Poorly chicken

[Valkyrie]

I received my test sample in the post yesterday and I just spotted in small print that the tablets contained gelatine. So I asked if there was an alternative without using animal bi-products. This is the answer I have just received:

 

 

Thank you for your enquiry.

Unfortunately there is not a Femarelle capsule suitable for vegetarians.

Your comments will be passed on to the Manufacturer.

 

I'm not vegetarian but I do not like anything containing gelatine.

[Dizzy-Deb]

I am a veggie and this thing about adding gelatine into products is a major issue. I really wish they wouldnt do it and it crops up in so many things, some of which you would never think of. !

 

Just been having a read about Femarelle, looking at all the symtoms I am def menopausal .

 

Do you think the Femarelle will be of benefit. ? its a shame they dont do a veggie version. Surely manufacturers realise consumers are much more aware of ingredients these days and should make to a wider audience.

 

Sometimes as a veggie I feel as if an alien species. Got to a restaurant you are lucky if you get a choice of two suitable meals, and usally then they are veggie lasagne, curry or some kind of high fatty cheese dish!

[Cinnamon]

I bought my veggie daughter some Wasabi coated dried peas,which she loves & were told they were veggie.

But we checked the back of the pack & they have gelatine in

[Bramble]

I think lots of non-veggies have NO idea what being veggie actually means. I get no end of people assuming that as a veggie I will eat fish. I think it's becoming more and more understood, but it's taking a while. I don't know what is in Femarelle, but there is a company called Healthspan (formerly Healthy Direct) who do lots of supplements etc, many of which are veggie friendly and which are similar to brand names. Might be worth a look?

[Lavenders_Blue]

Agreed - Healthspan are very clear with their veggie labelling which is great. I get my veggie omega 3 capsules from there and also multivits.

[The Dogmother]

I brought that up with them too Valkyrie and got the same answer; I guess if it's an issue with enough people then they will change.

 

From my point of view, the benefits of Femarelle far outweigh the issue I have with gelatine, so I have let it go this once. I always get any other vits from Healthspan though.

[Valkyrie]

It's crazy isn't it when seaweed gum is just as good and then everyone is happy. I think they must be losing a lot of business (if they use the excuse that animal stuff is cheaper, I'm sure they'd still be quids in if they had a rethink - or more likely they have antiquated management) because there are so many more vegetarians around nowadays - DD and cousins (old and young). There are so many more vegans too. I must admit that when DD went to Germany the general idea was that vegetarians could eat ham! I think they have a little way to catch up!

Well in spite of my misgivings I will give the tablets a shot (and hope it's pork gelatine if anything) - mainly because I'm a right old hormonal wreck at the moment! So I'm going to do a Claret here!

It's just so disappointing they have blinkers on in this area and I'm thinking that the reply given just fobs people off and they carry on as usual.

 

Still thanks for the Healthspan tip - will bear that in mind for the future. I don't take any other supplements at the moment though.

[The Dogmother]

It took 2-3 months to kick in, but I found a marked difference.

[Valkyrie]

Light at the end of the tunnel is in the palm of my hands - well, on the table.

[Olly]

I've just signed up for the free trial! Do report back, Valkyrie - I'm really really hoping this will do the trick where other things I've tried have not worked.

[Valkyrie]

Will do Olly. Starting on it tonight. And as Claret is still with us (and still very bouncy - I'm wondering if there's Trill budgie food in there somewhere ) I don't think I'm going to keel over just yet!

[The Dogmother]

love that emoticon.

[Charlottechicken]

Before I had my hysterectomy in May, I was seen by a specialist menopause nurse, she had compiled a list of helpful websites for her patients, for post op. The site she highly recommended to me if I experienced any such symptoms was http://www.menopausematters.co.uk There is also a British Menopause Society website which you may find helpful.

 

If anyone is in the catchment area for Birmingham Womens Hospital and feels they need to speak to a specialist about how to manage their symptoms, don't wait to be referred, just give them a ring. They also run menopause clinics

 

I was also advised to ask my GP quite firmly for a hormone count test if I felt I was experiencing menopausal/perimenopausal symptoms at all, so that medication could be offered if necessary.

