TobyT, it definitely works for me!

I see a gynecologist a couple times a year who specializes in menopause. I'm part of a group study. Last time I was there I mentioned hot flashes, and he suggested the Black Cohosh.
I told him I was surprised, since it's an over the counter herb, and he's a specialist.

He said that it works, so he recommends it. The only thing, take it for about 3 months, take a month off of it, then go on it again. It costs about $9 and the Swiss brand works for me.

If you take ground flax seed, it also helps. I put it on cereal, porridge, when I bake bread, in pancakes, on yogurt.

Just remember that black cohosh is a phytoestrogen. If you happen to be a breast cancer survivor whose cancer was estrogen positive, there's a school of thought that says that you should avoid supplements with estrogenic qualities like black cohosh and soy.

I had to stop taking it due to other medications that I take, so check for interactions. Particularly if you are on anything that can effect the liver (such as the regular use of tylenol) this was my issue with the meds for my RA.

I think it works for some not for others, it did not work for me. My ob put me on it when I was first going through the change, my hot flashes were incendiary they were so bad, we gave it a good try but it just did nothing for me unfortunately.

Years ago I took a product called Changing Lite or something similiar which has some black cohosh in it along with other produce. It did help me, but the health food store I got it from had very knowlegable people and the owner had some medical training.

I would get a racing heart rate when I took Black Cohosh and I am allergic to soy, so my doctor suggested ground flax seed and that has helped me tremendously with all of my menopausal issues, plus has lowered my ldl 80 points. I take 4 tbls daily. Flax seed oil is not as beneficial as the seed. It is a phytoestrogen so it's best to check with your doctor if you are estrogen sensitive.

When my grandmother was going through menopause in the late 1950's, early 60's, I remember her grinding flax seed everyday and she would comment to my grandfather how it kept her from getting too hot. I was only 5 at the time so I didn't have a clue as to what she meant lol.

Didn't do a thing for me.....

Didn't do a thing for me either. I was very open minded about it, tried it from a health food store, took it every 4 hours religiously....then tried Estroven....another version.....it did nothing for me.

Found this on the Mayo Clinic website:

"Black cohosh has been popular among many women with menopausal symptoms. But there's little evidence that black cohosh is effective, and the supplement can be harmful to the liver."

I never used it, just let my hot flashes take their course naturally.

It got rid of the hot flashes for me but raised my BP to dangerous levels. I know some people that it works great for and they have no side effects. Maybe ask your doctor. It was my doctor that suggested it and my doctor that said stop taking it now.

Never took a thing. Figured the flashes and night sweats were just my body telling me it was doing it's meno thing.

I find that most people I know who try to "fix" it just end up prolonging it.

Now I believe there are exceptions and some women truly need help getting through this time of life. But most just need to go with the flow.Our western world has so much more problems with meno than other countries who just take the change of life as a normal thing. We treat EVERYTHING a woman's body does as an aberration or illness.

Thanks for all the input. I am not trying to "fix" menopause - I agree that it's just another stage in life. I have been sleeping so poorly lately, that it is affecting my attentiveness during the day, which can be dangerous. Next time I am at the doctor, I will ask what she thinks.
Jane