Hi
I am looking for anyone in the same position as myself or similar.
I am 33, I had fec x 4 and tax x 4 then radiotherapy and am now on herceptin.
I am getting bad hot flushes but they have improved because I have been taking venlafaxin but iv noticed these past few weeks I just cant handle it anymore, the flushes are a nightmare. I feel they are ruining my life. I get a big bright red face and my body feels like its on fire. People seem to think I am getting embarrased or there is something strange about me, I see them staring when I get out my fan in the freezing cold!
Is there anything else that can be given to a her2+ er- person instead of venlafaxin? I have spoken with my oncologist but as far as I am aware she only knew about the venlafaxin. im on a 225mg dose per day. It keeps me awake at night too which is not good.
Thanks for reading xx
I know how you feel, I am fed up with sweat running down my forehead and my hair turning to ringlets!
Venlafaxine can actually make sweats worse. I know it is often used to reduce them but a rare SE is that it GIVES you sweats! It happens with me, I am only on a small dose but if I increase it, the sweats get a lot worse.
An old fashioned anti-histamine can be used to help with the venlafaxine, its called Ciproheptadine. I found it helped for a while but had its own SEs making my tired and increasing my appetite , neither of which I needed!
Good luck
also some other antidepressants can help with the flushes eg citalopram or sertraline… so you could try them… normally the flushes will just be temporary and your periods will return in a few months and the flushes will disappear as your not having any hormonal treatment… although chemo can put you into a permanent menopause this isnt so common in younger women… so fingers crossed thing will settled down and return to normal for you.
thanks ladies, Its been 5 months since my last chemo and there are no sign of my periods coming back yet but I pray they do.
I will ask my oncologist about the tablets you have suggested.
Thanks again x
I have found citalopram very good. It never got rid of the flushes but it made them bearable. There is also amytriptiline - it made the flushes worse for me, but it works for some. I also used clonidine for six months (this one is primarily a blood pressure drug I think) - it worked very well to start with then stopped working. It is a case of trial & error, to find something that works for you. And if/when that something stops working, try something else.
As you are ER- can you not use hormonal remedies? Lulu - I expect you know the answer to this one. I am ER+ so am always trying to avoid hormones.
The hormonal therapies that help with flushes tend to be containdicated following breast cancer regardless of whether its hormone pos or neg. the hormonal therapy they tend to prescribe after bc is for vaginal dryness and its not for long term use. I have heard of some women going on low dose HRT but that is in exceptional circumstances and both the women and her consultant have weighed up the risks. So it would be something you would need to discuss with your onc. But I would imagine you would need to rule out all the available non-hormonal methods first.
i do hope you can land on something that will help.