Do you have hot flushes?

[delly]

Flip Fellow Flushers,

Jeez hasn't it been unbearable. Tho' today I actually felt quite cold!! I feel a right miz in Summers, I try not to complain about it because I think it's lovely for other people to enjoy. I used to find daily Evening Primrose helped, but I understand that it may not always be suitable for certain BC ladies, due to controversy about whether it mimics oestrogen too closely. There's are other studies that state it helps prevent oestrogen driven cancers by latching onto the oestrogen receptors, rather than the oestrogen itself. If you're thinking of trying, it may be best to check with onco's first. But I switched to high dose fish oils this year and they also seem to help me. I certainly notice if I forget to take one. My flushes are natural menopausal though, not induced by Tamox or the like. But can't really see the difference really. Both due to decreased or inhibited oestrogen. 

Lilacmoon - Yeh sounds very much down to Tamox. I was only on the tabs for two months at 46, so was premenopause at the time, and I remember thinking and saying, I now know what women are complaining about. I came off it due to feeling it exacerbated  my depression.

I'm keen to know how you get on with Sage Tea and Acupuncture girls. Keep posting will you.

Delly xxx 

[Shocked]

Hi Lilacmoon I know it’s hot but when a hot flush hits it’s completely unbearable and they are so frequent it’s getting silly. I rang my breast care nurse this morning about acupuncture at this point I’ll try anything. Can’t wait to have hair so I can ditch the wig and at least the heat can get out.

[Lilacmoon14]

Help!!!! I don't know if I'm having hot flushes or not 😅😅😅😅 The reason being that as its so hot at the mo I don't know if I'm just suffering from the heat and the after effects of radiotherapy or if it is actual hot flushes. I've been on Tamoxifen for nearly 2 months. 

May go and buy some sage tea just as a standby. 

Keep cool xx 

[delly]

Oh Jax and Arl - You've both given me such a giggle on the attached to shopping trolley front. Bless you both - ha bloomin haaa.
Lotsa love to everyone xxxxxxx

[Jax0609]

Yes the shopping trolley incident happened to me! My friends are always asking me to tell them the story again.  Sadly these magnets did not work for me, not cheap either!

[Arl]

Hi Flashto,
Have you ever tried the ladycare magnets? Get them in boots, just make sure your wearing big enough pants! They are good for hot flushes. I was getting lots and at the beginning when was taking tamoxifen couldn’t handle them well because was having to get up change a few times in the night, didn’t have that magnet then but when I went on the Moving Forward Course they were speaking about them there and a few of us laughed because thought how could a magnet do that for you, what you got to watch is if you go shopping and pushing a trolley watch you don’t stick to it! Happened to me a couple of times.x

[flashtoh]

Hot flushes have been bothering me. I tried those gel pillows, but they get warm in the middle of night, so for me it was pretty much worthless. I just got one of those after beta-tested, pretty sure that this one will solve the problem

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/moona-smart-pillow-temperature-to-improve-sleep-health/x/17864204...

[tgregory]

https://www.completecareshop.co.uk/beds-and-bedding/mattress-toppers/cool-mattress-topper

[Den64]

Hi I have been changed from Tamoxifen to Letrozole and have been having loads of hot flushes but mine tend to be in the day time not suffered at night yet. I dry my hair in the morning and within an hour have had a hot flush hair goes as flat as a pancake and looks terrible and then that continues throughout the day. Just wondered if anyone has any tips on things to help.

Denise xx

[tgregory]

Try this and the pillow one too. https://www.completecareshop.co.uk/beds-and-bedding/mattress-toppers/cool-mattress-topper

[Poppy3]

Hi Ladies. I have just swapped from tamoxifen to Anastrozole. I didn't get hot flushes before but oh my I do now! I have also just been diagnosed with Osteoporosis and need to take more tablets. I can't face them at the moment what with trying to deal with new side effects. I also feel like my body has been taken over. It's early days so still trying to come to terms with the latest thing I have to deal with. For now I would just like to have a good night sleep. Will give the tea bags a go. Lots of good advice as always on this forum..xxx

[delly]

Sorry, being a nuisance with responses in my catching up with your posts.
This is to Meri - I'd forgotten about "Ladycare Magnets". Are you STILL finding your "Ladycare Plus" is helping?? Would you kindly let me know. Many thanks darlin' xxxx
Am hoping you're all doing well, other than flushes wise.
Much love to you all
Dellywelly-wishing-nonehotflushywushy xxxxxx

[delly]

