Just for the Women

[swakyaby]

I sympathize with your plight. I recall at age 47 I suddenly had insomnia all night for 3 nights and went to work sleepless all day. The following week, the hot flashes began, and I realized that this is classic peri-menopausal symptoms. Like you, I would wake up feeling incredibly hot and sweating, throw the covers off, get up and open the windows, and turn on the overhead fan. I would wake up an hour later, freezing, get up and close the windows, turn off the overhead fan, and cover up in bed. An hour later or less, the cycle would continue. After 3 nights of this, DH declared, “What is going on?!”

So at age 47, my primary care doc prescribed hormone replacement therapy (HRT), basically estrogen and progesterone. The nightly hot flashes improved to the point I would get a reasonable night’s sleep, and I didn’t have to worry about exhaustion at w*rk. But the risk of HRT concerned me (possible stroke, heart attack, and breast cancer, among other nasty effects), especially if HRT is continued beyond 5 years. After 5 years of HRT, I met a nurse practitioner who said, “This HRT is going to kill you some day. Would you be willing to try a different non-hormone med which has been shown in some people to relieve hot flashes?” So I stopped the estrogen and progesterone, and started taking Effexor, a medication which is usually prescribed to elevate mood. Within a month, my hot flashes became much worse, insomnia returned, and joint pains began in my hands making it difficult to function at work. I stopped the Effexor and returned to HRT, and life improved. After 3 more years, I realized that I could probably live with hot flashes if I just didn’t need to w*rk. So at age 56, I announced my retirement and stopped the HRT. But I discovered the hot flashes that ensued were much more mild by this time, and I really no longer needed any medication.

I agree with others who recommend talking to your gynecologist about this. Find one who prescribes bio-identical medications for hot flashes. While I have not tried this myself, I have heard this is much less risk and very effective. I wish you good luck.

 

[Pellice]

A mental trick I found useful: measure those hot flashes! That is, time them and find out how long they last. Mine lasted 1 minute and 45 seconds. I also counted how many I had per day (Admittedly, I had a very mild menopause, only about 6 per day at peak, and they quit after a few years). For some reason, I felt more in control when I had measured them and labeled them ("under control," "not unbearable," "mild", etc.) I also had another mental trick what I sold to myself as "my special menopause fleece." This was a very thin zipper fleece that could be instantly zipped or unzipped and was just the thing for a 1 minute 45 second hot flash. I convinced myself that it was an effective countermeasure.

Now, obviously, these countermeasures work better in the day than the night, but I really do recommend timing your hot flashes, counting them, labeling them, and if warranted, tracking them. Put it into words. Share with your peers - as you noted, they all can contribute.

It makes you feel in control and the boss.

 

[ugeauxgirl]

Wow- thank you for your advice and commiseration. I do think I need a change of gynecologist, as I didn't even know she could check my hormone levels. I do already exercise, eat low carb and clean foods and avoid sugar. I guess it could be worse if I weren't doing all that- sort of comforting..

I appreciate the suggestions. Sticking my head out of the window isn't going to work in Alabama, but I'll think of some alternative. I have noticed some relationship between alcohol and sleep- will track the night sweats against alcohol consumption. Soy milk and the supplements are worth a try. Lots of great info- MUCH more than I got from my gynecologist. Thanks, y'all!

 

[ocean view]

All this talk of hot flashes, but no one has mentioned meno-fog! Do others have this issue? This is what makes me crazy. Where did my ability to form words go? Or recall that the object in front of me is an apple?

 

[Marita40]

I will echo what some others have said here. There is a very definite sugar and carb connection for me with hot flashes. They became almost nonexistent with a diet of no sugar and very low carb, which I strive for. Every so often I will have a high sugar day and the hot flashes and general irritable feeling comes roaring back. A clear correlation.
Also, I started to take magnesium and fish oil every day, and I swear by these. I am on no other medication and, staying no sugar and low carb, have no menopause symptoms at the moment. I'm 62; menopause came about age 58.
From everything I've seen and heard, unfortunately menopause symptoms seems to be really different depending on the person, so it is so hard to generalize. I feel blessed because besides these now-controlled hot flashes, I have not experienced any other symptoms. I have friends that have experienced massive insomnia, but I have always been an excellent sleeper and that hasn't changed.
Oh--I just remembered something else that has really changed for me with menopause. I literally can't drink any alcohol anymore without getting flushed red and ill--pounding migraine. So I gave it up completely, but that was a surprise. I don't miss it (well, maybe just a little...)

 

[Amethyst]

Actually, tee-heeing about hot flashes is all I ever remember hearing about menopause, before social media. Nobody ever mentioned dried-up hoo-hahs, either.

My mother's sole advice concerning menopause was to immediately go on Premarin, which she took faithfully until the day she died.

All this talk of hot flashes, but no one has mentioned meno-fog! Do others have this issue? This is what makes me crazy. Where did my ability to form words go? Or recall that the object in front of me is an apple?

