**Question For the Ladies**

[NautyOne]

Does anyone know of any natural alternatives for pre-menopause, or pmdd?  I've tried evening primrose and no luck.  Don't think I am ready for HRT, but I've read things about the natural stuff, but I am so skeptical......it took a lot for me to even give the melatonin a try......and it did work, but I am very skeptical when it comes to thomas recipe, amino acids, and all the rest of that stuff.  Does anyone know anybody who has tried the natural stuff and it worked for them?  I know Suzanne Summers has a book out and swears by what she is doing.  Maybe I'll check the book out, as it seems she suffered as bad as I do.  Ativan is Extremely helpful for this, but the night sweats for those 3-4 before just drive me insane it's gross.  

Any info.  would be greatly appreciated.

Nauty............

[NautyOne]

I call it temporary insanity.......I used to laugh at women who would use PMS as an excuse for so many things.... even Murder.  I'm not laughing anymore.

[PharmGirl75]

You don't sound stupid AT all- I didn't know what it was myself until I had it. I used to just call it "Psychotic PMS" and blame it on heredity (my mom and my sister were both nuts once a month).

It's PreMenstrual Dysphoric Disorder. From PMS.com:
"premenstrual dysphoric disorder (or PMDD)
This condition is distinguished by more extreme symptoms of PMS, as well as symptoms such as depression, anxiety, cyclical mood shifts and lethargy."

[feohmoon]

I would encourage anyone to be very skeptical of any new medication.  But it would seem to me the skeptism would be better reserved for synthetic drugs rather than those natural herbs.  Not to say that herbs cannot be dangerous - quiet the opposite - some are very deadly.  So, of course you will want to double check any remedy.  
The earth has everything we need if we just utilize it.  Sometimes, it is not near as convenient, but very often it will cost far less, have no side effects and give you the satisfaction of knowing exactly what is going in to your body.
One thing that is supposed to work well for night sweats is sage.The common herb a lot of us cook with...make a sage infusion by putting 4 heaping TBSP of dried sage in cup of hot water - cover tightly - steep 4+ hours.  Also, all cotton sheets and sleeping in all cotton or silk pjs.  
Hey - can't hurt to try. If you have specific symptoms and would like to try any other herbal remedies...just let me know.
Good luck, hope you feel better.

[avisg]

soy nuts really do help

[toxictome]

Not to sound stupid..but what is PMDD?

[buttercups]

Hey girl..I'd be very careful following Suzanne Somers advice. She makes a lot of claims in that book, and hardly any of her 'remedies' have been approved by the FDA. She also uses human growth hormone, which is supposedly a fountain of youth of sorts..but what she doesn't explain is that if you have any cancer cells in your body, this HGH will make them grow rapidly. Her book has been shot down by so many doctors , that is scares me every time I see her on tv plugging these highly controversial methods.

I know you said you wanted to go the natural route, and I haven't heard much about any natural remedies for the hot flashes, but my aunt recently was put on a non hormonal rx for the night sweats, and she said it took 2 weeks, but it works great. I can ask her what is it if you like?

Sorry I couldn't help more with the natural remedy, but please, please if you're going to go with Suzanne's methods, do your research big time.
:)

[GoingToMakeIt]

Well the medical field is what caused a lot of our addictions, at least the drugs we used. Most medicines are derived from natural herbs etc.. Penicillin comes from a mold grown on bread. As you said, melatonin works. I guess since I have branched out and use the regular Drs less and less and find that natural methods are safer and work. I recommend trying them. You have very low risk, especially compared to the side affects of most prescription meds.
    Saying all this, i agree about soy products. They really can help. A Yam cream found at health foods stores can help by adding progesterone. Making the pre-menopausal thing more bearable.

[PharmGirl75]

I don't usually like to recommend products, but there is something wonderful that helped me with my PMDD- you can not buy it at a supplement store- my husbands cousin actually got me started using it with a free bottle. It used to be called "Ageless Xtra" by Oasis Life Sciences- I think they are called Univera now- and the product is Xperia.
The website is http://us.univera.com/products/xperia
I love it, and it helped me a lot with my PMDD. It tastes horrible though, and I find it to be expensive. It costs about 60 a month, but I've used it on and off for several years now- and I give it away for free to any of my friends who have horrible PMS and feel "foggy headed".
I don't sell it- I'm not involved with the company in anyway (much to cousin Dorie's dismay)- I have a full time career and a 4 year old child- and I'm not the selling type-- but I am happy to provide my testimonial, as well as that of my friends and family who feel a lot better because of it.

The only other thing I've done is something called "Chaste Tree Berry" that my naturalpath prescribed me to fix my ovulation problems. (I am 32- and after I had my son I became an-ovulatory. I did not want to take birth control or other hormones that my OB/GYN said was my only choice to fix the problem- so I sought out a natural path doctor, and this is what she gave me)
It did work- along with the melatonin to help me sleep. I feel a lot better not putting artificial things into my body. Also, she gave me Sepia to help with my "aggitation".

I know that I'm not suffering premenopause as you are, so maybe my experience doesn't match up- but I do believe that having PMDD and being completely hormonally out of whack must be very similar. I had all the hot flashes, severe mood problems, depression, the whole nine yards. I actually thought I was going crazy for a while. Hang in there honey- being a woman is tough, but it's better than being a man! :-)

[dove3053]

Try Soy, It comes in pills and foods and it works.

Dove

[worried878]

there are natural estrogen and progestrogen supplements at any healthfood store....Progesterone has to be absorbed thru the skin or with a shot tho....no pill....I take a cvs brand called Menopause Support and helps me alot