So nice to find this thread. I had to go cold turkey off HRT after my lumpectomy. I’m HER2 and hormone receptor positive with clear margins and no node involvement. I am on the SOLD trial and got randomized onto the short arm which means i get docetaxel and herceptin for the first 3 treatment and FEC only for the last 3. Had the first one last week and the side effects are pretty awful.
The hot flashes are unreal and keep me awake at night. Covers on, covers off etc etc. Life truly is never going to be the same!!
I also heard that anti-depressants can help with the flashing so I’m going to keep this in mind.
It’s so nice to realise I’m not alone - I started tamoxifen at the end of August and the flushes have got worse as time goes on. I live in Scotland, have switched off my central heating in the bedroom and have just put a 4.5 tog summer quilt on the bed, even though it’s been snowing! The bedrooms is so cold and still the flushes come, my husband says it’s like sleeping in a furness. I’m awake 3 or 4 times a night trying to cool down, my entire body feels like its on fire, but I’m not sweating, so not having to change clothes or bed sheets. Stoping caffeine and alcohol has helped. I’ve gone back to work just before Christmas but now starting to struggle with feeling so tired, so if anyone has any tips or ideas, please let me know - I will be very, very grateful for anything that works
The comment by SB was really interesting as I found the same thing, except I would have extreme nausea in the afternoon that my onc and I worked out was a ‘cold flash’ but basically the same. I discovered that running over 12km was the Magic spot as where my symptoms dissapeared. I was lucky to be for before but normal amounts of exercise didn’t work for me. I assume that for some women who were unfit, a small amount of exercise may work but for fitter women you may need to play around with tracking your symptoms/ exercise type to see what works for you. Like you SB I figure it has to do with body temperature control and suspect it’s linked to serotonin levels which I speculate may be why low dose SSRI’s work for some people. Would love it if anyone knows why!
Hi all, I had a single mastectomy in April 2012. When I went on Tamoxifen I was advised to take Sage (Healthspan online) tablets to counteract hot flushes which I was terrified of having. Apparently they have been tested by Christies and are OK to take with tamoxifen. Anyway I took them and I have never had a hot flush ! So - do they work ? or wouldn’t I have had any without them. Who knows but they are certainly worth a try. All the best to everyone undergoing treatment of any kind.
Hello there sorry to barge in, I checked on the cancer research website where they specify that people with breast cancer should not take black cohosh… It doesn’t say why, but I guess it’s the same reasons we cannot take HRT… Hot flushes suck, I know very well, I get them often and sometimes in the middle of meetings which is really embarrassing, but they are very welcome as about a year after diagnosis my periods were back, and it took oncologists another year to finally “suppress” my ovaries! This, considering my cancer was 8/8 hormone positively, puts hot flushes and loss of bone density into perspective ?
Hi Ladies just been readung your post on hot flushes…im 3minths post rads now for the last two weeks ive been having acupuncture for hot flushes due to the tablets Letrozole. So far uve noticed if I have a drink of coffee I always get hot flush not long afrer so this week ive bought Decaff coffee im going to stay off my night time hot choc too…I will see how it goes staying o Decaf …its horid quilt in quilt off all night long windows wide ope hubby going mad because cold or can hear car doors slamming when he is up at 2am for work …good luck ladies x
christine x
Hi take a deepbreath
thanks for that ive never heard of tomato juice helping with hot flushes im sure gonna ve buying some now though give it a try …thanks x
christine x
I’ve not had major flushes (eg sweats like some of you), but I did have chills early on. I’ve started having hotter night spells (though think its my new pocket sprung mattress! :-)) I’ve been put on Gabapentin for a mix of issues. Am a bit unhappy about this but giving it a go. Sleep seems better, a bit calmer but no other change to uterine cramps I am having. I was suprised it’s taken 2.1/2 years before anyone suggested trying this. To date it was only Effexor etc offered.
Morning peartree
ive never heard of that what you have been put on…im also having cold chills and thee hot flushes not so much sweating though.im havibg acupuncture but not sure if its working ive also gone on decaf this week as coffee gives me hot flushes…ive got a banging head though thry did warn me when I went on decaf I would have bad heads fir a while…my tablets make me go to loo all the time too my bladder is always full …
christine x
…I can say I quit the Gabepentin after 2 days but some women have found it great. My flushes aren’t significant now for it. Interesting I notice my body temperature has increased by .5c BUT I’m feeling more temp stable. I suspect this is the zoladex wearing off. We will see, still waiting for cycles to restart.
I’m finding it really hard to start running again: I’ll have to start slow as my feet still feel brittle but I keep reading more and more about it really enhancing survival over walking and it’s the only thing that really helped with the fatigue / temperature issues (I run with wet tshirts in summer at night and keep soaking them). Now, if only I can get out of bed…
I am really struggling with getting going (and after 2 flus!)…
Sara Ive been on Tam since June and originally suffered terrible flushes 3-4 times an hour, just dripping and having to changed bed sheets during the night.
However for the last month or so that has stopped but I too feel hot all the the time. Im in vest tops and bare feet when the rest of the family are layering up with several sweaters and still feeling the cold!
hello ladies, I have taken tamoxifen for 2 1/2 years now, hot flushes went away only when I started doing sports consistently, which may sounds impossible to you right now but does happen in time! And I have menopause due to injections to suppress the ovaries.
There are apparently a couple of anti depressants that help with hot flushes citolpram I think is one,a couple of the ladies I have spoken to feel it has helped a lot, may be worth speaking to your G.P.My hot flushes have been manageable til this week after 5 months on Tamoxifen,wondering if lack of exercise over Xmas period and a few drinks may be responsible ??
