The seeds are pretty as well. I harvested Hot Biscuits and a tall magenta. I just beat the flowers in a bowl and then walk into the middle of the yard and blow. I don't even bring them in, I just beat the live plants. It's really that easy.

I have been on the combipatch for 11 years. I am 62 now. Before starting the patch I tried over the counter herbal supplements for a couple of months and nothing was improving my hot flashes that came with anxiety. I was on the highest dose 50/250. I have never taken any prescription medicines my whole life except this Combipatch. I exercise a lot going to the gym 3 times a week and walk my dog 4 miles a day. I use to go to a workout trainer who had me in my best shape ever 2 years ago to compete with college kids in a boot camp for an hour up and down a hill. They all thought I was Supermom. My normal resting heart beat is 50 bpm. I have had blood work done..the last one was this past February (2018) and the results were excellent for someone my age. About 3 months ago I decided to get off the patch to see if I still get the flashes with anxiety and because I was getting some heart palpitations (going up the stairs, washing my hair in the shower, just getting out of bed in the morning) my heart would go from 50 bpm to 100 bpm and last for about 3 minutes before dropping. In 5 days the hot flashes came back slowly and after 2 weeks the flashes and anxiety were the same as when I was 51. Two months later of hot flashes, anxiety and palpitations, I contacted my OBGYN to see what he would say and he suggested I go on Lexapro (Escitalopram) for the flashes and I was confused becuase this prescription medicine is for depression and anxiety, but after doing more research it is also used for hot flashes. I was not depressed but hot flashes brought on the anxiety and yes, made me feel depressed that I had to deal with this again! I do NOT sweat, just fell the aeora of my body on fire. This is what my OBGYN commented in our online discussion: “Hot flashes and night sweats are called in the medical literature vasomotor symptoms. I have taken liberty of comp being information from Escitalopram which I have inserted below. Vasomotor symptoms associated with menopause (off-label use): Oral: Initial: 10 mg once daily, increase to 20 mg once daily after 4 weeks if symptoms not adequately controlled (Carpenter 2012; Freeman 2011; NAMS 2015). This could certainly be utilized and also tends to be taken at night for the greatest effect on the night sweats. Yes it is also use for depression but vasomotor symptoms (hot flashes and night sweats) are caused by brain neurotransmitters being an abnormal levels which is also 1 of the problems with depression. So the medication can treat both situations but in your situation we would be primarily using it for vasomotor symptoms.” So, after doing some more reading up on Lexapro I decided to NOT take this because of what was said about the side effects. These medicines just scare me. I am now BACK ON THE COMBIPATCH (2 Patches taken so far). I expect it to kick in very soon here because when I started the patch at 51 within the 3rd patch I was pretty much clear of hot flashes/anxiety. It worked very well and very fast with me with no bleeding, no patch residue of itching, nothing. My mom still gets hot flashes at 86 (told my husband to kill me in my sleep when she told me this). I have realized that I might be on this patch until the day I die. I did mention to my doctor about using only half the patch and he said, “The patch should not be cut in half because that interferes with adhesiveness and absorption of the med. It is a low dose of estrogen and I think you should do fine with the full dose.” I have already seen a Cardiologist about my palpitations and she had me on a heart monitor for 2 weeks. Next step is an Echocardiogram on July 11th and then I should have some answers. I believe it to be nothing but stress related but I am not the doctor. I had not exercised at the gym for these past 3 months (stopped because of burn out and to take a break) only walking my dog. Last Friday (6/29/18) for the first time, I went to the gym for an hour which I do this boot camp myself and then again yesterday. Strangely, my palpitations are gone and I realized the palpitations started after I stopped exercising. What the heck! So here I am back on the combipatch and I once again I know I will have my life back with a good nights sleep. I will take my chances with developing any of the bad stuff I read about taking this patch because I can NOT live with no sleep (hot flashes 5 times a night) day flashes (8 a day) and the anxiety that comes with them....no life at all..just miserable. It messes up our minds! My best to all who have to deal with these female problems. My next life I hope to come back as a dog to an amazing person who takes me everywhere, feeds me the best nutritional food, trains me to be the smartest and gives me the unconditional love that I give them 24/7.

I don't think any spotting is normal. I was doing that at the age of 45 and the doc did a DNC, which didn't stop it. He said even a little spotting can be a sign of a serious problem so he suggested a hysterectomy. I had one, but if I had it to do over I would have them not remove the ovaries. My problem turned out to be fibroid tumors.

One thing I have learned about bleeding hearts is that they seem incredibly picky about where they will grow. I have only one place on the property where dicentra will actually grow. They are very happy growing in the spot to the left of the porch steps, marked by a pink "X" in the photo, but to to the right of the same steps every bleeding heart I've planted has died. In this location I'm guessing it is because the "X spot" is shaded from the afternoon sun, and bleeding hearts do not like strong sunlight. However I've also had zero luck growing them in my shaded area next to the brook, and I'm not sure why that is. When they find a place that suits them, my bleeding hearts suddenly emerge in early spring with vibrant green foliage. Unless there are different cultivars of dicentra, some of which have yellow foliage, then I tend to think that conditions may not be to your plant's liking, but exactly what conditions they do like is still largely a mystery to me. I wish I could be more help because bleeding hearts are one of my favorite flowers, having an almost magical quality.