This will my very first post with links to Affiliates. These are honorable companies I trust, and they offer products I actually use. If you click on the link to the product, you will go the website of the company that sells this product. If you purchase it, you pay the same price as you would if you went to their website on your own. You won’t pay more using my affiliate links, but that company will pay me a tiny commission (i.e. if you buy a $1.00 item, I will make one penny on it). But by using my links, you help to support this website. Please read on and don’t feel pressure to buy anything here, especially since this article discusses women’s health, and for some of these items you will want to work with your doctor before you use these products.
I will tell you what works for me, but nothing here is medical advice. You need to figure this out individually, since each woman’s body is different. Work with a health care professional to make sure any hormone is safe for you. Although I initially did this on my own, as my symptoms got worse, I worked with a specialist who prefers more natural (bio-identical) methods.
When I experienced my first peri-menopause symptom (missed only one period and then had more periods the rest of the year) I instantly had a hot flash. This only occurred in the few months when I missed a period. I was shocked, since that first hot flash occurred when I was only 47 ½ years old. I did not know if my mom suffered hot flashes, because she was so private, she never spoke of them. I foolishly assumed she did not experience them, but probably she did. She never gave me any female advice, so I had to figure out how to handle this new experience on my own. Since I missed so few periods those first years, I just suffered through the less common period-free months.
Eventually the hot flashes hit me at night, and I looked into herbal remedies. These included red clover extract and if you click on this product name, it will take you to Herbspro where you can buy it:
Red Clover Extract 30 Tabs by Source Naturals
Next I used Kudzu (again, if you click on the name of this product, it will take you to Herbspro where you can buy this product)
Kudzu Recovery 120 Tabs by Planetary Herbals
, and black Cohshosh (again, if you click on the name of this product, it will take you to Herbspro where you can buy this product)
Black Cohosh 100 Caps by Natures Truth
I also used a “phyto-ester” product that has soy and is supposed to mimic estrogen. Here is a link to one that has wild yam, Dong Quai, and cohosh in it, plus the soy extracts (again, if you click on the name of this product, it will take you to Herbspro where you can buy this product)
PhytoEstrogen Plus EFAs 60 Softgels by Solaray
Then I added a weak topical progesterone cream and I will give the link to the cream I now prefer (if you click on the name of this product, it will take you to Bio Labs Pro where you can buy this product)
They sell this at 2 higher doses, and these are (at the 50 and then at the 75 mg doses): (again, if you click on the name of this product, it will take you to Bio Labs Pro where you can buy this product)
Biolabspro is an awesome company with excellent customer service, and if you sign up for their emails, they send you coupons, plus they send great articles about how their products work. I absolutely love this company. They are so pro-woman! They have other products that help with things like vitamin D, biotin, DHEA (if you want to get it via your skin), and much more. Here is a link to their “performance creams,” so you can browse what they have:
(again, if you click on the name of this product, it will take you to Bio Labs Pro where you can buy this product)
This is a company that uses pure ingredients. In the past, when I skimped on the purity of the products, I ended up with skin sensitivity. And I worried about the cancer risks, because things like parabens and other harsh preservatives have been implicated with cancer (there is not yet a confirmed link to how these preservatives are linked to cancer, just the fact that women who use them extensively suffer from cancer more… my friend’s mom died of blood cancer, and the City of Hope is doing research into things like benzenes, of which her mom’s blood was severely infected. The medical researchers said her cancer was clearly brought on by this).
All of these products helped at first, but over the years my periods came to an end (in my early fifties), and my estrogen and progesterone levels dropped to a point where a weak, over the counter progesterone cream and herbs were not enough. I needed more help. I did not know there were stronger over the counter progesterone creams, so I asked my doctor to fill a prescription for a strong, compounded bio identical progesterone cream. I did not know I could actually get it cheaper from Bio Labs, (as you can see from the link to the 75 mg dose above). I do not know what is in the pharmacy’s compounded progesterone, but I know what is in the Bio Labs cream, and it has no harsh preservatives and other bad ingredients.
