Herbal Menopause

kyrsyan

Has No Life - Lives on TB
In addition to all the other fun things going on in life, it appears that my body has just slammed straight on into menopause. I've been in peri-menopause for a while and it's pretty much a shrug thing. I can handle what my body has thrown at me even the cramps from h3ll. But this week I hit the rages. Fortunately for my sanity and the people around me, I'm pretty aware of myself. So I knew the rages had no reason and I kept a lid on it. Fortunately, we're in quarantine so that was relatively easy. When it wasn't, I was silent a lot.
The problem is that we will be out of quarantine soon. And I'm not normally a ragey person. I don't like being a ragey person. So how in the bloody blue blazes do I balance this? It's bad enough that I don't even want to work in the garden out front because people keep stopping to say how good it looks and my instant responses are really not nice. (Fortunately I have lots of practice in smiling while keeping my tongue firmly between my teeth.)
So herb suggestions? Because I'm not letting this continue.
 

kyrsyan

Has No Life - Lives on TB
No answers just hugs I’m in perimenopause and I’m so done with this roller coaster...... following for ideas also :)
I just ride the roller coaster. Apparently I don't get the hot flashes (at least not that I've noticed) but I get the continual freezing. Which is a whole level of insanity given the padding my body has. I got the headaches under control. And Midol is a girl's best friend when that time comes calling.
I'm an introvert by nature and have just become more "hermitty" over time. I keep in touch with good friends but no longer have patience for a lot of other social stuff. I take care of my son, garden, and work.
But I am normally a very chill person. So much so that it takes just about everyone around me by surprise when I get angry. I think the last time I lost it was a bit over two years ago. And that was justifiable, even if the person who took the brunt of it wasn't the person I should have been shredding. He preferred I shred him than the lawyer. And he did a wonderful job of passing on the shredding in ways that I could not have.
But just random, hormone rage. No. Not Doing That. There will be a way. I will not allow that as part of my personality and I will not spend hours/days fighting with myself to control it. I just have to find the way. Right now, plant murder is working. Every stray shrub/weed/whatever that has decided to try to live in my backyard has discovered that I own a weedeater, loppers, and a really good mower. And the town has now taken two massive limb piles. Oh, and while I hate RoundUp, honeysuckle, wisteria, poison ivy, General Lee vine, and black locust have all gotten baths. Oh, and some wild blackberry.
But I'm going to run out of backyard soon. As in, maybe two more weeks if I let myself get really obsessive and finicky. And that includes taking down some baby trees that may not actually be on my property. They are on the line and the neighbors won't do anything about them. And they are more black locust.
Yeah, so ragey needs to be settled.
 

Jeepcats27

Senior Member
Have you read any Menopause books by Christiane Northrup M.D.?
She goes into supplements, meditation, etc from a female perspective.
I didn't do everything she said (She sometimes is little too much) but I did try the supplements.
The best thing that helped me was taking Calcium 1000mg extra the week prior to when I was due to have a period.
Even if it didn't occur.
It seemed to cut down on all the annoying Signs/symptoms that I didn't want, rage, hot flashes, etc.
My sisters have had good results from reading her book as they are in perimenopause and approaching menopause.
Hope this helps.
 

kyrsyan

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Have you read any Menopause books by Christiane Northrup M.D.?
She goes into supplements, meditation, etc from a female perspective.
I didn't do everything she said (She sometimes is little too much) but I did try the supplements.
The best thing that helped me was taking Calcium 1000mg extra the week prior to when I was due to have a period.
Even if it didn't occur.
It seemed to cut down on all the annoying Signs/symptoms that I didn't want, rage, hot flashes, etc.
My sisters have had good results from reading her book as they are in perimenopause and approaching menopause.
Hope this helps.
Suggestions on calcium supplements? I seem to remember that there is an issue with some of them not being helpful because the body can't actually digest them.
Thank you. Some good information there. And it may have pinpointed a bit of why the extreme ragey.
 
