A few more thoughts to consider, in addition to the possiblities of disease, encircling roots, and insufficient water. How much sun do your shrubs receive? (If in full shade, these types of shrubs, especially the "dwarf" rhodies, might not be receiving enough sunlight to put on significant growth above ground or underground even over a 4-year period.) How does the foliage look on your shrubs? Are leaves yellowing or browning, or becoming less numerous? This could also tell you something about the ability of the roots to take up important mineral nutrients from the soil that are needed for growth and maintenance of the shrubs. (Your rhodies will be better able to take up these nutrients in a more acidic soil, and the boxwoods, in a neutral or more alkaline soil.) After the initial tilling and preparation of the soil, has your soil since retained that less-dense structure (as opposed to becoming more compacted)? If the soil around the root balls has become considerably more compacted than what was in the original pots, the shrubs (especially the rhodies) might have been having a difficult time rooting out into the soil and getting nutrients, including oxygen. (Perhaps the organic material you initially added to the soil has decomposed so much that your soil has reverted to a much denser structure?) How's the mulch situation been over the years? And has there been any serious competition for nutrients from a groundcover, like vinca, ivy, or pachysandra?

So far, I have seen 4 different cardiologists, 3 of which are electrophysiologists who specialize in arrhythmias. I have had every test under the sun. I even wore a portable heart monitor for a month. I do not have A-fib, I have "ventricular tachycardia" and PVC's -- they have seen it on the monitor so they know exactly what the abnormal rhythm is. When I ask why it is happening, they say that some people are born with abnormal pathways in the heart that can get irritated and misfire, especially when exposed to things like caffeine, adrenaline (from exercise or stress) and hormonal changes. I have had bouts of palpitations on and off since I was in my 20s, but each time, cutting back on the caffeine fixed them. This was the first time I've had the VT as well as the palps, and while cutting back on caffeine helped a lot, it hasn't made them totally go away -- and like I said, they seem to be related to my menstrual cycle. So I'm guessing that if I was prone to palpitations my whole life because of some inborn tendency of my heart, menopause may be rough going for me....which is why I would consider the HRT, even though I am normally very anti-hormone meds in general (like I said, I've never even taken the pill). I did see the endocrinologist for a thyroid workup after one of my thyroid numbers came back abnormal. But apparently, it wasn't an important number because they tell me my thyroid is fine -- all the important numbers like TSH and T3 and T4 are right in normal range. I do have an appointment with a second endocrinologist in a couple weeks -- I made it a few months ago (she was out on maternity leave) before I saw the first endocrinologist and I figure it can't hurt to get another opinion on both the thyroid and the menopause stuff. Thanks for all the suggestions so far, and for the links. I will spend some time checking out those sites today and see if there's something I can try supplement-wise that might help before I go the HRT route. Please keep the feedback coming if you have any experience with any of this -- supplements, HRT, or menopause in general. I am so not ready for this, LOL!

Maureen57 I know exactly how you feel. I joined this forum 4 years ago and it saved my sanity. I haven't had a period for 3 years and before it stopped I had had at least 7 years of awful menopause symptoms. I thought I was beginning to get back to normal but in the past month I've been having nausea, dizziness, irritability, mood swings and sweats again! When I see how many others this is happening to I feel like just giving up. As I type this now I am in tears. I have never taken anything the doctor prescribed and only gone down the natural route. I have spent thousands of pounds on vitamins(which I regularly take)and hormone creams. I watch what I eat.What else can I/we do? I said to my husband just the other day that I preferred having periods to this! I'm 53 and don't want the rest of my life to be like this. Its a truly depressing thought. Once again, this forum will be my saving grace as I know I'm not the only one.

i'd make a dr visit and have a check up...wonder if you've added something to your diet with "natural" hormones?