Eventually even the prescription progesterone cream, alone, did not work, and I added an over the counter (no prescription) bio-identical estriol cream at the advice of the specialist I was seeing. She wanted me to use estradiol, but my breasts are very sensitive, and they hurt when I used that estrogen. The estriol cream I used worked well externally, but I also wanted to use it as a suppository, and it hurt a bit when I used it inter-vaginally. So I found a super gentle oil that had the bio-identical estriol in it. Unfortunately this was too weak, and my estrogen levels plummeted, which my specialist said is bad for my bones and heart.
Finally I found a combo I could use. Bio Labs had the estriol cream that easily penetrates the skin (again, if you click on the name of this product, it will take you to Bio Labs Pro where you can buy this product)
If you prefer a mixture of estriol and estradiol, Bio Labs has that with a low dose at (again, if you click on the name of this product, it will take you to Bio Labs Pro where you can buy this product)
Estradiol is the fastest acting estrogen, and many women can use it. My breasts are so sensitive, they hurt if I consume too much caffeine, so I should have known I could not use the stronger est (estradiol).
I apply Bio Labs’ estriol cream to my skin with one pump of the progesterone after my shower (around noon) and then use the suppository with the estriol and progesterone right before bedtime. I found a stronger oil that had the bio-estriol in it, again a pure version that did not hurt when I used it inter-vaginally. To use a cream inter-vaginally, I needed a suppository applicator. Ebay and Walmart offer them economically priced, and I’ll put in links for both. First, here is one example (a good one) from Ebay:
Here is a link to a page of Walmart applicators (this way you can choose your size):
To make sure I did not lose any of the creams at the end of plunger, I pushed the empty plunger into a bit of coconut oil. If you want a small serving, here it is: (again, if you click on the name of this product, it will take you to Herbspro where you can buy this product)
100% Coconut Oil 4 oz by CocoCare
We cook with coconut oil, and I use it for body care, so if you want a big portion, here it is: (again, if you click on the name of this product, it will take you toHerbspro where you can buy this product)
Organic Virgin Coconut Oil 12 oz by Now Foods
This is a pure oil, and very soothing to the body, and in later posts I will share how we use coconut oil for body care and also how I cook it up for body lotion and hair conditioner (I have some easy recipes). Next I dripped the drops (I use 8 drops) of the estriol. This next link looks weird, but it really works (I went to this website and “read” this page and this link takes you right to the product I buy from Ebay. As of the date of my writing this, Amazon no longer sells this oil, and I could not find any other oil as gentle as this one) https://www.ebay.com/itm/324953121193?hash=item4ba8b721a9%3Ag%3AKJ4AAOSw74Jhwdr9%20&amdata=enc%3AAQAGAAAAkIjJFql25VURs%2FGR%2BemyBBn2X4m8Yix7XWsh5ZzSDRfDyfbHe8Gjq3OwBZ8Xxouc5ZO5r0xYnDbj%2Bv3VdtBPKiOJeuPYlXtzgoUglqwzjj1EFl6JwU3jyNNq6PNrCpqCYqmrQQ2z2PQa5d%2FwCOkXV2PVJUtVDpMQcq7peH1DoOwLvTjZsbj792YuqdaltwFhoQ%3D%3D&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&siteid=0&campid=5338911825&customid=&toolid=10001&mkevt=1 oil into the plunger. Finally I pump as much progesterone as I want into the plunger.
I eventually also added one probiotic to the plunger (again, if you click on the name of this product, it will take you to Herbspro where you can buy this product)
PB8 Immune System Support 60 Caps by Nutrition Now
This is the one I use. It was recommended by Consumer Labs for providing the most active cultures at the lowest price and not having any contamination.
I crack open the capsule and pour it into the plunger with the creams. I do this, because I sometimes get a vaginal yeast infection, and the probiotic helps my body resist getting these (suppositories can make a yeast infection occur more easily and at the bottom I list what I now use for a yeast infection).
