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[kv]

Hi,
Im 45 and peri menopausal. I am on cerrelle contraceptive to manage bad periods and am fortunate that i dont have any of now.
However its the hot flushes at night i cant get control of. I have tried, sage, soya insflavones, black cohosh and red clover. Red clover worked first few nights. It has reduced the intensity of the flushes but i am still waking up many times in the night. I wake up not feeling rested at all and the disturbed sleep is making me feel unwell and getting through to me. I have cotton sheets and pjs, fan, window open. I dont smoke, drink or eat spicy foods. I am going to speak to gp as ive read anti depressants may help. Im not depressed but just exhausted. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Taz2]

Hi kv. I'm a little confused as reading your posts from a couple of years back you were post menopausal not peri? If you are post them 45 is considered young to be oestrogen deficient and you would benefit from HRT in order to protect your heart and bones at least up until the normal age of Meno which is around 51 years. Have you been offered HRT? Hot flushes are exhausting and can last for many years. Many of us have found that HRT is the only thing that beats them. Let us know how you get on. It's really not worth suffering in this way if you don't have too. Oestrogen is so important for our health.

Taz x

[kv]

Hi Taz
Apologies i put post before and it was me making a mistake as read so much. A few years back i had blood test and GP said i was in menopause if that makes sense.
I really dont want to go down hrt route. I totally understand a lot of women choose that route but i really wanted to avoid it as it appears like its a can of worms, getting dosage right etc.

[Taz2]

Hi Taz
Apologies i put post before and it was me making a mistake as read so much. A few years back i had blood test and GP said i was in menopause if that makes sense.
I really dont want to go down hrt route. I totally understand a lot of women choose that route but i really wanted to avoid it as it appears like its a can of worms, getting dosage right etc.

Thanks for the clarification that you are not post menopausal but in peri menopause. If your oestrogen is low enough for you to be getting hot flushes, which are bad enough to cause such a detrimental effect, then in my opinion it is probably low enough to also be having an effect on your heart and bone health. I see that you also suffer from adrenal problems? Maybe this is the reason for not wanting to use HRT. Have you had a look at the Alternative Therapies section if you are really sure you want to try to follow the non-HRT route?

Taz x 

[Alicess]

Hi kv,

If I understand correctly Cerelle is a progesterone- only pill? If so, I think you need a contraceptive with both oestrogen and progesterone. In peri- menopause your estrogen levels decrease and the progesterone- only pill probably makes it worse.
I understand you don't want to start HRT as it can be difficult to find the right one. Birthcontrol pills contain a more potent estrogen and if your GP or specialist agrees you could try a BCP with the same progesterone, desogestrel, if it suits you.

Phytoestrogens like soy,sage and red clover can act like a SERM (selective estrogen receptor modulator); they can attach to the estrogen receptor but with a weaker action then our own oestrogen.

Alicess

[Hurdity]

Hi kv

Cerelle is the same as Cerazette containing desogestrel as the progestogen. As such it inhibits ovulation and derpesses oestrogen levels. If your ovaries are beginning to pack up this effect will be even worse. Therefore in effect, all the time you are taking this pill you are depriving your body of oestorgen before its time, and your flushes bear this out

I would strongly suggest that you consider swapping to a contraceptive pill as Alicess suggests because also as stellajane and Taz have said - oestorgen is so important for your health, and is the only treatment for stopping hot flushes. You are really too young to be having low oestrogen.

Anti-depressants are absolutely not indicated in your position unless there is a medical reason why you should not take HRT. if you are cosnidering these ie a drug then why not consider replacing hormones that you are partly reducing yourself by taking the POP?

There is a gentle contraceptive pill called QLAIRA which contains a different progestogen called dienogest but more the point it contains oestrogen as well, in the form of estradiol, the same type as your body should be producing, and  in a way that mimics the menstrual cycle. There is no tablet free week, just a couple of days of dummy pills, that's all. This way you would have contraception but also the oestrogen your body needs and hopefully also regulate your periods too.

The other alternative to heavy bleeding is to have the Mirena coil fitted. This also acts as a contraceptive but you can then add oestrogen at whatever dose you need to deal with your symptoms. Yoy really really do not need to suffer. If your flushes are due to menopause and oestrogen deficiency then adding back oestrogen will banish them and you can go back to getting a better nights sleep.

Please consider one of these two suggestions for your own sake.

All the best

Hurdity x