Know it's a bit of a miserable thing to say, but I'm so glad to be going back into the cooler months again. Used to love Summer. Difficult to bear now, "flushes" wise. Am thinking to set up summer holiday colonies on the N/S poles, for hot flushers. Anyone interested? !! xxxxx

[delly]

Hi RunningMum - I too had thought to try Acupuncture for both hot flushes and depression. Have you yet tried hot flush wise? - If so - had any luck with?? xxxxxx

[delly]

Hi All,
My Apols, have been away for a long time and am backtracking through your posts. Bibi - if you're still looking on this thread, going back to 14/05 and your talk of osteoporosis and mention of "biodentical progesterone" stops flushes - Does it have a name??! Plus, what do you mean by PR+ ?? I'm an oldie BC'er, so don't understand certain terminology.
Am catching up on other posts on here so need a bit of patience
Much love Delly xxxxxxxxxx

[Arl]

Hi Meri,
Thanks a lot for answering there, you know I have been eating everything, I suppose I better try stop the chocolate, I have reduced the cups of tea and juice, probably all still causing the hot flushes, it's just strange after 3 years having this bother again, just finding it a bit difficult always sweating up all over. In the 3 years thought I might have gone through the menopause but haven't, my period has come back for few months then stopped again, I sometimes kind of hope would come back permanent then the flushes will go, but can't see that happen. I got another 5 years to go, I don't mean to sound I'm moaning it's just they get you down, at the moment I have the magnet on, think I am hoping for a miracle lol!!x

[Meri]

Hi Ari, I am now on Letrozole, still using magnet to help me.

I know the info says it can have build up affect over two months so keep using it.

Bear in mind what you eat and drink as can make flushes worse regardless of magnet.

so if I eat chocolate I know I will get a flush but its not as bad as without magnet.

Also I think drugs do build up affect on our bodies but do talk to nurses or doctor about this if needed.

You could try not using the magnet, see what happens,, it still may be making a difference.

I have also found if I get a bug like a cold I get more flushes.

Hope it eases for you

[Arl]

Hi Meri,
Sorry to hear that you haven't been too well after radiotherapy. Hope you are feeling a lot better now. I have bought the lady care magnet, I too have found that it helps a lot, I do still get the flushes but not as many as before, but what's happened now is had a period 3 months ago now stopped again and flushes are back, but not like what they were at first when was put on tamoxifen. I have had the lady care magnet for a month, would you say it takes a few months to kick in? I do have a chilliow pillow but haven't used it in a while now, I was actually thinking that I was getting used to the tamoxifen but everything is starting up again.x

[Jill1998]

Oh Meri,you've not had an easy ride have you!! Glad the magnet is working for you.

[Meri]

Hi Ari, sorry for delay, was poorly after radiotherapy.

Ok I found the magnet heloed loads.

I honestly did not think it would but it did.

I got the Ladycare Plus version as it helps if you feeling very stressed.

Yes I left it on all the time except for essential breaks for showers etc.

I had to come off Tamoxifen due to allergic response but soon to start Letrozole so keeping my Ladycare magnet close 🙂

I found it helped with feelings of anxiety I had, I have a friend who also recently started using it for normal menopause and has seen great improvements.

My flushes reduced in intensity, were not so often.

Having been through natural memopause I find drug induced version much worse.

But we all different.

If it does'nt work after couple months you can always sell on ebay, they sell well there.

I highly recomend it. 🙂

[Arl]

Hi Meri
I've been looking at the reviews for ladycare magnet, are you finding a big difference with it? Do you sleep with it on too? I'm tempted in getting one, at first I was having loads of hot flushes then they eased and now have come back, it says it's used for lots of things, would you recommend getting one? x

[RunningMum13]

I hear what you're saying Sue! Would happily settle for minus temperatures overnight! 🙂 x

[Sue C]

Hi all

My hot flushes and bearable, but in this weather, it's a nightmare! I know I'm not allowed to say this, but please can we have some cooler weather. Praying for rain!!

Sue xx

[Meri]

I am using Ladycare Plus magnet and hot flushes reducing 🙂

[RunningMum13]

Hi ladies,

Had my first of 6 acupuncture sessions for the demon hot flushes yesterday. 8 needles were used around my ankle, knee, wrist & elbow just felt like a tiny scratch. I was left to relax for 25mins with the needles in place and felt comfortable throughout. My acupuncturist is confident that the course will help reduce the intensity & or frequency of those tropical moments.

I slept well last night and only had one 'episode', which is better than most nights.

He also advised to have a break from sage tea as the body seems to get use to it, then resume drinking and see if it helps.