Finally, I also add several drops of DMSO to the creams on my skin, never inter-vaginally. Some people are afraid of DMSO, because it got a bad rap when the pharmaceutical companies began to make anti-inflammatory meds (think of the asprin, ibuprofen and acetaminophen). DMSO works well at lowering inflammation and relieving pain. It works so well veterinarians still use it on live stock, especially the very valuable race horses, because they do not want to harm the horses with the anti-inflammatory meds. Because DMSO works so well the pharmaceutical companies told stories about it being ineffective and a waste of money, even though it is much cheaper to use DMSO for muscle aches than to take the oral anti-inflammatory meds.
Here is a link to a few options for DMSO from Walmart:https://goto.walmart.com/c/3255743/565706/9383?veh=aff&sourceid=imp_000011112222333344&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.com%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Ddmso
Another reason DMSO got a bad name is due to a story of a woman who had kidney cancer. She used several OUNCES of DMSO daily. Because she had kidney disease, her body could not metabolize and clear the DMSO from her body, and she became poisoned. I was so concerned about her story, I looked up clinical studies on DMSO to see if it was safe. I found a well documented study at this link click here. If you are unsure of clicking on that link, you can also Google search for it using its title: “The Human Toxicology Of Dimethyl Sulfoxide.” The study is by
Richard D. Brobyn and was done by the Bainbridge Medical Center Bainbridge Island, Washington
In the study, they used 2.2 OUNCES of DMSO on the bodies of the participants, daily! I only use several drops, and my 8 ounce bottle of DMSO can last me for months. It is also helpful to know DMSO simply means (CH3)2SO, ,and is called di-methyl sulfoxide—which means it has 2 methyl groups and it has sulfur and oxygen in it. Sulfur is an essential mineral our bodies need. If you are allergic to any sulfur compounds you might want to avoid this ingredient. Some people find the DMSO goes into their blood stream so fast, they can taste it, and being sulfur, some people find that nauseating. I have used DMSO for many years now with no adverse reaction (and I have had my kidney and liver levels tested, not because I use this, but because I have had appendicitis, due to a dirty colon scope that was used in my colonoscopy—I will warn you of that danger in a future post). My kidneys and liver and working fine. The reason I add the DMSO is because it can penetrate the skin quickly and can help to deliver any solution added to it (hence the DMSO causes my hormone creams to penetrate my skin more quickly).
If you want to learn more about DMSO, please consider reading a book about it. Here are 2 different links (to Better World Books, because they have great deals on used books, if you click on the book’s names listed here, each book name will take you to the book seller’s site–I buy used books from them)
Dmso : Nature’s Healer by Morton Walker
and by another author:
Dmso : Nature’s Healer by Morton Walker
I do not take progesterone or estriol orally, because they have to be metabolized by the liver. But topically and inter-vaginally applied creams enter the blood stream and bypass the liver. I have heard that the hormones are more easily metabolized by our body this way. But my specialist does have me take an oral capsule of pregnenolone (again, if you click on the name of this product, it will take you to Walmart where you can buy this product) https://goto.walmart.com/c/3255743/565706/9383?veh=aff&sourceid=imp_000011112222333344&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.com%2Fip%2FBest-Naturals-Pregnenolone-30-mg-120-Tablets%2F133370307
Her is the link for and DHEA (again, if you click on the name of this product, it will take you to Walmart where you can buy this product) https://goto.walmart.com/c/3255743/565706/9383?veh=aff&sourceid=imp_000011112222333344&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.com%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Ddhea
I use the lowest dose (5mg) but if you need higher doses, as you shop Herbspro, they offer higher doses. Here is a 2nd link for the dhea
Some women need DHEA at higher doses, because they are chronically deficient in DHEA and they need a much higher dose. I am glad to say this is one of the hormones I can still produce (though not enough, hence the low dose). These are links to the products I take, but please be aware my specialist did blood work for me and she confirmed I need these two precursors to hormones. I take the lowest doses of these, and she has me do new blood work at regular intervals to make sure the levels are correct. Please don’t take these on your own unless your specialist recommends them, based upon your blood work. I simply share this info, and if your specialist does recommend any of these things, then you can use the links I have provided to find the products your specialist recommends.
