Menopause question: the women you know who have had hot flashes over two years, did any of them never take hormone replacements?

I took pregnenalone prescribed by a naturopath. It’s a natural hormone precursor found in the body. It stopped my hot flashes and they never came back even when I stopped taking it some years later.

I took a hormone replacement therapy for 2 years and it worked wonderfully for controlling hot flashes and some slight mood swings. But I was worried about side affects so I stopped taking them. Hot flashes came right back. I then started taking them on weekends only for about 6 months. That worked too. I finally quit them altogether and I’ve not had any issues for the last 7 years.

I’m 5–6 years out and refused any HRT. Just muddled through and yes, still get hot flashes now and then. HRT is meant to be temporary and really, I think it’s best to just go with the flow.
I didn’t experience mood swings or depression only the hot flashes and night sweats.

I tried a few herbal supplements like Black Cohash and the Yam based progesterone creams, meh…a waster of money IMO, I didn’t notice any difference. My doctor at the time told me that if I didn’t take HRT I would become depressed, I was really pissed off at that blanket statement, coming from a man as well. haha
If you’ve been prone to mood swings and depression maybe it would escalate but, in my case, the only times I have been depressed have been situational, not a chronic issue.

@Coloma That doctor is an ass.

Just as an aside, Premarin is made from horse urine.

@JLeslie Yes, he kinda was.
@anniereborn Good point, the synthetic HRTs are just as effective without the cruelty based Premarin.

You need to remember that the FDA has declared all hormone replacement therapy as “bio-identical”, but that’s not true. Premarin is one example. It’s made from pregnant mares’ urine. if it were truly identical it wouldn’t have the side effects it does.

Furthermore progesterone cream has relatively few side effects compared to Premarin.

I used a prescription progesterone for about a month until I could get into someone who actually tested my hormone levels and I got a compounding pharmacy to make me therapy just for me instead of knee-jerk handing me a prescription.

The results were awesome, and NO negative side effects!

@snowberry Were you having symptoms? A specific reason to try hormones?

@JLeslie I had “abnormal uterine bleeding”. My doc wanted to do a hysterectomy. The first thing she started talking about was that it might be cancer, and that we WOULD treat it aggressively, blah bla blah. Problem is that only a very small percentage of AUB is actually cancer, but that’s the first place she went in her mind. If it was cancer I’d deal with it, but forget the drama, please!! The progesterone stopped the bleeding and gave me time to figure out my options.

The problem was caused by an imbalance in my hormones. I found another doc, and I’m doing great. And I still have all my parts!