Ladycare magnets sound interesting, may look into those.

Keeeeeep smiling! Xx

[Meri]

I have been on Tamoxifen a month now and getting increasingly long and hard hot flush and sweats.

I knew this might happen so had prepeared a few startegies, trying ladycare magnet which seems to help a bit though early days

Well worth a try.

🙂

[Sheep]

Hi sea breeze
Thanks for your tip , I'm on tamoxifen & have hot flushes - just put them down to my age ! But am going to try sage tablets from H & b
Thank you again & hope your ok x

[RunningMum13]

Hi ladies,

I'm also going to give a course of acupuncture a try as the night sweats seem to be on the increase again, I'll report back! Xx

[Treeze]

Just be mindful you cant use it with high blood pressure

[Seabreeze]

Hi all,

I have been on Tamoxifen for about 2.5 years now.  Had really bad hot flushes, asked my oncologist about it and she suggested trying sage, either sage capsules or sage tea. Within a few days of taking it I noticed a significant difference.

I can now sleep through the night, and only occassionally get a far milder wave of heat then before.  I have been taking sage for about 2 years and having been slightly sceptical when I first tried it, would now not be without it! If I miss a dose I know it! 

I take 1,140mg dried sage a day, in capsule form, half in the morning, half in the evening. I purchased mine in H&B (buy it when they have a buy one get next item for 1p offer).

I suggested it to a friend, also on Tamo and having hot flushes, and she drinks sage tea and finds it helps.

I really hope this helps.

Seabreeze   

[Tigony]

I am going into to town today and will get some of this. thanks

[Tigony]

Thank you for this one. Will look into it.

[Bibi44]

I'm reading a book about osteoporosis & it suggests natural bioidentical progesterone stops flushes in 85% of people 15-30mg per day. Understand that no one with PR + should do this, but just thought I would put it up here in case any PR - ladies had tried it. Supposed to help add bone mass hence relevance to me xx

[Rooty]

I've found a chillow hugely helpful with my night sweats. Got mine off Amazon and tuck it into my pillow at night. It redirects any heat away from your head which seems to cool down my entire body so I haven't been woken by them once since I got it. Takes a bit of getting used to but I've learned to move my head most in my sleep and get to a cool spot. Highly recommended for evening sufferers. 

[Bibi44]

Thanks runningmum. All good tips welcome here. Hope you are feeling well xx

[RunningMum13]

Hi ladies,

Just thought I'd share with you a herbal remedy for night sweats. I've been drinking sage & lemon myrtle tea (Holland & Barrett 93p for 20 tea bags), for over a week now just before bed, then sipping during the night and I haven't had any episodes of night sweats! I was previously waking up regularly each night just before 'a tropical moment' and then being drenched. I really hope this works for other ladies struggling with the same problem.

Love to all.xx

[Arl]

Thanks Bibi for answering there, this forum is so helpful, I just appear now and again, I remember right at the beginning when you are totally terrified I couldn't look at the internet and never knew about this forum until I completed everything, I still now find it very interesting, has helped me a lot, it's great speaking to people that all understand one another, I wish every one of you good health.x

[Bibi44]

Sorry not sure why the spell checker put the word fluffer in there. It's got a mind of its own! x

[Bibi44]

Arl my initial understanding was if you we're premenopausal at the time BC struck, you get tamoxifen until 2 years after your last period & then convert to an AI like letrozole. I said I didn't want to change & then she said if you had HER2+, it was better to change because a certain % of those people develop a resistance to tamoxifen & then it can have an adverse effect. It may be because you are younger than me that your treatment is different. I was 51 & premenopausal. Thanks fluffer r your kind words on the osteoporosis. I am quite devastated, just as I was starting to feel a bit more normal again. I know if I take bisphosphonates that I will never get out of this ill health spiral. Xx

[Arl]

Sorry that last message was meant for Bibi sorry I'm all new to this.x

[Arl]

Hi Delly,
Sorry to hear about you now being diagnosed with osteoporosis is that the medication now caused this? As if you've not had enough. What did you mean with the tamoxifen? Should I find out if they should change the remaining 5 years to letrozole? I thought because of age they have you on tamoxifen and if older get letrozole? I've been quite lucky with the side effects but have always had to stick to the teva make and every year always have difficulty in getting it because they stop making them, then they re start making them again. x

[Bibi44]