 

Hope this helps

[The Dogmother]

I went for a hormone count many years ago, but was (afterwards) told by a specialist that they aren't conclusive i measuring whether or not you are in the menopause as every woman has different levels. HRT was terrible for me; I had one lot which was in patch form; they were better, but still had bad side effects.

[Valkyrie]

I was also tested about 5 years ago when I first started getting hot spots and the odd soaking at night. Was found to be negative, but this year it is certainly having a right old go at me!

Also thanks for the information Charlottechicken - it's quite an interesting site linky. Of course I should have been a boy!

[Valkyrie]

Tell a lie! They are in plasticy capsules! I thought that was the wrapping! I stand corrected. It's going down . . . gulp!

 

ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

 

Yep, OK so far.

 

Just a thought - my next one will be my breakfast!

[The Dogmother]

Aren't the capsules made of gelatine though?

[Valkyrie]

Yep, that's the gelatine bit. I wonder if it would taste yukky if I poured the contents out and took it separately - that would sort out that little problem wouldn't it? I could always add some icing sugar and do a Mary Poppins on it!

[LisaP]

I started taking femarelle a week ago and I too am veggie. I didn't notice that they weren't veggie when I bought them I'm normally so careful as DD is veggie as well and one of my sons is on such a strict exclusion diet that I have to read ingredients on everything and that includes washing powder, toiletries...............

 

Anyway to get back to the topic, I did deliberate whether to take these tablets or not but as DD kindly pointed out, I had just had to have a course of antibiotics and those probably weren't veggie either but I'd needed them So, as Claret says, hopefully the benefits will outweigh the negative.

 

Lisa P

[Valkyrie]

Well, so far so good. I haven't had the need for chucking off the covers and I've certainly not had any sweaty doooo's at all. Still feeling tired, but I think I might be a bit anaemic too - tend to get like that from time to time, so will sort that out next week. I haven't done the spoonful of sugar either - I sort of balk at taking it that way, so downed the gelatine as well.

[The Dogmother]

Glad to hear it Valkyrie

[Chucky Mama]

I have received this information that you may find interesting from the people that make Femarelle.

 

Re the gelatin caps vs veggie caps issue.The reason they are not veggie, is because so far they haven't found one that is compatible with the contents. They used to use a veggie cap, but it went soggy and floppy, so the contents expired more quickly. They are loooking into finding alternatives, but so far none that they have tested work with the ingredients and kept the contents fresh for long enough. And if you break open the capsules and consume the contents on their own, then your digestive acids damage the ingredients before they have time too do their work. It should still work a bit, but not as well. So at the moment the manufacturer uses the current caps, which are halal and kosher (they are made by an Israeli company) so that as many women as possible can use them. The ingredients are fermented soy and ground flaxseed, no preservatives or chemicals that can keep them fresh, so the capsule has to do the preserving. They are still trying find an veggie capsule, but so far are still looking.

[Dizzy-Deb]

Hows the trial going ?? I have been wondering whether to give it a go or not. I am 46 and starting to get the hot night sweats... bleurgh.

 

Suprised about them not being able to find a veggie capsule because other companies find something suitable for their products.

[Olly]

I'm on week 3 of my free sample, and I am definitely going to keep taking it. It has taken a couple of weeks to take effect, but the hot flushes have definitely reduced, in fact I'd say they are almost gone. I am still waking up at night but the 'night sweats' (lovely! ) have not been as bad. I'd recommend it - I probably would not have tried this without the 'free sample' offer, because it's not cheap, but it's certainly working for me.

[Valkyrie]

Well that's it then. I am very much against halal slaughter. I don't like it being sneaked in by the back door into the ordinary things we eat without notification on the packet either. I would like to have the choice - very much like the GM situation and I oppose that vehemently too. New Zealand meat is all halal and so I have already boycotted that. It goes very much against my feelings so the matter of whether gelatine or not is used is not an issue any more. The remaining tablets will be going in the bin and I will be letting them know my feelings on the subject.