Macheal
04-16-2003, 09:04 PM
Hi everyone,
I am new to this board and am in need of help or information, I am 54 i am going thru menopause. I am now out of work with no insurance. My doctor put me on Remeron. I need a replacement for this. I am currently on HRT for the menopause, but have brain fog so if anyone out there can help me find and over the counter drug replacement for remeron I will be ever so greatful.
Boyfriend is going crazy, trying to be strong, hot flashes have subsided with HRT but the brain, it is going fast.
Help please, or tell me where to go and get help.
I am new to this board and am in need of help or information, I am 54 i am going thru menopause. I am now out of work with no insurance. My doctor put me on Remeron. I need a replacement for this. I am currently on HRT for the menopause, but have brain fog so if anyone out there can help me find and over the counter drug replacement for remeron I will be ever so greatful.
Boyfriend is going crazy, trying to be strong, hot flashes have subsided with HRT but the brain, it is going fast.
Help please, or tell me where to go and get help.
Sponsor
giupset
04-16-2003, 11:15 PM
You're brain/memory is not what it use to be due to your low estrogen levels. You may have to resort to a prescription drug such as FemHRT. Same drugs as many birth control pills but a much lower form of the drugs. I've heard from patients that this has helped them with memory. You may want to consider trying this for a month or two and see if it makes a difference. Nothing OTC (over the counter) that I can think of. One OTC product has the "natural" form (or plant form) of estrogen. It may be called Estroven.
[This message has been edited by giupset (edited 04-16-2003).]
[This message has been edited by giupset (edited 04-16-2003).]
tagger
04-16-2003, 11:39 PM
Machael,
I had to go off HRT account of leg pains. My gyno mentioned a soy based product that has a low level of estrogen in it. He didn't know the name but my health food store directed me to it. I'm sorry but (brain fog here too!) I can't remember the name either! Any good health food store should be able to help you. I'm not taking it yet as I'm waiting for the leg pains to go away to be sure that the HRT was really the cause of them. I'm being optimistic here (hoping that the leg pains aren't caused by something more insidious), but I found that before I went on HRT there were a few products that were not too bad for hot flashes etc. One is Black Cohosh (for hot flashes), Evening Primrose Oil (for mood swings) and now I guess this soy product. Be very careful with "natural" products as they are not monitored by FDA and therefore dosages, quality etc are not exact. One other natural product that comes to mind is St. John's Wort. I've never tried it (I'm on Remeron) but I;ve talked to people who swear by it for depression. Once again though, what dosage? Try to find a good reputable health food store to help you with theses products.
Good Luck...Tagger
I had to go off HRT account of leg pains. My gyno mentioned a soy based product that has a low level of estrogen in it. He didn't know the name but my health food store directed me to it. I'm sorry but (brain fog here too!) I can't remember the name either! Any good health food store should be able to help you. I'm not taking it yet as I'm waiting for the leg pains to go away to be sure that the HRT was really the cause of them. I'm being optimistic here (hoping that the leg pains aren't caused by something more insidious), but I found that before I went on HRT there were a few products that were not too bad for hot flashes etc. One is Black Cohosh (for hot flashes), Evening Primrose Oil (for mood swings) and now I guess this soy product. Be very careful with "natural" products as they are not monitored by FDA and therefore dosages, quality etc are not exact. One other natural product that comes to mind is St. John's Wort. I've never tried it (I'm on Remeron) but I;ve talked to people who swear by it for depression. Once again though, what dosage? Try to find a good reputable health food store to help you with theses products.
Good Luck...Tagger
mlgable
04-17-2003, 12:39 AM
There is no over the counter product that compares with Remeron. This is a specific drug and if it was helping your brain fog then you need to continue on it. Why not call your doc and ask him if he has any samples to tide you over or call your county social services office and see if you qualify for drug assistance of some sort. Since you have a valid prescription for this medication you might also consider looking at online pharmacies to see if anyone offers this cheaper. The main reason it is so expensive now is that it hasn't been on the market long enough for the patent to expire allowing other drug companies to manufacture generic versions of this drug.
Macheal
04-17-2003, 02:47 PM
Thanks for all your help. I have been on HRT for about 6 months and have had no problems. I am taking Estroven
and that seems to have taken care of the hot flashes. I have no open prescriptions for the Remeron. I will check into the county clinic or some other form of doctor care. I hate this been working for 22 years and out of work and can not seem to get anything. Boy i have tried every avenue i can think of.
I am also trying and it seems to work bye GNC Phyto-Estrogen and promensil. They both seem to be helping me. Just the brain fog. I will keep looking for help.
I hope you all do not mind if i chat with you, for I need to know that i am not the only one in the world with these problems. It helps to talk and to share informaion with someone. My boyfriend wants to understand but he really does not. He is 54 also. I just hate this.
Thanks again all hope you will keep me in mind and talk to me every once and awhile.
and that seems to have taken care of the hot flashes. I have no open prescriptions for the Remeron. I will check into the county clinic or some other form of doctor care. I hate this been working for 22 years and out of work and can not seem to get anything. Boy i have tried every avenue i can think of.
