I have started this for new user Julia
Jo, Moderator
Hi
I had a lumpectomy in July 07 and lymph nodes removed, started in September on chemo, with Epirubicin which finished 4 weeks ago. Now onto the CMF part of chemo and find I am having hot flushes, about 20 -30 a day and thru the night. As it is the weekend I cant contact any of the cancer nurses, so jus wondering does anyone else suffer these, is it normal and can I do anything to reduce effects?
many thanks for any advice
Julia
I often have severe and regular hot flushes and sweats. Ther are always worse for the first week after treatment and I think that it is a combination of the chemo and the tablets. Reducing the effects is difficult. I find it best to wear cotton nightclothes and then I can swings legs and arms out of bed to cool down without getting cold. I find if I have bare arms or legs the cold air makes me shiver while I am still having the hot flush!!
Hello there
Just finished 4 taxols and I get so many hot flushes throughout the day. The night ones are worse and I can be seen in my garden in night clothes in the early hours on occasions! I bought a cannister of oxygen and finds this helps to calm me down as during the night I feel awlful. Best of luck
Alison x
I also got hot flushes on Epi and CMF, every 5-10 mins throughout the day or night. They have calmed down a bit since they first started, and were much worse when I was on steroids in preparation for Taxotere.
I agree with all the advice here, also, I use a ‘Chillow’ - a water-filled pillow which you can keep to the side of your ordinary pillow and which cools you down very quickly. I also keep one of those hand-held electric fans in my bag, they are pretty good. Worst-case scenario I pull my wig off!
I find it best to wear layers, and I have positioned cardigans at strategic points throughout the house in case I start to chill. And start stripping the minute you feel the heat rising as this can often stop it in its tracks. It does get better, I have found, and I now flush maybe just 6-10 times a day.
Hi Julia
I am glad you raised this subject as I started my first flushes last Thursday. I had 2 on that day and initially thought I was getting an infection then it started to subside and I suddenly realised it was a hot flush kicking in. I have had my 4 cycles of Epi and started on CMF yesterday and woke up 4 times in the night ‘glowing’ and also when my shoulders were out of the bed, I started to shiver. I am also on steroids for 3 days so I look like a doll with my rosy cheeks today as well as the red intermittently riding up my neck. My husband has bought me a desk fan to sit on the bedside table but the draught make me cold at the moment so I think I will have to manage until my steroids stop. I think with these flushes coming on due to the drugs, its been a surprise to realise I am starting with the menopause and was unprepared for the effects, as friends who have started naturally have these effectscomeon gradually, but then they dont have the chemo to cope with as well!
I too have bandanas and cardigans placed around the downstairs, Flyright, and they come on and off as the flushes come and go.Oh well,another thing to cope with!
Cheers ladies
Annabelle xx
Hi all
I agree with all that has been said above I have just finished FEC 6 10 days ago and all the way through have suffered hot flushes sometimes as many as 20-30 a day!!! I am hoping they will calm down a bit now chemo is over, but they may continue on Tamoxifen!!!
Good luck
Kim x
OHHHH, so it was the Taxol!!! geeez.
I am 44, on chemo since august, period stopped completely since sept. It isn’t too bad, just occasional stripping (something that the boyfriend doesn’t mind a bit… 
), but I was wondering if it was the period stopped with menopause symptoms… Well anyway, now it will be Tamoxifen and that should mean continued hot flushes. One more reason to drink tons of water I guess.