New to hot flashes... ugh!

[restful urchin]

Hi all,
For the last 4 weeks I've been having hot flashes. (Yes it's probably time *sigh*) What have you tried that has helped. I have sage tablets and am trying flax (per Dr Oz!). Any other ideas? I'm not having fun yet!!!

Liz

 

[restful urchin]

No one has hot flashes on this board? I'm envious!!! Oh well, back to googling various treatments!

 

[tar heel]

The lack of replies doesn't mean we don't have them, but rather that we've not found anything that helps!

 

[Christine]

Also, I find this board is a LOT busier on weekdays and earlier in the day on weekends.

 

[rie'smom]

Hi, I've been having hot flashes and night flashes off and on for 20 years. It's no fun. A fan blowing on me at night helps me to sleep better. Nothing that I've found works for daytime flashes though,sorry. Some women have said that black cohosh helps-it didn't help me but it might work for you.

 

[bellebud]

I'm 43yo, and my OB just put me back on the pill. I was asking her for birth control methods. I was shocked when she said the pill, because another doc in that group told me 9 years ago after my ds was born, that I couldn't go back on the pill because of my age. My female OB said "let me guess which of our docs told you that - (and she said his name)".

She said he's very into the 'old' thinking on that, and it's perfectly fine for woman to be on the pill until they hit menopause, if they don't smoke or have high blood pressure (or any other risks associated w/ the pill). She says being on the pill lowers your chances of some types of cancer, and doesn't increase the other kinds of cancer (again, old school thinking she said).

She also said it will get me through peri-menopause - go straight to menopause and has actually helped a lot of women with this.

Just something to ask your OB about. I actually am curious what other OB's would say.

 

[Christine]

I'm 43yo, and my OB just put me back on the pill. I was asking her for birth control methods. I was shocked when she said the pill, because another doc in that group told me 9 years ago after my ds was born, that I couldn't go back on the pill because of my age. My female OB said "let me guess which of our docs told you that - (and she said his name)".

She said he's very into the 'old' thinking on that, and it's perfectly fine for woman to be on the pill until they hit menopause, if they don't smoke or have high blood pressure (or any other risks associated w/ the pill). She says being on the pill lowers your chances of some types of cancer, and doesn't increase the other kinds of cancer (again, old school thinking she said).

She also said it will get me through peri-menopause - go straight to menopause and has actually helped a lot of women with this.

Just something to ask your OB about. I actually am curious what other OB's would say.

Mine would put me on it (I am 47), they just make me ill.

My cousin who is 48 and has heavy bleeding was offered the pill by her OB/GYN.

 

[marybet]

I've been having hot flashes for over 10 years. None of the over the counter remedies worked for me. I have about 10 flashes a day, annoying but not debilitating. I did not want to take hormone replacements, IMO the side effects would be worse than the hot flashes.

Try the over the counter remedies, they do work for some people. If your hot flashes are really bad you might want to take hormones, just research it first.

 

[Pakey]

My oncologist put me on an anti-depressant that helped reduce mine. The dosage was small enough that I didn't notice any mood changes. I took it for 3 years but now I just use a fan, lol.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I have no advice on how to stop them. I had wicked hot flashes during both pregnancies that were torture so you have my sympathies. All I did was manage them as best I could. I had a plastic tablecloth under my sheets in bed and under a sheet on the chairs I'd sit in so when one would come I could change clothes and swap out the sheet. I had changes of clothes everywhere because I never knewwhere or when they would hit and I'd want to stip and sit down.

Hope you find something to help you, maybe increasing how much soy you consume because of it's mimicking of estrogen might help

 

[TiggerDeb]

Oh the preverbial hot flashes... Yes I have them.. I live in New England so on a winters day.. I do not mind them.. I call them my tropical moments... What do I do about them... I wear lighter clothing-- layers so when one appears, strip a piece of clothing off... At night, I sleep with only a sheet much to the DH's chagrin and the window open and keep water by the bed.. Sometimes I think of them as my little vacation to Florida.. reminds me of how hot it is when we are there... I am thankful that mine are mild compared to some people I know, it is a part of life and I have coped with them... You do notice that Menopause and every other thing us women go through starts with MEN......

 

[restful urchin]

I'm 43yo, and my OB just put me back on the pill. I was asking her for birth control methods. I was shocked when she said the pill, because another doc in that group told me 9 years ago after my ds was born, that I couldn't go back on the pill because of my age. My female OB said "let me guess which of our docs told you that - (and she said his name)".

She said he's very into the 'old' thinking on that, and it's perfectly fine for woman to be on the pill until they hit menopause, if they don't smoke or have high blood pressure (or any other risks associated w/ the pill). She says being on the pill lowers your chances of some types of cancer, and doesn't increase the other kinds of cancer (again, old school thinking she said).

She also said it will get me through peri-menopause - go straight to menopause and has actually helped a lot of women with this.

Just something to ask your OB about. I actually am curious what other OB's would say.

I actually have just come off the pill at 50 (and a half!).I was on pretty continuosly for years. Nothing has happened since coming off the pill other than hot flashes . (FOR keeping TMI down on the obards read between the lines when I say *nothing* has happened this time since coming off the pill!)

