My first hot flash? Ladies, yikes!

[underdesea]

So, forgive me if this is TMI, but if any of you might care to share your thoughts, it would be much appreciated. I've just turned 44, and due to medical reasons, my OB/GYN has suggested I stop taking the Pill, which I have been on since I've been married, 17 years. That was five weeks ago.

Well, today, my DH and I were doing some bargain Labor Day shopping. We're waiting in line to check out, and suddenly, I start feeling really, really warm. And a little light-headed. The longer we stand in line, the worse I feel. I reach up to touch my forehead, and I'm sweating like crazy -- almost as much as I do when I work out. The hair at the sides of my face and at the back of my neck is damp as well, and I can feel sweat trickling down my chest and back.

By the time I get to the register, I'm trying to make polite conversation with the cashier, but I feel like I've just been to the gym. As we're leaving, I tell my DH that I'm feeling a little shaky, so we take time out to pop in an air-conditioned restaurant for an appie and a cool beverage. When we sat down, the server took one look at me and said, "So, are you worn out from shopping?" It took me a good 15 to 20 minutes to cool down and lose the shakiness.

So, ladies, any advice?? Was it simply "over shopping" in a warm store -- the store was closing up for the day, and my DH said it was getting humid inside, as if they had turned off the AC for the day -- or was this the dreaded first hot flash? Any insight would be appreciated, and sorry so long!!

 

[kirbydog48]

Well, here's what they're like for me....I start getting this prickly feeling in the back of my neck, then from the chest up to my head I get a "flush", get really hot and sweaty, but they only last about a minute. I tend to dress more in light layers now (I live in New England), so I can start peeling things off. I sometimes feel like jumping out of my skin, kind of anxious, and sometimes get heart palpitations, but it comes on suddenly and ends just as suddenly. I have found acupuncture to be extremely helpful in reducing the frequency and severity. I don't get shaky. Could you maybe have had an anxiety attack or a hypoglycemic reaction? Possibly the quick hormonal change in stopping the BC is the culprit, not that you're going through "the change". Good luck!

 

[LadyZolt]

I think it could be related to going off the pill. Your hormones are probably going to take a while to settle into homeostasis. I think you should give yourself at least three months to adjust to going off something you've been on for so many years. You said you've been off the Pill for five weeks now. Five weeks is not a lot of time -- that's only a bit longer than one monthly cycle. So, give it some more time and I think you'll know more then. In all likelihood, at 44 you probably have at least a few more years before you start getting peri-menopause hot flashes, but everyone is different, so just take it one day at a time and see what happens. Good luck!

-Dorothy (LadyZolt)

 

[Nancy]

That sounds more like a sugar issue than a hot flash issue.

I had a sugar issue in the mall today...get very warm, sweaty and lightheaded, then get the shakes. My shakes were so bad that I knocked over the smoothie I bought twice before I could grab it. 1 Mrs Fields cookie and half a smoothie later I was fine. I could tell it was starting, I know the signs.

Hot flashes are a lot quicker and I don't get light headed or shaky

 

[teacups]

I just turned 44 a couple days ago, and I totally thought I was having hot flashes. But turns out I had an infection and a fever. DUH! Why dont we (me) think of the obvious first? But... what I felt is exactly what you described. Thank God. I am so not ready for that business yet.

 

[underdesea]

Thank you, ladies, for the responses so far! The sugar issue could be a possibility. I've started an excercise/diet plan this summer -- too much post-40 weight gain -- so it is possible that my blood sugar wasn't balanced, although I was "bad" and didn't work out today, so I'm not sure that played into it. I've also taken on a new client (I'm a freelancer and usually work at home) that requires working on-site a couple of days a week, so there is a bit of "newbie" anxiety, and I was shopping for inexpensive clothes I could wear to my new "job" -- but I wasn't really feeling overly anxious.

I have been wondering if there's a "right" way to go off the Pill; my doc just said to stop and "see what happens," so I've wondered if I would have any side effects. I know peri-menopause is not unusual at my age. My mom didn't go through menopause until her early '50s, but she was not on hormonal BC, so I don't know if I can compare.

Anyway, sorry again if it's TMI, but I do appreciate the feedback!!

 

[Maridw]

I just started getting hot flashes about a month ago. I had a hysterectomy when I was 40, but still have my ovaries. I turn 49 in October. I suddenly start getting really hot and they only last a minute or two. I don't get shaky or light headed. I am normally what I call a "cold bod". I am the one that takes a jacket to the movie theatre in the middle of summer. I sleep with at least the sheet and a blanket in the summer. Now I am sleeping with only a sheet and a light down blanket on just my feet.

Right now my DH is out of town and so I moved the little fan he uses in the room where his computer is so that I can turn it on instead of turning the AC up and down when ever I get these flashes. I can't even stand to have any of the cats to sit in my lap when I get these flashes, because it seems to make it worse.

 

[Horten]

I just started getting hot flashes about a month ago. I had a hysterectomy when I was 40, but still have my ovaries. I turn 49 in October. I suddenly start getting really hot and they only last a minute or two. I don't get shaky or light headed. I am normally what I call a "cold bod". I am the one that takes a jacket to the movie theatre in the middle of summer. I sleep with at least the sheet and a blanket in the summer. Now I am sleeping with only a sheet and a light down blanket on just my feet.

Right now my DH is out of town and so I moved the little fan he uses in the room where his computer is so that I can turn it on instead of turning the AC up and down when ever I get these flashes. I can't even stand to have any of the cats to sit in my lap when I get these flashes, because it seems to make it worse.

I hear you! I've become so temperature sensitive and everything has changed about the way I sleep, etc. My husband and I were having so many fights about fan noise and AC costs. One thing that has really helped is that he bought me a ChiliPad (chilitechnology dot com) which is a mattress pad that you put on the bed and it cools the bed down! You can set any temperature from 46 to 118 degrees. Plus, we got one that has two different zones for temperature, so no more fighting over room temperature at night which is great. I also noticed that getting a full night of comfortable sleep really helps my mood swings and other symptoms.

It IS Menopause Awareness Month, so I'm trying to let the younger women in my life know about what it's like to be here - so that we can take the "hush hush" out of going through the change.

 

[teacups]

I hear you! I've become so temperature sensitive and everything has changed about the way I sleep, etc. My husband and I were having so many fights about fan noise and AC costs. One thing that has really helped is that he bought me a ChiliPad (chilitechnology dot com) which is a mattress pad that you put on the bed and it cools the bed down! You can set any temperature from 46 to 118 degrees. Plus, we got one that has two different zones for temperature, so no more fighting over room temperature at night which is great. I also noticed that getting a full night of comfortable sleep really helps my mood swings and other symptoms.

It IS Menopause Awareness Month, so I'm trying to let the younger women in my life know about what it's like to be here - so that we can take the "hush hush" out of going through the change.

Oh that chill pad sounds good even if not going thru this yet!
My feet are always HOT! Wonder if they make one just for down by your feet?