Few facts about black cohosh

What is black cohosh? Is it something that will help with our menopause? It's often promoted as menopausal help, and can be beneficial, but as always discuss your diagnosis, monitor your therapy, and find out what is new by checking with your gyno regularly.

1. Black cohosh is not an estrogen and has no estrogenic side effects, and helps the work of tamoxifen on the breast, so very safe for those at risk for or who have breast cancer

2. Black cohosh can be helpful for lots of menopausal symptoms: hot flashes, sleep, sweats, not so much for the psychological symptoms like mood changes and depression

3. Black cohosh is thought to be safe to give with St. Johns Wort if you are a candidate for that medication anyway, which can be a way help with the mood changes and depression not treated by the Black cohosh.

4.Not all patients respond quickly to black cohosh. Estrogen therapy in menopause often works very rapidly, within days to a very few weeks, but if you are taking black cohosh for menopause expect results in 8 weeks and full effects by week 16.

5. Side effects to black cohosh are rare, but still should be evaluated if they do occur. Although most physicians wouldn't feel that black cohosh is significantly effective for menopause if you want to try it the side effects rare, if so they will be moderate and mostly be gastrointestinal.

6. No serious drug interactions reported yet to the FDA with black cohosh and other drugs, for checking any new reports of drug interactions.

7. Black cohosh doesn't treat vaginal dryness or painful sex, for that there are other therapies. To avoid hormone use consider ThermiVa, MonaLisa Touch, or PRP therapy.