That hormone thing, redux

I'm 49 years old, and in the last year, my hormones have turned on me.

I'm not quite sure when it began -- I started having trouble continuing to lose weight and sleeping at night a year and a half ago, but I blamed it on the stress and sleep deprivation of the period around the 2007 pet food recall, when I was working the (very busy) "graveyard shift" for Pet Connection.

Thank you pet food industry for the midnight "dump and run" media releases.

Although my life should have gotten back to normal last fall, I continued to have problems sleeping -- both falling asleep and staying asleep. I still couldn't seem to lose weight, even when exercising and diarying my food. And then in November, I didn't get my period for two and a half months, then when I did, it was short and weird, and then I skipped another. This after a literal  lifetime of menstrual periods I could set a watch by, or, at least, a calendar. I only even had cramps a couple of times a year, and my PMS was usually a single day of weepiness and irritability.

Now I was irritable for weeks on end, and kept finding things popping out of my mouth before I realized I was going to say them. I was easily pissed off, and easily hurt. I still couldn't sleep, I gained ten pounds despite not changing my exercise or food intake -- which after everything I've gone through in the last 5 years to lose weight scared the shit out of me -- and I felt tired and mentally not myself.

And my periods continued to be abnormal. And while they were nothing compared to those suffered by a lot of women, I was experiencing some fairly bad hot flashes, mostly at night -- seemed to be part of why I couldn't sleep. And the combination of hot flashes and sleep disruption probably were behind my feelings of mental dullness, too.

I went to the doctor (we can have the discussion about our fucked up health care system another day), but she was approximately 13 years old and just shrugged and said it was "normal for your age."

Let me explain something to the doctors of the world: Even if going literally in one month from a lifetime of regular and uneventful menstrual periods to nothing BUT abnormal and unpleasant menstrual periods is common, it's not normal. It simply is not. Not to mention that it's unacceptable; I can't and won't live like that for months or years.

More to the point, I started menstruating at 10 years old. My mother, who started menstruating at 12, didn't go into menopause until she was 53. Women typically go into menopause a little later than their mothers, and the earlier you start the later you tend to stop. So 48 years old seemed a little early to me. I also was concerned about how abrupt and severe my symptoms where.

I tried to convince her to check my thyroid, but she brushed the idea aside. Now, I'm going through the "constantly going back in and complaining" routine we have to go through to get doctors to actually look up from their little "medicine by the numbers" laptops and do something for us, and I'm one of the  pushiest people I know so I'm sure in time I'll get the tests I want (and in the meantime, Kaiser is sucking up fifty bucks co-pay every time they see me and did I mention I pay $582 a month for my coverage?), but in the meantime I took matters into my own hands, and started researching herbs and supplements that might address my symptoms.

Before I go on, let me say this: I personally hate testimonials. The plural of "anecdote" is not "data," my experience won't necessarily have any bearing on yours, this could all be a big coincidence, and I still haven't even pried a diagnosis of any kind of out of my doctor. Consider this statement fully caveated.

I'm a firm believer that soy sucks, so I avoided all supplements that contain it, and after a lot of reading, bought myself a product called Estrotone by New Chapter.

I started taking it in the morning, and that night, after two doses, I was sleepy at 10 PM, sound sleep 15 minutes after getting into bed, and I woke up the next day with the birds, full of energy. I laughed and sang and walked the dogs, all before 7 AM. I felt young again.

Two weeks later, I got my period, and it was a little heavy (my rare periods in the last six months had been so scanty I wasn't even sure they WERE periods) but otherwise normal.

Twenty-eight days later I had a second, perfectly normal period.

Twenty-eight days later, I had another.

All through that time, I felt energetic. My brain felt clear and sharp. My sleep patterns were perfect. My moods stablized, although only about 75 percent.

I still haven't lost weight, and I noticed something interesting: My measurements on my body are all unchanged except for my waist. Hips, bust, neck, arms, legs, all the same; my waist is three inches bigger. All that weight is in my midsection, another indication that this is hormonal.

I'm certainly not saying this is the answer to my problem. I'll continue to try to get my doctor to test my thyroid and, you know, help me. But despite my reluctance to add to the glut of supplement testimonials, I guess I just did.

Comments

[Sharyn]

Well, as you know, I've had menopausal insomnia for the past 1.5 years now...so I went out and bought Estrotone today on the strength of your blog. Hope it works!

Sharyn

[Christie]

Let me know if it helps, Sharyn!

[Christie]

Let me know if it helps, Sharyn!

[Red]

Of all the things we talked about, thyroid was the one thing we nevere mentioned, even though you know I have issues there. How weird. But I had some of the same issues before my diagnosis, except for the period thing. They just got heavier. But hot flashes, mood swings, sleep deprivation, oh yeah. And even after the removal, I still get the the sleep issues, but that's a sign that my levels are of and the meds need adjusting. Please don't stop trying to have those tests run.

[cheryl]

Can you change doctors? If it was a vet and they weren't listening to you - another vet would be on the horizon.

[KT]

and I'm one of the pushiest people I know so I'm sure in time I'll get the tests I want

Okay ... this is not cool! This post must come with a warning label -- I just spit water all over my laptop, laughing ;)

[Nish]

My mom wants this miracle pill, where can I get them for her? Health food stores? on line some place?

[Sharron]

Yes Indeed!! Well I started taking estrotone about three yrs ago. After taking it all my systoms disappeared..and yes I stopped and really forgot about them. I was on synthroid for years and suddenly taken off after experiecing heart issues. Dr said I had too much in my system. Now the symptoms are back.
Man...I have been up for 5 nights now and I'm not too friendly at all. I was on lunesta and ambien but insurance states i can only get 45 every 75 days which mean they want me to stay up 3o days. Now this morning as I laid there I really tried to figure out what the hell is wrong. Last week I got a migraine so bad untill I couldnot function.,then I got cramps and diarreah and couldnot stand up so I was taken to emergence room where I was told I was hyperkalemia(too much potasium) they placed me on a heart monitor and gave me awful stuff to drink, did catscan and observed me overnite. I started drinking nighty night tea, had already gave up caffiene and am just irratible. I guess it was my Angel who whispered in my ear wheres your estrotone.. I got up at 5:15am and took two but I also called my pharmacy and had the ambein refilled at my exspense. I have not picked them up yet because I feel a little better already. My bones are not aching from lack of sleep. I really wanna take another one and am trying to debate if I should pick up the ambein just in case. I'm so tired. I have confidence in the estrotone and know it will eventually work because it did before. Just wanted to add my two cents and say THANK YOU LORD...I DID'NT HANG UP ON ANYONE TODAY..NOR DID I SNAP AT MY CHILD SO ESTROTONE IS WORKING. Also wanted to add for those who are getting hot flashes that when I first got the estrotone I was also sold some very tiny little pills in a little long canister like a lipstick tube. I was told they were snake villen and would stop the flashes...man they were like a MIRACLE but I can't remember the name. They taste good and you just eat 4-5 and when the flases stop you stop taking them. If I find the name I will post it but the container is blue and I took them everywhere I went so for those who are suffering please find them at your health store. Thanks for listening.....Sharron

[Margie]

I was debating to reorder Estrotone. I have been using it for almost a year. It worked great. Now for the last couple months I am back to haveing Hot flashes and not sleeping at night. So far no headaches. Weight still there. I tell you this part of life for women sucks. I was wondering if it just isn't working for me amymore. Is anyone else out there had this problem?