But I agree it did help since it kept the estrogen levels constant. Youre right though, I need to talk to my doc about it. Being a nurse I tend to try to research my options first. And of course the Dis is a great place for a cross section of actual lived advice!

Liz

 

[restful urchin]

Hope you find something to help you, maybe increasing how much soy you consume because of it's mimicking of estrogen might help[/QUOTE]

Thanks, but I can't do soy. I am hypothyroid as it is and take .175 mcgs of synthroid daily. Although I never thought about the whole connection before, so something else to talk to the doc about. I will also ask about the small dose of antidepressant, although they scare me.

For everyone else who replied. Thanks so much

I have been doing the fan,trying to keep cool etc. Luckily I live in Edmonton so the cold winters will be my friend!!! This California/Oregon girl has come along way in liking cold weather!

It's also just nice to know there are many others going through this. My mom who passed away recently never had hot flases so I was hopeful. Ah well, the nights and sleeping bother me the most.
And I swear it starts with the roots of my hair getting hot.. go figure??

Thanks again, I'll also be perusing the health food stores. Black cohash as was mentioned downthread is a possibility. Meanwhile I'll be looking for nice breathable fabrics and be happy tha my next visit to WDW is in mid November!!!

Thanks Liz

 

[restful urchin]

You do notice that Menopause and every other thing us women go through starts with MEN......[/QUOTE]

You are so right Tigger Deb!

Liz

 

[lsyorke]

I will also ask about the small dose of antidepressant, although they scare me.

Just an FYI, Pristiq was originally marketed for hot flashes, until they found out that they caused them. Hot flashes are common side effects for most antidepressants.

I've given up trying to find anything that actually works(no, I won't do hormone replacement since it only delays the inevitable) so I sweat! It can't last forever and until then I just warn those that come to my house to bring a sweater, LOL!

 

[golfgal]

I'm 43yo, and my OB just put me back on the pill. I was asking her for birth control methods. I was shocked when she said the pill, because another doc in that group told me 9 years ago after my ds was born, that I couldn't go back on the pill because of my age. My female OB said "let me guess which of our docs told you that - (and she said his name)".

She said he's very into the 'old' thinking on that, and it's perfectly fine for woman to be on the pill until they hit menopause, if they don't smoke or have high blood pressure (or any other risks associated w/ the pill). She says being on the pill lowers your chances of some types of cancer, and doesn't increase the other kinds of cancer (again, old school thinking she said).

She also said it will get me through peri-menopause - go straight to menopause and has actually helped a lot of women with this.

Just something to ask your OB about. I actually am curious what other OB's would say.

Interesting...maybe I will start back on the pill to prevent some of this?? It would also help with that dreaded vacation visit from Aunt Flo .

So, has ANYONE gone through menopause and not ever had hot flashes? I am 45 and still don't have any real signs of even peri-menopause-at least I don't think I do. My luck I won't go through menopause until I am 80 .

Oh, and what does soy have to do with hypothyroidism? That is the first I have heard anything about it? Does it interfere with synthroid or something?

 

[bdcp]

I'm 51. I've been having hot flashes for about 5-6 years, but they have tapered off a lot in the last year or so. As a previous poster mentioned "nothing" has happened in a year and a half for me, so I'm thinking I've had it pretty easy. My hot flashes were a little irritating and at night it meant covers came off for a few minutes, but it really hasn't been a big deal for me. I'm overdue for my gyn checkup, but I've had no problems. I won't do HRT. My mom did for more than 15 years and she ended up with two different breast cancer tumors (one was hormone sensitive) so she is very opposed to it. Besides, mine are very tolerable.

My mom's oncologist also told her absolutely to avoid soy. I've always avoided it. Soy milk is way to concentrated, much more so than the typical asian diet has in it. Besides, it's not milk anyway. It's soy juice.

 

[Feralpeg]

As I have mentioned before, much of the heat that people feel coming from the state of Florida actually comes from me. I've had hot flashes for the past ten years. Don't seem to be going away. I can't take anything for them due to past cancer issues, so I deal.

Someday, I am hoping they will go away. At that time, a little ice age will most likely descend upon the south. Looking forward to that day!

 

[OhMari]

I am using a hormone replacement patch.
My hot flashes are so severe-(I actually get sick and throw up).
I went off the patch after 6 months of use because of the side effects.
-20% of all users end up with gallbladder surgery-me.
It scared me-and then all the linkes to the various cancers came out linking the hormone replacement patch.
But within 6 months, I got so ill, I couldn't work.
Just think of a dog in a car and how sick it gets looking out the window.
That is how I felt all the time.
So, now I am on the 2nd lowest dosage of the patch again.
This summer, they want to lower my dosage again.
And maybe within another year, be off the patch and hopefully my hotflashes will be gone.

 

[restful urchin]

Thanks everyone for your comments, experiences etc. I can see I'll just have to try a few things and see if anything helps. If not... well it'll just be my contribution to global warming. And no visiting WDW in summer!!

liz