Hi Delly I'm not from Yorkshire, although my grandparents were from Richmond N.Yoks. I think I picked the expression up when I was training as a nurse in Leicester, many years ago. Re osteoP my sister got diagnosed last week, so I had a DXA & bang I've got it too now. I had a bad reaction to my first FEC, puked for England & lost nearly a stone in the first week. I think it was a combination of family susceptibility, the dramatic weight loss & the chemicals. On hot flushes, it feels so lovely not to have them after 18 months of about 10-15 a day. My friend used that Nutrition FX stuff because she got some menopause related bladder trouble & getting rid of the flushes was just a bonus. Shame it costs a lot, although worth it to be flush free I think xx

[delly]

Hey Bibi - your choice of "Chuck", where that be from then? Would it be Yorkshire (I'm hiding behind high objects here, should it NOT be) xxx

[delly]

Bibi - hello flower. That indeed is "supplement" for thought!! As you afore mentioned ref phytooestrogens, it supposedly binds to oestro-receptor sites, so blocking ANY unwanted, so called "bad" potentially harmful oestrogens that can still be produced elsewhere, even tho' you may have no breast tissue left (as myself) i.e. Ovaries and fat cells throughout the body. Like you, and as I said before, I also prefer to "stay with natural". I'm so sorry about your lumbar and femur osteoporosis. I presume that was causing you pain for it to be checked out and no chance of you helping it with weight bearing exercise?? as it's drug induced? As oppo to normal avoidance of osteoporosis when menopausally induced ??

Much love, my fellow hot flushers
Dellywellyhotflushydoodaah xxxxxxxxx

[Bibi44]

Delly I read this the other day, which you might be interested to take a look at http://products.mercola.com/lignans-with-lycopene/ xx

[Bibi44]

Hey Delly lovely to hear from you Chuck!  

I try to stay with natural stuff wherever possible & I got it from the internet after a friend recommended it. Case in point, I have just been diagnosed with osteoporosis in my lumbar spine & osteopenia in my femurs thanks to BC chemo.  Really hard to stomach  😢.  I look like a 50 year old on the outside, but some 80 year old woman has climbed in & taken over the interior.  What did we all do to deserve this 💩?

Arl I was told would be moved onto letrozole after 2 years, something about tamoxifen resistance with HER2+, but obviously doesn't apply in your case.  I did google it after I met the onc & it is a thing, but in view of the above, I need more bone thinning medication like a hole in the head (or lumbar spine!).

xx

[delly]

Hi Flush Girls,

Bare in mind mind, I'm NOT taking any hormone treatment tabs, am so far 10 yrs clear despite not taking Tamoxifen, having had an oestrogen +ve with both boob cancers, so am only interested in the reduction of hot flushes. 

Bibi - Thanks, I'll look into your suggestion of Nutrtition FX Menopause 3. I can understand and am with you on your attitude to natural phyto-oestrogens. Anything natural is better for/with me, girl. Please would you let me know where you buy it from - thanks in advance lovey.

Evening Primrose isn't being as effective as it was, flushes wise, now we're into naturally warmer months, but shall continue to take for it's skin, hair and nail benefits, to help battle the effects of those womanly losses of oestrogen benefits!! Not that I'm vain, but am always interested to stave off or slow the ageing processes (trained in Beauty Therapy, and last profession was medical, so have that much more of an interest in skin, healing of etc.). In which case, I need to start adding "it", or "one" of your suggestions to the wine !!!  

Arl - Thank you. Got you on Megastrol, it being a steroid. Only asked because some of the antidepressants can and do help with hot flushes, espesh night sweats.

Smudge - Am deffo gonna have to look into your recommend of the "Lady care magnets", due to your RAVING about them

Thank You so much girls. Not only have you given me extra ideas and recommends to try in my/our "battle" with/against hot flushes, you've given me a feeling of cammeraderie - friendship. Yey for that, my fellow BC women!!

Much love to you all

Dellywellydingdong xxxxxxxxxxx

[Arl]

Hi Bibi,
Yes I was Her2 on herceptin for a year had 17, then got told would be on tamoxifen 5yrs at first then changed it to 10yrs, I am 44 yrs old now, just completed 5yrs of tamoxifen now. Are you supposed to be changed to something else for the other 5years? Thanks for replying back, my next visit at hospital is in August.x

[Bibi44]

Hi Arl

Do you mind me asking whether you were HER2+? I was, & was told you can't stay on tamoxifen if that's the case. Funny how treatment is so dependent on who you get! xx

[Arl]

Hi Delly. No megastrol isn't an antidepressant they really worked for me at the beginning would only take 1/2 a tablet a day. It's now 5yrs since being on tamoxifen and with me I hardly ever get a hot flush now, what I do find is I am always cold now, we are all different though.x