with our educated guesses. I have resisted hrt after a hysterectomy (uterus, ovaries, cervix) although my oncologist offers it every time I see him. Even though my cancer was estrogen receptive and my mother had breast cancer. And my symptoms are very mild infrequent hot flashes, night sweats and vaginal dryness. Since he is one of the best gyn oncologists in NYC I trust him for the oncology side but use my endocrinologist for hrt consultations - tomorrow we review a recent bone scan. And by the way - Replens seems to work well for the vaginal dryness and is cheapest at Walmart.

You may get a few menopausal symptoms again, because you are lowering your level of estrogen. However they shouldn't be as severe as befre the HRT. You have been on low levels so it may just have gotten you over the hump. Try eating or drinking soy products. Soy beans have natural plant estrogen. A good diet will help too. You will always produce some estrogen. Just not at the high doses you did before menopause.

pebo, If you are not having any troublesome symptoms of menopause, I believe it is better to stay away from hormone replacement. Some bone loss is normal as we age. There are other things you can do to minimize further bone loss beside take hormones. 1. daily weight bearing exercise (walking is the best). 2. avoid carbonated beverages. 3. if you do not get adequate calcium from your diet, take a supplement of Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc, and vit D. Most doctors do not give enough information about the type of bone loss or what kind of risk for fracture a person actually has. It may be helpful for you to read up on menopause/HRT/bone loss, so you will have the facts and can ask the questions you need answered before making a decision. Only you can decide if the risks of HRT are worth the benefits for you. (Is the 1 or 2 percent bone gain worth the potential side effects and cancer risk of supplemental hormones?)