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kyrsyan

Has No Life - Lives on TB
So after digging in that website, and doing some more research, I think I may have figured out part of it. About a month ago I decided to try a recommended adrenal supplement. After being sick so much, there was a good chance it was needed. I took it for a month. I appreciated the boost. But at the price tag another bottle is going to have to wait. It , quite clearly, was helping more than I realized.
But I ran out just as PMS was coming to visit. And I had another kidney infection going at the same time (getting tired of those infections). So my normal balance had become dependent on the supplement and it was thrown out of whack a bit by the missing supplement. And then the body just naturally threw the rest of the curveballs. End result - ragey persona.
So I will replace the supplement as soon as finances permit and add it to the budget for the future few months.
 

Jeepcats27

Senior Member
The calcium I used was either Nature's Made or Tums,
I did a rotation in a women's and children clinic and if their pregnant clients couldn't afford the calcium, they advised them to use Tums(a lot cheaper)
 

Wildwood

Veteran Member
As long as you are aware of the rage, that is half the battle. I wonder if an adaptogenic herb would help? They tend to balance hormones somewhat. DH started taking maca root about a year ago and his moods mellowed out quite a bit. He decided to take a break for a while but didn't mention it...I'd been bugging him to do that. Pretty soon, he was a little snappish and foul humored. Of course, being the good wife that I am and the no BS taker, I pointed it out. He's the one that made the connection and started back on the maca. Panax ginseng and ashwagandha are also adaptogenics.

Menopause, for me, wasn't too bad. I never had a hot flash but the one thing it left me with was an extreme intolerance for BS. That did level out some after a while. For some of the other physical symptoms later on, I did my research and decided a short round of progesterone would fix me right up. My gyno. quit practicing about that time and I couldn't get in with another for 3 months so I went to a local doc known for dispensing meds and asked for what I needed. He wrote me a script and two weeks later, I was a new woman, stopped the meds and never had another issue.
 

onmyown30

Veteran Member
My main problem right isn’t really the hormones as too more my breast pain. After ovulation (or trying to ovulate) I become so estrogen dominant that my breast hurt sooooooo had like the worst pain I’ve ever experienced pain. (I’ve had 2 kids!) I’ve been using some natural progesterone cream and I thought it was helping but nope not really..... so I guess maybe to the doctor I go, I really didn’t want to get meds for this.
 

Digger

Veteran Member
Plexus XFactor Plus is what I take. It is a multivitamin clinically shown to help with menopause symptoms.
 

packyderms_wife

Neither here nor there.
Rage issues can be a serious problem... according to a group I'm in on FB, I'm not so active anymore there since I'm well past all of that now. But I can remember there were days when I'd be out grocery shopping and someone would do something stupid, like walking around reading their phone and bumping into other peoples carts, and I'd want to beat them to a pulp with the shopping cart... and then give them cookies afterward... there was no rhyme or reason to any of it. Now my bestie is going through all of this and I think has greater sympathy for what I was experiencing.
 

packyderms_wife

Neither here nor there.
My main problem right isn’t really the hormones as too more my breast pain. After ovulation (or trying to ovulate) I become so estrogen dominant that my breast hurt sooooooo had like the worst pain I’ve ever experienced pain. (I’ve had 2 kids!) I’ve been using some natural progesterone cream and I thought it was helping but nope not really..... so I guess maybe to the doctor I go, I really didn’t want to get meds for this.

If you're drinking any caffeine products stop doing so and now, it'll help with the breast pain. And yes see your doctor about the breast pain.
 

Grouchy Granny

Deceased
There is a natural estrogen replacement - Estroven that I took for a long time until another med interfered with it.

It really helped after they took me off Estrogen due to cancer concerns. I could go from just fine to weepy to full blown rage in 5 minutes or less. That was scary because I thought I was turning into Mrs. King Kong with a vengeance!
 

Grounded Idealist

Hope Always
I’ve worked in the natural health field —for doctors and in retail health food stores—for 20+ years. There’s a ton of info out there so please do some deep research before you embark on any supplement program. I’m not a doctor or medical professional of any kind, however, I too have ‘ been there, done that’ and have some insight to offer.

First off, search out a quality multivitamin/mineral supplement. One that is truly food-based and/or fermented are both well tolerated by most people and much more bioavailable than ‘traditional’ isolate vitamins. A multi will give you a basic nutritional foundation to work from, which you can add.

After years of my own experience with both PMS and then menopause, I have become a great fan of herbs and nutrients that support the body in balancing its own hormones rather than supplements that ‘force’ the production of one hormone over another. Mother Nature knows what she’s doing, we just need to get out of her way. I was successful in nearly completely eliminating all PMS and while I’m not completely through menopause, it has been a mild ride.