I want to close, not by talking about hormones, but about a woman’s heart. Menopause is simply a pause in the biologically reproductive years in a woman’s life, not her true productivity! We women are productive and life givers long after our bodies can no longer release an egg for a possible birth. And whether a woman has had children or not, she is still a life giver, because that is part of being a woman, not just in bearing children, but in loving others, embracing them as friends and family. We give encouragement, wisdom and strength to those around us. We never lose this gift, even after we are no longer “biologically reproductive.” Menopause is just the beginning of a new era in our lives and we should never think less of ourselves in this era. If God gives you many more years of life (and why should he not when menopause comes at this “not old age”?) you will be reproductive in so many ways beyond the biological functions. We can embrace this part of life with pride and dignity! We may want to deal with the physical symptoms so they do not cause us pain, but the actual change we enter is nothing to fear or be ashamed of!
** Finally, here is the yeast infection info.
Loss of hormones alone can make a woman more prone to yeast infections, and those who use suppositories have a slight risk. I learned this by suffering two yeast infections in the 5+ years I have been using a suppository for hormone treatment. At first I used the VERY harsh yeast treatments at my drug store. These have some ingredients implicated in uterine and breast cancers (women who had a higher concentration of these ingredients in their blood and tissues also had more cancer—so no link has not been found, but there is some correlation). Not only do they contain harsh ingredients, but the products burned terribly. By the time I finished a round of treatment, my body felt raw!
I learned I could safely use Boric Acid for yeast infections. Most people know about boric acid that is diluted with water and used as an eye wash. But it can also work for yeast infections. Even with the more natural boric acid, I did feel sore the first day or two, but I was already sore from the yeast infection. After that I could use the boric acid without the awful pain I had the entire time I used the harsh yeast infection treatment I got from the drug store. Again, work with your specialist before you do use this. I am not telling you what to do, but only what worked for me.
Standard yeast infection treatment is one capsule (600 mg pure boric acid) This link also looks weird, but it will take you right to the seller, from whom I buy these (and they really work too) https://www.ebay.com/itm/184755883595?var=692491291216%C2%A0&amdata=enc%3AAQAGAAAAkMCpRBToicU2lxhYY2qxDLQbQUp5ftXHDQTptlsZH7GVJKoQjyIZTkTH4TiO82%2BeCjAXL8AVxJ3gN%2Ff2vE3Cc5pEPHeZaY7Nv9fAs40UDuPchYsfuJNwsPsTns%2BvMYcNN7zRdjQRTnTgCh2y%2FYAaaB2AqYN4RYZ1VAuDyipXWlIV6A1jDS2WPAq0bieJmqdU%2Bw%3D%3D&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&siteid=0&campid=5338911825&customid=&toolid=10001&mkevt=1)
Walmart also offers these boric acid capsules here:https://goto.walmart.com/c/3255743/565706/9383?veh=aff&sourceid=imp_000011112222333344&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.com%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dboric%2520acid%2520vaginal%2520suppositories%26typeahead%3Dboric%2520acid
inserted in the vagina at bedtime for 7 days. Please note this brand suggests 2 time per day, but please only use one. Also, it says to use them for 2 weeks, but that is only done if a gal has a recurring infection. Otherwise, one week is sufficient. I use my suppository applicator to insert this. For frequent and recurring yeast infections, some gals use it for two weeks, and then follow up with boric acid twice a week for 6 months to 1 year. Don’t use boric acid if you have any broken skin that the boric acid could touch. Boric acid is toxic if you swallow it and can cause kidney damage. Do not use boric acid capsules if pregnant. Also, please know I am not telling you to use this, but only what I use and what I have found other gals have used to stop this infection.