Hot Flushes!

[yelenots]

I appear to be at "that stage" in a woman's life and I am suffering terribly with hot flushes, mainly during the day.
Please can anyone recommend something that will help?
Thanks.

[gina32]

go and see your doctor.

[woofgang]

It does seem to vary massively from person to person.
What didnt work for me
Agnus castus
Black cohosh
red clover
ginseng
soya
sage
menopace
menopause bread
HRT which turned me into a screaming harridian with hot flushes.
Giving up sugar caffein or alcohol although I am not a great user of any of them.

What does work
all natural fibre and bedlinen. I include tencel in this. Marks and Sparks tencel sheets are fab.
Dressing in layers
keeping the environment cool generally
staying well hydrated, this has been particularly noticeable during the recent very hot weather.
Avoiding as much stress as possible.
eating less spicy food.
Having a good swear

I am now 60 and have been flushing since around age 42. God is definitely a man with a dodgy sense of humour

[canasta]

I can sympathise, I'm in my 12th year of these ( but lots of women get away with just a few episodes!!)

The best tips I can share are;

Dress in layers.

Avoid triggers like alcohol and coffee

Hot water bottle filled with cold water if affected at night

Obtain an empty travel bottle with a fine spritz spray ( I got mine from Boots but not sur whether they are as good these days). Fill it with tap water and when you feel that horrible hit sensation spritz your bare arms, neck, face and even legs and let the water evaporate.... immediate cooling effect!

I used to suffer one after another. I tried HRT from my GP but it made my legs swell and I had 'spotting' all the time and I came off it!
Hope this helps, they do become less severe in time!

Good luck;)

[canasta]

I also had some success reducing the severity and number with soya milk drink, there's a lovely pineapple flavoured one. The effect wore off after a week or so, so I would stop it for a while and then try it again after a while.

Woofgang, you've been going longer than me, mine started in 2000!

[woofgang]

canasta I had a fairly long and severe perimenopause. Doc thought the dizzy spells might be neurological so I was pretty happy when the blood tests confirmed perimenopause. This post isn't intended as a "my suffering is worse than your suffering" thing, just to say that even if the usual things don't work, you can get on with life and manage the symptoms. I am one of three sisters, and including my late Mum, i am the only one who even noticed menopause symptoms so i guess I must have got everyone's lol.

[woofgang]

oh I forgot....I did get a couple of years respite by using wellsprings cream but the effect didn't last.
http://www.progesterone.co.uk

[daffy654]

I never found anything that worked until the doctor put me on HRT.

[woofgang]

I really wish HRT had worked for me, tried three kinds with no success, it just added to the hormonal madness.

[canasta]

But I was told that you have to go through it one way or another so when you finally come off the HRT the symptoms will return;(

I developed the mindset that each one is 'one less' and that has helped, plus having a VERY understanding husband;)

[daffy654]

I'm on the second one now, the first one gave me headaches and mouth ulcers, the doc said it wasn't the HRT but my hormones that caused these side effects, My hormones were controlled by the HRT so surely that was responsible! lol
Anyway, this new HRT seems to suit me better so far.

I started experiencing menopause symptoms in my late 30s and the doc didn't really believe me when I told him until he did a blood test last year. At age 44 I hadn't had a period for 2 years and was suffering sweats and flushes, I would have thought it was fairly obvious it was menopause!

[pusskin]

My doctor wouldnt let me be on hrt, so I just got on with it all.

But hey, i loved the flushes in the winter, didnt need any heating on at all! lol

[yelenots]

Thanks for all your advice :-)

Pusskin - my husband cant wait until the winter he seems to think he's going to save a fortune on the heating bills!

[ubasses]

I took Flash Fighters which worked for me, unfortunately Holland & barrett have just stopped doing them, but I did find them on line. Just taking a short break from them to see if the flushes come back or not before sending for them.

[baza]

try separate beds so the poor bloke can get some decent kip without having to wear a mac and wellies.
Seriously though, pop and see your doctor or practice nurse.

[sherrardk]

(Yelenots - not related to your question but I seem to remember discussing blackcurrant cheesecake with you some time back. If so, Sainsburys have started to re-sell the one that they used to sell (not swirl, actually topped with real blackcurrants).)

[grasscarp]

I happily had HRT for years until a locum at the surgery one day refused to give me a repeat prescription and said I had been on it for too long. After that I tried a few things and black cohosh seemed to help me.

[cupid04]

No one' mentioned increased/or loss of libido?

[tonyav]

they have now.

[grasscarp]

Tonyav, you shouldnt even be reading this thread.

[tonyav]

Doh, I've been copped.