Hot Flushes
Hot Flushes Any recommendations for anything to help alleviate these blasted hot flushes, bought on by tamoxifen??
I have been taking sulpher tabs from a homeopathist, but they cool me down so much Im cold & shivery most of the time ( only the hot flushes warm me up!)
The homeopathist is reluctant to recommend any herbal remedies as he said it may interfere with the tamoxifen.
Any suggestions anyone???
don’t know if it will help Hi,
I too am taking tamoxifen and am finding the hot flushes pretty intense at the moment. I find the “chillow” works really well during the night at keeping the hot flushes at bay so you can get a good nights sleep(dont know if you have heard of this product before or not, there are lots of sites on the net where it can be bought). Sadly I haven’t found anything that can help during the day as most alternative products seem to interfere in one way or another with the tamoxifen. Sorry this isnt much help, just wanted you to know you are not alone in feeling so blumin hot!
Take care of you
Sharon
Hi
I’ve had them really badly sometimes having to change the bed two or three times a night! I discussed this with the docs who have prescribed venlafaxine, I’ve taken it for 6 weeks now and just over the last week have found a big improvemant. I’m also waiting to see an acupuncturist as my friend found acupuncture really effective particularly with night sweats which I think are the most troublesome.
hi tess mty husband and daughter take venlafaxine for depression.
fancy it helps with hot sweats as well.
sharon. x
manual lymphatic drainage Hi I just wanted to rave on about Manual Lymphatic Drainage.
I had my op last April and to be quite honest got so used to the numb armpit and top arm that I didn’t realise I had developed a mild lymphodemia in my arm and side.
My Breast Care Nurse suggested this type of massage treatment - it’s basically a very light form of massage but it needs to be done by a qualified practitioner as they have to send all the waste product off to the right lymph tracks.
After searching around the internet I came across a brilliant lady, who was fully qualified and also had done work at St Peter’s Hospice in Bristol.
Even after the first treatment I noticed a huge difference in the comfort factor of my arm and side. I try to go fortnightly (funds permitting) - I don’t know if there is a standard rate but I pay £35.00 per hour’s session.
I think it’s probably something I’ll have to have for quite some time but it’s great to know that there’s something out there that helps.
Susannah
Try acupuncture I am repeating below a posting I have jsut made replying to a query on the Current Topics forum.
I echo the support for the Chillow - you can find them offered on the internet for about £20 each.
However, you could also try acupuncture. Many women find it helps and it also helped me somewhat, reducing ther wretched hot flushes, brought on while I was taking Arimidex, by about half from 12-16 a day to about 6-8. I was treated by a GP who specialised in it, at my cancer care centre and I know of other GPs who do it elsewhere. A friend who suffered from the flushes through natural menopause also was helped by acupuncture at a school of Chinese medicine.
Venlafaxine Hi Kathryn
I have hot flushes brought on with tamoxifen. When I was first diagnosed I was so depressed (I had medical negligence + by the time I was diagnosed it had spread to 15 lymph glands) I was put on venlafaxine. This was purely for depression. However, as time went on I said to myself I would like to stop taking venlafaxine + I wanted to see how I would feel without taking it. I have not been taking it since February and I must say my hot flushes are much worse since I came off. However, it may be just were I am in relation to my treatment, menopause etc. When I was on venlafaxine I don’t think I even thought about hot flushes. My breast care sister told me that I would benefit from venlafaxine. She said whilst it is recognised as an anti depressant, it also helps with hot flushes. If you don’t mind taking another pill, it may be worth trying.
I also have acpuncture. Although I enjoy it, I wouldn’t say it helps my hot flushes.
I was told to try sage or purple clover. However, I am ER+ and someone else told me to stay clear. Something to do with the estrogen in plants.
I’m heading your way next Sunday. Going on an Odyssey holiday. This is an adventure holiday for people with cancer. Have you been on it?
Hope what I have told you is helpful.
Cheers.
Jeannie
Have you tried this? Hi Kathryn
You may also want to try this (from “The Herbal Drugstore” by Linda White, and Steven Foster)
Vitamin E - 200 to 800 IU a day
B-complex vitamins (especially B6) - at least 25 to 50 milligrams of B6, 50 to 100 micrograms of B12 and 400 to 1,000 micrograms of folic acid.
Evening Primrose Oil - 800 to 1,200 milligrams to 20% GLA per day.
I was on Tamoxifen for a year back in 1994, and have recently been on Femara (Letrozole) and now on Exemestane (Aromasin) and Zoladex. I have had various side-effects, but never hot flushes surprisingly.
With Tamoxifen, I had a lot of ovarian pains with Tamoxifen, lots of headaches and fatigue with Femara, and urinary problems with Exemstane, which I am working on!
Good luck!
Pxx
Soya Milk Hi Katherine,
When I 1st started getting hot flushes some years ago, (quite natuarally due to the menopause), I started using soya milk because I had read that Japanese women don’t have a menopause. This is supposed to be because of their diet and the amount of soya they eat.
My flushes stopped within 2 weeks and although I’m still menopausal and have just started chemo, I find that the soya is still working.
You have to try the various kinds to find out which one is the most palatable for you. They are available in the fridge section of supermarkets as well as with the dried milk and uht milks. You can get them sweetened, unsweetened and organic.
I have to admit I prefer the sweetened variety and I don’t buy the organic one because it doesn’t have calcium added. Supermarket brands can be a bit thinner than alpro which I prefer.
Although it tastes a bit different to milk, anyone that visits and has a drink, doesn’t notice any change.
Saffire xx
Hi
At the moment suffering with the old hot flushes- things that help me
are
-water spritzer (eg Evian infused with peppermint oil- cooling effect)
hoiday water spritzer- Boots have a good brand
- getting out of bed at night walking around seems to ease it
- trying sage tea at the moment
- fan
- plenty of fresh air in the house
Hope the symptoms ease girls!