Keep in mind also that all hormones are connected / related so all the more reason to address them all. My favorite nutrient by far is Maca root. It is a superfood, available in powder, tablets or capsules. It absolutely supports your body’s progress through the changes and evens out the bumps in the road without tipping any one hormone out of balance. That means that if/when you stop taking it you should not experience any kind of drastic withdrawal; rather, your body would be in a better state of balance. Give it 30 days to work—90 days or three complete cycles to be sure it is effective for you (or not). Most women I’ve worked with have success with it.

My second favorite nutrient in this regard is ashwaganda. It is an East Indian herb that, again, supports the balance of hormones. It is most effective if the adrenal glands are more involved —and for most women they usually are. I had great success recovering from adrenal exhaustion using ashwaganda as part of a doctor prescribed protocol. It was so effective that I eventually went off of it because it became “too strong” for me. That was a sign that I was back in balance again including the sex hormones involved in menopause.

Finally, be mindful of the mental and emotional components of this entire package that we call a human being. Meditation, prayer, introspection, breathing exercises and physical movement all can be instrumental in bringing us back to center.
 

Galoutofdixie

Contributing Member
Okay ladies, something not mentioned. Libido. Gone. Want it back. Like yesterday. Any suggestions?

I'm sorry to say, my libido never returned, after about a year of finishing menopause. :( That was a huge unwelcome surprise for me. Wasn't expecting that at all! The idea still interests me, but need lots of convincing. LOL!. Sorry I couldn't help with any suggestions on that front. Overall, menopause for me was fairly easy. I never had the rage issues, or very many hot flashes. My biggest complaint was horrible sweating. (without hot flashes) I didn't even have that problem with puberty. I would sweat so badly, even my feet. If wearing sandals I'd feel like I was going to slide right out them from sweat. Ugh! And living in Louisiana at that time didn't help at all! Only thing that worked for me was the Vivelle-dot patch. Started out on the lowest dose, but had to move to the next dose up. If you still have a uterus, you also need to take progesterone for 2 weeks each month. I only needed to use the combo for about 1 yr. After 6 months, I was able to cut the patch in half, and then towards the end wean myself completely off. So, all in all, meno was fairly easy. The progesterone helped me sleep very well during those two weeks also. Unfortunately, that did not last after meno was over. But yeah, the lack of libido is a big thing, and it sucks.
 

abby normal

insert appropriate adjective here
Great thread!

I'm in the same boat, turning 49 soon. Tried a lot of stuff including estroven and HRT (birth control pills) and nothing helped. In fact the pills caused weight gain, lovely :rolleyes:

I've just decided I'm going to let mother nature have her way with me (smiles at grounded idealist) and try to ride it out. I don't really get hot flashes but I i get the cold chills . .. The rages kinda suck but I try to channel that energy into something positive when I can. Angry baking and angry gardening are quite good. The fatigue and space brain, well it comes and goes, but that's just aging.

Gets tricky because I'm a stay at home mom and I need to keep it cool with the kids. Not ashamed to admit that sometimes I use smokable herbal remedies to help me chill out. Kratom is good too but only effective if I don't take it daily.

The sex drive thing is most bothersome out of everything. When I first started with this business about 2 years ago it went bye bye completely but has returned a little . Just letting go of trying to control the situation has helped some, I believe . Wine helps too though I'm not much of a drinker
 

onmyown30

Veteran Member
My main problem right isn’t really the hormones as too more my breast pain. After ovulation (or trying to ovulate) I become so estrogen dominant that my breast hurt sooooooo had like the worst pain I’ve ever experienced pain. (I’ve had 2 kids!) I’ve been using some natural progesterone cream and I thought it was helping but nope not really..... so I guess maybe to the doctor I go, I really didn’t want to get meds for this.

I have that problem on and off. Right now, it’s been a few months and no pain after ovulation. About 6 months ago it was bad the worst pain I’ve ever had. That lasted maybe 6 months. I’m always afraid it will start again, cause in the past 4 yrs I’ve had times that it happened. Since it stopped for now I’m hoping I’m almost done.... maybe? I’m 47 yrs old, my mom didn’t go through natural menopause and I don’t know about my grandma so no way of telling what is family norm.

right now, all is sort of normal. My cycle ranges from 24-27 days and my period is sort of normal. I have one crazy heavy day, then by the third day it stops. Then on day 6 or 7 I will spot a little and then be done. I have woken up a couple nights before my period either all sweaty or absolutely chilled and shivering.
 