I am also trying and it seems to work bye GNC Phyto-Estrogen and promensil. They both seem to be helping me. Just the brain fog. I will keep looking for help.
I hope you all do not mind if i chat with you, for I need to know that i am not the only one in the world with these problems. It helps to talk and to share informaion with someone. My boyfriend wants to understand but he really does not. He is 54 also. I just hate this.
Thanks again all hope you will keep me in mind and talk to me every once and awhile.
tagger
04-28-2003, 11:46 PM
Machael,
I'm glad the HRT is working for you. I know a lot of women who swear by it. Unfortunately it didn't work for me and I'm feeling almost a little bit jealous! I feel that I live in a "brain fog" world these days. At work things that used to challenge and stimulate me I now avoid. I can't seem to gain my confidence back and have lost that "snap judgement" ability that I used to have. I'm still waiting for that post menopausal "zest" that I keep reading about! When friends tell me they would NEVER take artificial hormones I wonder if they've ever experienced the awful downside of menopause. Some women seem to sail right through it without a hitch. Aren't they lucky! My husband doesn't understand (how could any man?) the
complications of this time of life. How could I not be interested in sex!! He's now been sleeping in the "guest room" for 3 mths. I think he's worried that he might rape me if he were to sleep with me. All I want right now are hugs and intimacy. All he wants (typically) is sex. Sex HURTS right now. (I'm investigating lubricants) and I have virtually no libido. I'm on Remeron too which could be a conributing factor. Upside I'm now starting to have fantasies, but we'll never know if they'll come to fruition if he stays in the guest room! Both of us are working with my GP (a very wise man), having "talks" so hopefully we'll work it all out. We've been through worse (invetro etc)
Hope it all works out for you. In my "brain fog" I've almost forgotten what your posting was!
Good luck...Tagger
I'm glad the HRT is working for you. I know a lot of women who swear by it. Unfortunately it didn't work for me and I'm feeling almost a little bit jealous! I feel that I live in a "brain fog" world these days. At work things that used to challenge and stimulate me I now avoid. I can't seem to gain my confidence back and have lost that "snap judgement" ability that I used to have. I'm still waiting for that post menopausal "zest" that I keep reading about! When friends tell me they would NEVER take artificial hormones I wonder if they've ever experienced the awful downside of menopause. Some women seem to sail right through it without a hitch. Aren't they lucky! My husband doesn't understand (how could any man?) the
complications of this time of life. How could I not be interested in sex!! He's now been sleeping in the "guest room" for 3 mths. I think he's worried that he might rape me if he were to sleep with me. All I want right now are hugs and intimacy. All he wants (typically) is sex. Sex HURTS right now. (I'm investigating lubricants) and I have virtually no libido. I'm on Remeron too which could be a conributing factor. Upside I'm now starting to have fantasies, but we'll never know if they'll come to fruition if he stays in the guest room! Both of us are working with my GP (a very wise man), having "talks" so hopefully we'll work it all out. We've been through worse (invetro etc)
Hope it all works out for you. In my "brain fog" I've almost forgotten what your posting was!
Good luck...Tagger
Macheal
05-02-2003, 03:32 PM
Hi Tagger,
I feel the same way in all things. Since I do not have Remeron anymore I have found an alternative. It is called Melatonin. It is an OTC drug. I just started using it so I am not sure if it works yet. How long have you been on Remeron? When I started it it took about 2 months for everything to kick in. The brain fog went away, the sex was back, but I started to gain weight. I was 110 lbs. 5'2". Doctor said that was not good because I had no desire for sex or eating. Now that I do not have it I am hoping that this new drug Melatonin will help, there is al a Melatonex that has Melatonin in it. It is not as strong has Remeron, but we will see what happens. I will let you know. Keep me posted. Oh by the way I found out about Melatonin thru some friends of mine who own a vitamin factory and use to make it. They don't any more but said it was a big seller and that it was helpful.
Good luck....tell hubby to be a little more patient....all will work out.
Keep in touch
Macheal
I feel the same way in all things. Since I do not have Remeron anymore I have found an alternative. It is called Melatonin. It is an OTC drug. I just started using it so I am not sure if it works yet. How long have you been on Remeron? When I started it it took about 2 months for everything to kick in. The brain fog went away, the sex was back, but I started to gain weight. I was 110 lbs. 5'2". Doctor said that was not good because I had no desire for sex or eating. Now that I do not have it I am hoping that this new drug Melatonin will help, there is al a Melatonex that has Melatonin in it. It is not as strong has Remeron, but we will see what happens. I will let you know. Keep me posted. Oh by the way I found out about Melatonin thru some friends of mine who own a vitamin factory and use to make it. They don't any more but said it was a big seller and that it was helpful.
Good luck....tell hubby to be a little more patient....all will work out.
Keep in touch
Macheal