pleblanc, I know you posted this a while ago but I have just read it and wondered if you got the itching and skin dryness sorted. I have had exactly the same symptoms as you only on the soles of my feet which makes even standing up some days excrutiating. I have been near to tears on a couple of occassions recently. Mine started two years ago out of the blue and I thought it might be menopause related as I had some severe hot flashes start at the same time. My doctor doesn't think so and has been prescribing creams for Pompholyx excema. I am finally seeing a dermatologist next month so we shall see what happens. I also for a few months have had the vaginal and rectal itching. I thought it was thrush but I have no other symptoms. I have been using canesten cream which gives me relief. I find it worse during the night which could be related to feeling hot. Finally, I also get the joint pain deep in my right hip if I lie on it too long and it also wakes me during the night. I would say all my menopause symptoms started about 8 years ago but in the last 2 years it has been constant and I have been trying everything I possibly can to help myself. I am of the belief that if these problems happened to men there would be specialists in every major city in every part of the world. Unfortunately because it is the other half of the population, Drs with a special interest are few and far between. P.S I tried HRT but had a horrendous migraine which was really scary-thought I was having a stroke-and my doc took me off them immediately. My BP and cholesterol were also sky high. Sorry this is so long but wanted to let you know you're not alone.

I have had no hot flash relief with Activella or FemHrt. I've tried them over a period of several months and I get hot flashes 24/7. The FemHrt dose is 1/5 mcg (Ethinyl estradiol) However, I had instant hot flash relief with Prempro .625/2.5 (Conjugated estrogen) (Had some side effects with Prempro, but that's another thread) Does anyone have any insight as to why I have had no hot flash relief with FemHrt? Are the conjugated estrogens stronger than the ethinyl estradiol?

Could you provide some citations for your claim that nervousness while taking estrogen "usually indicates that the estrogen is not counterbalanced by progesterone?" "Bio-identical" hormones pose the same risks and usually the same side effects as the dreaded "synthetic" ones. While a few women have different reactions to different brands or types of these drugs, for most women these reactions are the result of the hormones themselves and occur no matter which brand or type is used. The confusion arises because symptoms tend to wax and wane at irregular intervals for no apparent reason. If you start a new drug at the same time as your problem symptoms are on the wane the improvement will be attributed to the drug. Then when the symptoms recur in 6 months, the patient believes that the drug has 'stopped working." The reality is that the drug never "worked." Hot flashes are annoying and may be very unpleasant. They are, however, entirely benign and will not do you any harm. They will also disappear or at least lessen in severity and frequency with time. Hormone pills OTOH have a host of serious side effects including an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and pulmonary embolus in at least the first three years after one begins to take the pills. They also increase your risk of gall bladder disease, diabetes and various gyn cancers. The most discouraging part of using hormones to control menopausal signs is the fact that in at least 2/3 of women the signs come back when the pills are stopped, so you get to cope with them anyway. All you've done is delay them, if you are lucky. Many women find that the side effects of the drugs are worse than the signs. For many others the hoped for relief of signs never happens. Weigh your risks and the benefits you hope to gain carefully and then decide which is best for you.

Hi, I just found this site by searching for menopause answers. I just turned 50 this year but have been taking birth control pills for quite sometime. am still active with sex and scared of having pregnant at my age. I recently stopped my pills at the end of my period last month but actually experiencing some mild hot flashes for a while. Am i going thru menopause? can somebody help me? I ask my doctor about menopausal symptoms but she told me , if i'm still taking birth control pills i might not know if i'm going thru it or not? that's why i decided to stop taking it.