Monica FitzPatrick from Walkinstown

My doctor gave me lots of good advice for dealing with the flushes covering off everything from prescriptive options to other natural remedies which can help like the soya.  My sleep also suffers and weight gain is another issue … my mid section has thickened out and the weight is just a lot harder to shift. Luckily my skin is not bad and my hair quality the same despite having too much of it. I think a lot of women are nervous of talking about changes in their sex life – I’m lucky, I’m fine in that department!  It hasn’t been easy, however, it also hasn’t been a horrendous experience.”

Syliva Doyle from Wicklow

Sylvia Doyle is a mother of two teenaged children from Wicklow Town who has started her menopause in the last year at the age of just 44!  Syliva comments, “As my mother had the menopause quite bad, I was very nervous of it’s imminent onset as I was thinking that genetically I’d be the same. I’ve just started over the past year and I’d consider myself quite lucky with my main symptom being night sweats. I’d wake up during the night soaked and would be throwing the covers off … of course, its not just the sweating, it interferes with sleep. My pharmacist recommended the Phytosoya supplement has she’s found it helped many women with flushing and night sweats.  It’s really made quite a difference for me  - I don’t sweat half as much and it doesn’t bother for me anymore – I’m delighted!  Sylvia continues, “There recently I went away for four days and forgot my soya and low and behold the sweats came back just as bad.  Once I started taking the soya again there was an immediate difference!”

 

Noeleen Gentles from Dublin

Noeleen Gentles is a 53 year old woman from Kilnamanagh in Dublin.  Noeleen started experiencing the menopause in her late thirties and decided to go on HRT to help with the symptoms.  About three years ago she came off the HRT, only to start experiencing her menopausal symptoms again.  Noleen comments, “The first year I came off the HRT was very rough.  As I work in a pharmacy I started taking different natural supplements to see if they’d make a difference, however, many didn’t. I was experiencing about 8 bad flushes a day, my sleep wasn’t great, I was irritable and I was suffering from dry skin and hair.” 

 

I then came across a soya supplement called Phyto Soya Double Potency which I took regularly and after a period of three months I saw a great difference.  Not only were my flushes diminishing, but overall I was feeling better, my hair was looking good again and my skin improved. I’ve been on the soya now three years and I know when I forget to take it on holidays I’II feel the difference straight away. I’m definitely on the other side of the menopause now, however, I do plain to keep taking it until I’m very sure I’m clear of this period of my life.” 

 

Noeleen also advises, “I see women coming into our pharmacy and I know they are menopausal as there is water literally running off their faces – My heart goes out to them. There are plenty of simple things you can do if you can do to make things easier.  Stay away from caffeine late at night, it really does not help with night sweats.  Cotton clothing is great for controlling temperature, take regular exercise and drink plenty of water. Key is sticking to your new regime and being patient.”

Teresa Davies from Kilkenny

At 43 years of age, Teresea Davies started experiencing her menopause and for a three year period she suffered from hot flush symptoms.   To her relief these did stop only to recommence many years later. Teresa comments, “I couldn’t believe that at 51 I began getting symptoms again!  This time they were different – my night sweats were very bad, I’d suffer from irritable legs which I’d dangle out of the bed to keep them cool, I couldn’t sleep at night and was very irritable and constantly exhausted.  After 20 odd years of not working, I had started back into a job working as a pharmacy assistant, however, I became worried that I wouldn’t have the energy to do my job or even function.  Unfortunately I’d previously had minor breast surgery, so I wasn’t a suitable candidate for HRT.”

“As I my job was pharmacy based, I started research my other options.  I tried different types of soya and found one with a high potency which really helped with my symptoms.  It was such as relief to find something which helped me manage my symptoms, I don’t know what I’d have done otherwise.   To this day I still take my phyto soya and also take a good primrose oil supplement to help balance the hormones.” 

Teresa continues, “To my relief I found there is life after the menopause.  While my symptoms continued, they were totally manageable.  Now I totally enjoy life -  can deal with life much better now and being able to manage your symptoms enables you to move on.  I believe that talking about your symptoms with friends and family makes a big difference.  I see women all the time who walk into pharmacy looking for help.  Menopause does not need to be a taboo subject, when they share their problems, it can help a lot – why shouldn’t they get help!”