I have that problem on and off. Right now, it’s been a few months and no pain after ovulation. About 6 months ago it was bad the worst pain I’ve ever had. That lasted maybe 6 months. I’m always afraid it will start again, cause in the past 4 yrs I’ve had times that it happened. Since it stopped for now I’m hoping I’m almost done.... maybe? I’m 47 yrs old, my mom didn’t go through natural menopause and I don’t know about my grandma so no way of telling what is family norm.

right now, all is sort of normal. My cycle ranges from 24-27 days and my period is sort of normal. I have one crazy heavy day, then by the third day it stops. Then on day 6 or 7 I will spot a little and then be done. I have woken up a couple nights before my period either all sweaty or absolutely chilled and shivering.
Kinda how it went for me. Was perimenopausal for years starting in my mid forties. Hit full menopause about 6 months ago.
I'd live with the constant hot flashes for getting the knack for nookie back!
 

Kathy in FL

Administrator
_______________
Menopause was my 50th birthday present. Seriously. The month before my 50th birthday was the last cycle I have had to deal with. LOL

I don't have the hot flashes either but I do have the night sweats. So much fun.

I'm not able to take BC pills. You want me to turn into the Creature from Hell, put me on BC pills and then run. Lightning shoots from my eyes and I breathe out a solid stream of carbolic acid at supersonic speed. I took them one year and right after we go married. Hubby and I both agreed it was just better to start our quiver and hand it over to God. Much better. Muuuuuch better. ROFL!

The only other thing I hate is that my skin tone and texture has changed. Some of it might be related to the diabetes but my mother went through the same thing when she had her hysterectomy at 48 so I lean more towards menopause. I have to take collagen and biotin now and Goldbond for Crape-y skin is now my evening ritual. Joint and connective tissue issues also become a problem after menopause in my family.

Isn't the cycle of life so much fun?!
:prfl:
 

abby normal

insert appropriate adjective here
After an especially rage-y day I've re-read this thread and I'm going to try the maca root, anyone recommend a good basic dosage?

I think my adrenals need help. I get hormonal, then I get manic with activity trying to work out the negative vibes, but then I end up totally exhausted. Not working out too well. I have a cycle every 14-21 days, which is basically a roller coaster ride from hell.

I really, really wish someone had given me the menopause talk. We get the period talk and the sex talk, then I end up at 46 asking "what kind of fresh hell is this?" I must have missed a memo somewhere.

The 0% tolerance for BS, plus the IDGAF attitude is pretty cool though. Menopausal women with are a force to be reckoned with, we should form our own militia
 

Walrus Whisperer

Hope in chains...
I had the racing heart thing off & on. Mainly I had the crying jags. Inexplicable, would come out of nowhere. I just put up with it, took maybe 8 yrs for it to finish, never looked back. And Thanked God it was over!
 

workerbee

* Winter is Coming *
Oh yeah
I got tired of the hot flashes, waking up with panic attacks in the middle of the night (never had them before!), leg cramps, dizzy spells, brain fog...

I went with Defy Medical out of Tampa.
Been 1 1/2 years on bhrt.
BEST THING I EVER DID.

I'm ME again.

And it's stable.

Hot flashes ceased within 1 week, panic attacks....GONE. Dizzy spells gone, brain fog lifted.

My libido never disappeared, lol, all has been fine on that front.

This is not covered by insurance.

I'm worth it.
Who needs disposable income if you have no quality of life?

They ran my hormone panels, full blown menopause....estrogen levels of a TODDLER. I was 48 years old.
Progesterone EXTREMELY low.

