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I'm a 52 year old female going through menopause

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snowflake posted on Thu, Sep 24 2009 8:51 AM

getting a lot of hot flashes and waking up at night OFTEN.  This has adversely affected my diabetes with higher blood sugars.

 

I am wondering how others in similar positions have handled this.  I know when I was pregnant (15 or so years ago), pregnancy hormones was antagonistic towards diabetes and I had to take extra insulin...  does the same thing happen with menopause?

Is there some website or some book I can read about this?

Thanks very much.

 

 

 

 

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Simi_Papa replied on Thu, Sep 24 2009 3:22 PM

My wife uses Black Cohosh to help relieve the symptoms of menopause.  She had your same problem of hot flashes and since taking this supplement the hot flashes (and cold flashes) have gone away almost completely.  She buys the generic CVS brand at the CVS pharmacy.  For the bg readings you might want to have some kind of snack before going to bed, like cheese or peanut butter filled crackers and maybe have them if you wake up in the middle of the night.  You didn't mention whether you are a type 1 or 2.  Do you take a baseline insulin like Lantus or Levimir?  Do you have bg problems during the day or just fasting?  It is pretty clear from the research that stress will mess with bg levels and menopause is undoubtedly a stress riser.

Bill

"May the Force be with you!"

Byetta user

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drLaurie replied on Thu, Sep 24 2009 7:21 PM

I used a product called Chillow to help cool my body.  I think they're still available online.  It's like a pillow, but you fill it with water and it works like a heat-sink to absorb heat from your body.  I'm not connected at all to the company, but have used them over the years and recommended them to pals, who also found relief.

drLaurie, not an MD

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tylersydney replied on Fri, Sep 25 2009 12:50 PM

I went on HRT for 18 monhs. My Dr first checked hormone levels every 6 months....HRT came after much thought and consideration...after levels were pretty low but not rock bottom...

I quit the HRT..then used an Estring vaginally..I NEVER  had a hot flash.

Maybe HRT is oklay in a limited time period....Estring is great.

Good luck.

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