Hi ladies,
hot flushes, sweats and pains in my legs are making my life a misery. My GP put me on an anti-depressant to help with the flushes but they made me very ill - does anyone have any advice, tips, etc?
Hi angie5
You may find the Breast Cancer Care factsheet “Menopausal symptoms and breast cancer” helpful, I have added the link below.
breastcancercare.org.uk/docs/menopausal_symptoms_jun_2006_0.pdf
Kind Regards
Sam
Moderator
Breast Cancer Care
Hi Angie
You didnt say if your on any treatment. I know how you feel though its hard going with the hot flushes. The tamoxifen is a nasty little ‘sod’ with its side affects.
I am sure some people will say anti depressants have helped them but i have always steered clear, they have too many side affects worse sometimes than the hot flushes and sweats. My mum was on them for years and i have always been a bit scared of them although i dont think she could have got over her depression without them.
I find stressful situations or if i rush around brings on my flushes also alchol or tea or coffee.
Trying to relax and breath deeply helps a bit also if your near water running my wrists under cold water.
At work i have welcomed a cold radiator before they were put on for the winter months or any metal thats cold, lots of odd little things but helpful maybe i shud start a thread called weird and whacky ways to cool down during a Flush!!
I remember being in Iceland shoppin and having this mega flush and sweat. I opened the freezer and put my hands in ran my finger nails down the ice and put it on my head. the security guard was lookin at me wondering what on earth i was doing.
The pain is something i cant help with as i dont do pain killers, i just suffer which is probably silly. Other people will be able to help i know friends who pop pills like sweets for the pain. I never took any tablets before BC and just loathe the fact i have to take tamoxifen.
However if it keeps the cancer at bay i shall continue taking it.
Take Care hun and be assured we are in this together
Rx
Hi Angie5, just wanted to let you know I am thinking of you. I have had the most awful time since being put on tamoxifen and zoladex in December 2005 !! so can totally relate to how you are feeling. No-one really knows until they have went through it eh… I have finally stopped zoladex just under the 2 yr mark but the symptoms i was experiencing were unbearable. I finally went to my doctor last month regarding the pain as it had practically got intolerable, (all joints and neck and shoulders being worse affected, and seeing as i am only 33 !!! ) Not being one for painkillers also I had to go with the doctors advice and she prescribed me co-codamel high strength which are to be taken 2 at a time which i could not cope with !! so i take one when I feel the pain and it does help, I am due to see the doctor soon to see how the situation is progressing !
HI Angie5
I too am suffering terrible with the hot flushes and especially pains in all my joints. Difficult to even walk about. I have tried Black Cohosh and Soya for the flushes but not with any results. I have a chill pillow at night time which gives a few minutes relief. Doctors yesterday prescribed me Dixarit tablets called Clonidine. They are not anti depressents but to help migraine and hot flushes. For the pain she is taking some bloods just to check there is no rheumatoid probs but has prescibed me with Lodine Etodolac. I was trying to stay away from any medicines but if they work I will be very grateful for them. I’ll keep you posted. Tablets by the way are all non oestrogen related.
Thanks Ladies,
helps to know that I’m not the only one suffering. My GP prescribed other tablets but have decided against taking them - gave him a bit of a hard time as I’m sick to the back teeth of all this.
my treatment has all finished - my tumor was triple neg - and i thought once all over I would go back to being ME again. Each time I go back they add another wee bit on. I have to go for MRI on wed as Onc thinks I might have bone mets, now have lympodema in surgery arm and waiting results from genetic testing.
Sorry to moan but having a few bad days and its so unlike me as I’m a very positive person - I must remember ’ I have cancer, it DOESN’T have me’.
I’m looking froward to the weekend as I’m taking my beautiful daughter out shopping for her first formal dress and have booked a swanky restaurant, champagne and the works.