It's good to be back, menopause SUCKS.
 

ginnie6

Veteran Member
Hysterectomy at 40, well the month before actually, then nursed youngest ds for 18 months. As soon as I weaned him menopause hit me. I had the shebang to deal with. Now at 14 years past its start the libido is gone and the dryness makes it torture when he does talk me into it. Seriously thinking about trying revaree or something similar.
 

kyrsyan

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Hysterectomy at 40, well the month before actually, then nursed youngest ds for 18 months. As soon as I weaned him menopause hit me. I had the shebang to deal with. Now at 14 years past its start the libido is gone and the dryness makes it torture when he does talk me into it. Seriously thinking about trying revaree or something similar.
More than I ever wanted to know about my folks, but discovered when I helped them move, there are OTC products for those occasions.
 

rob0126

Veteran Member
There is a natural estrogen replacement - Estroven that I took for a long time until another med interfered with it.

It really helped after they took me off Estrogen due to cancer concerns. I could go from just fine to weepy to full blown rage in 5 minutes or less. That was scary because I thought I was turning into Mrs. King Kong with a vengeance!

Suggestions:

I know of a woman that uses Estrotone. It seems to work but YMMV.


You can pick it up cheaper here.

As for cramps, magnesium powder. (magnesium glycinate seems to work well for many folks)
And if you need some calcium and potassium, Black Strap Molasses. (Warning though, it has iron in it, if you have issues with iron)
 
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Okay ladies, something not mentioned. Libido. Gone. Want it back. Like yesterday. Any suggestions?
There is hope ladies! I've researched several prescription libido enhancers. Tried one and boy howdy. I've also made it a mission to get that appetite back too. I'm finding setting my mind to it has made a difference as well. Mind over matter so to speak.
 

amazon

Veteran Member
There is hope ladies! I've researched several prescription libido enhancers. Tried one and boy howdy. I've also made it a mission to get that appetite back too. I'm finding setting my mind to it has made a difference as well. Mind over matter so to speak.
Care to share the name of the product you've tried? I wish I could bottle up and share my appetite with you! You'd be fat and sassy in no time!
 
Care to share the name of the product you've tried? I wish I could bottle up and share my appetite with you! You'd be fat and sassy in no time!
There are several. Lovegra was the first I checked on. It's not available in the US yet but it basically viagra. There are others with different properties that I'm looking into as well. Here are some others:
Tadalafil, which is a combination of testosterone and vardenafil. Taken daily.
Vyleesi and Addyi (Flibanserin)
There are I believe a couple of others. Research continues...
 

summerthyme

Administrator
_______________
For hot flashes, there is an herbal supplement called... naturally... Hot Flash. https://www.vitacost.com/source-naturals-hot-flash-180-tablets-1

I was miserable during my first year with intense hot flashes and night sweats. I took it daily for a out 6 months (had good results within a couple weeks), then stopped. I'm terrible about taking *anything* daily! Anyway, I went about 10 months untreated before I started noticing some mild symptoms again. So, I started it again.

It's been about 10 years. I take it periodically... if I start getting symptoms, I'll take it for a few weeks.

For anyone who is so miserable you're willing to "try anything", BEWARE! They renamed Paxil (generic is paroxetine) "Brisdelle", and remarketed it for hot flashes. Paxil is an absolutely EVIL drug. I was out on a low dose for chronic pain, and not only did it NOT help, it took me MONTHS to wean off it, cutting down minute doses and essentially feeling miserable the entire time. And... it doesn't even work very well!


Summerthyme
 
For hot flashes, there is an herbal supplement called... naturally... Hot Flash. https://www.vitacost.com/source-naturals-hot-flash-180-tablets-1

I was miserable during my first year with intense hot flashes and night sweats. I took it daily for a out 6 months (had good results within a couple weeks), then stopped. I'm terrible about taking *anything* daily! Anyway, I went about 10 months untreated before I started noticing some mild symptoms again. So, I started it again.

It's been about 10 years. I take it periodically... if I start getting symptoms, I'll take it for a few weeks.

For anyone who is so miserable you're willing to "try anything", BEWARE! They renamed Paxil (generic is paroxetine) "Brisdelle", and remarketed it for hot flashes. Paxil is an absolutely EVIL drug. I was out on a low dose for chronic pain, and not only did it NOT help, it took me MONTHS to wean off it, cutting down minute doses and essentially feeling miserable the entire time. And... it doesn't even work very well!


Summerthyme
Paxil is one of the worst things I ever went through. Pure evil is right!
 

Meemur

Voice on the Prairie / FJB!
Nothing I took worked well for me. It just took time to get my body to settle down.

