Around age 50 I started experiencing signs of menopause. As an educator, I needed relief from hot flashes and mood swings. Desiring to avoid the mainline pharmaceutical route, which I didn’t trust, I learned about compounding pharmacies. Since then I have been taking compounded hormones especially designed for me. Several years ago I thought perhaps I could stop and change to pharmaceuticals… what a terrible mistake, my reaction was severe and very uncomfortable. Compounding hormones have been a godsend for me as I do not experience hot flashes or severe mood swings and I have experienced no side effects!