Things that really helped and didn't break the bank:

- Stop eating anything that has soy isoflavones in it (most energy bars) -- they intensify hot flashes in some women
- Stop eating meat and dairy that has a lot of hormones (go no additives on this, even though it costs more -- just eat less)
- Try to get in a daily walk or some type of activity each day
- Practice sleep hygiene (no coffee right before bed, etc) -- sleep is a weapon! See a professional if you aren't sleeping -- not enough sleep will make everything worse!
-- Keep a detailed food/mood diary for at least 21 days. This is just for you. Be totally honest. You'll likely see some trigger foods and other problems and then you'll be able to modify them for some relief. Wine was a huge hot flash trigger for me, too.

Lastly, know that this is not forever! Think of it as another season of life and you'll feel a lot better on the other side.

Beware of "experts" who want to sell you pricey pills, potions, hormones . . . believe it or not, this is a natural process. Some women get through it with zero drugs. That said, if you need an a/c window unit to make your bedroom icy cold, get one and use it. Remember what I said about sleep.

Can't recommend much about the "rages" but I noticed I couldn't keep my temper when I was tired. Making sleep a priority made a huge difference.

I hope something here helps! But honestly, time is the big healer here, and you can't hurry it.
 

Ku Commando

Inactive
following for ideas also
I've found it to be a serious PITA.
Been going on for more than a year now, on and off.
Sometimes, I don't even recognize myself.
Libido. Gone. Want it back. Like yesterday. Any suggestions?
There is hope ladies! I've researched several prescription libido enhancers. Tried one and boy howdy. I've also made it a mission to get that appetite back too. I'm finding setting my mind to it has made a difference as well. Mind over matter so to speak.



HA !!!!!

How many of the TB guys been readin' this thread like me ?

So let me jump in where ANGELS FEAR TO TREAD...lol

I experienced male menopause [ what do they call that.....ahhh, MID-LIFE CRISIS ] in my 40's. I went the sun, sand & spleef route [ "literary" license for marijuana ]

Get ya a prescription for herb & head on down to the water for a mellow day....enjoy the sun, the water & the scenery [ for you libido chix, I recommend the nude beach....it's ok if you're clothed ]

Fortunately I "recovered" after 7 years of intensive treatment

Head's up to the guys -- WARNING !! Watch out for these LIBIDO chix in the produce aisle......they're like a heat seeking missile LOL

.....I'm ready for the brow beating now.....
 
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amazon

Veteran Member
There are several. Lovegra was the first I checked on. It's not available in the US yet but it basically viagra. There are others with different properties that I'm looking into as well. Here are some others:
Tadalafil, which is a combination of testosterone and vardenafil. Taken daily.
Vyleesi and Addyi (Flibanserin)
There are I believe a couple of others. Research continues...

Thanks for sharing!

I don't see why men can't chime in. They have these issues as well. I cannot take the path of Ku Commando, but I'm glad it worked out well for you!
 

kyrsyan

Has No Life - Lives on TB
HA !!!!!

How many of the TB guys been readin' this thread like me ?

So let me jump in where ANGELS FEAR TO TREAD...lol

I experienced male menopause [ what do they call that.....ahhh, MID-LIFE CRISIS ] in my 40's. I went the sun, sand & spleef route [ "literary" license for marijuana ]

Get ya a prescription for herb & head on down to the water for a mellow day....enjoy the sun, the water & the scenery [ for you libido chix, I recommend the nude beach....it's ok if you're clothed ]

Fortunately I "recovered" after 7 years of intensive treatment

Head's up to the guys -- WARNING !! Watch out for these LIBIDO chix in the produce aisle......they're like a heat seeking missile LOL

.....I'm ready for the brow beating now.....
I have a "prescription" for the legal version of the herb and it helps. Other that that, beach isn't available. So I'll just have to enjoy my private space.

Now on practicalities - the body will be the body. CBD is helping with the rest. And the docs can find no physical cause for the heart issues so we're all guessing that's the menopause as well.

Libido isn't anything I worry about. Never have. Don't plan on worrying about it in the future. Someone grants me a reason to worry about it, I'll deal with it then. If it needs dealing with.

Anger and wild emotions, that drives me nuts. The CBD oil has put a good cap on that. I take a low dose most days but if the body decides to roll the dice to a 20 on a given day, I can use more. So far it's balancing.
 
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