 

[simple girl]

I went through early, abrupt menopause due to chemo essentially killing whatever was left of my ovaries at age 43. I did the chemo due to a breast cancer dx, so no hormone option was available to me.

I have been toughing it out ever since (I'm age 51). Thank goodness my symptoms are NOTHING like they were the first few years. I was terribly miserable with 25+ hot flashes a day that were so strong they sometimes made me nauseated. So, thankfully I do not have them more than a few times a week now, and they are much less severe. It DOES improve with time. It's different for everyone, though.

Mine are definitely worsened by red wine and especially by just getting overheated in general. So, when summer comes, the hot flashes worsen for me. And if I have my hair down, I am more likely to have hot flashes.

Keep the bedroom as cool as you can at night and use an overhead fan and also set up a small fan directed right at you all night. Makes a HUGE difference.

If going out on a hot day, hair up, for sure. And, here is my savior when I have a hot flash - just get your face cooled down and the flash will pass so much faster - it's amazing:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ZI9BWNW/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Charlotte]

I had some luck with an over the counter medicine called Estroven. It helped reduce my hot flashes from 6 or 8 per night to none or maybe one. I think its primary ingredient is the black cohosh, though, which you said hadn’t helped much. It really helped me a lot though!

 

[mamadogmamacat]

The black cohosh does work to various degrees with several people i know. However, some such as myself cannot take it as it causes heart palpitations as a side effect in some of us.

A caution regarding the soy milk, if you are taking thyroid hormone replacement, any soy will interfere with the absorption of that med.

 

[SumDay]

I went through menopause VERY early, but the annoying symptoms continued. Poor sleep, fuzzy thinking, night sweats followed by hot flashes (power surges) during the day. It was miserable. I found a bio-identical friendly doctor and a pharmacy that compounded a formula FOR ME and used it for a little over a decade. I weened myself off a few years go and feel like I'm over it. I think the cost for the hormone cream was about $50 a month, but it was well worth it. My insurance doesn't cover compounds. My husband would say the same. Good luck to you. This is no fun.

 

[Vacation4us]

Menopause has hit me hard. Uncontrolled hot flashes, moodiness, insomnia and vaginal dryness. It sucks and I am sure my husband would say he suffers right along with me.

HRT is a killer and not an option for me. A Gynecologist will put you on HRT if you ask but it's the Neurologist who will treat your stroke. I have firsthand experience with this and my mother. After her stroke she made an appt with our Gynecologist who was like why are you hear? All the HRT studies came out in the following years.

Off soapbox, no HRT for this OB nurse.

I too have found wearing my hair down causes more discomfort with hot flashes. I thought it was because I have so much thick hair, good to know I am not alone.

I got married last year, hot flashes started about 9 months prior. The dryness has been a problem. Makes sex painful and were is the enjoyment in that? My husband and I are still working through this. I am not one to talk literally about "that", but After several attempts to convince my hubby a lubricant was needed I literally had to flat out refuse to continue unless he man'd up to the solution. He finally gets it and is onboard. We shall see if things continue to improve.

After 2 years of symptoms I can't say it's getting better but it has become my new normal. I hit my 1 year of no period in January so I have hopes that life will improve overtime.

Mental fog yes, Negativity yes.... I can hardly stand myself...sure hope these symptoms go too.

Going cold turkey and hating it!

 

[Moemg]

I got married last year, hot flashes started about 9 months prior. The dryness has been a problem. Makes sex painful and were is the enjoyment in that? My husband and I are still working through this. I am not one to talk literally about "that", but After several attempts to convince my hubby a lubricant was needed I literally had to flat out refuse to continue unless he man'd up to the solution. He finally gets it and is onboard. We shall see if things continue to improve.

!

This is going to be too much information but what worked for me besides lots of lube is a lot more sex .It seems to awaken what little hormone is still there .

 

[simple girl]

This is going to be too much information but what worked for me besides lots of lube is a lot more sex .It seems to awaken what little hormone is still there .

OK well I was gonna stay quiet, but I've gotta back you up on this one!

My gyn told me the exact same thing - along with lubricant. (FYI Astroglide is way better than KY any day.)

She told me this specifically: "if you don't use it, you lose it."

It is very true. Don't wait too long in between episodes or it will become painful again.

Ok now all the guys are loving this thread. Oh lordy.

 

[audreyh1]

I thought the main problem with the traditional HRT was unopposed estrogen with no progesterone to balance it. Estrogen/estradiol by itself is dangerous.

 

[O2Bfree]

OP,

Mine was similar to deserat. If it was just hot flashes, I would have been OK, but I have PVC's (Premature Ventricular Contraction) and my PVC's got much worse to the extent I too thought I was experiencing some kind of heart problem and had EKG's done as well as an ultra-sound to make sure it wasn't anything serious. I'm hyperthyroid (Grave's) and it was well controlled, but those pre-menopausal episodes felt a lot like thyroid storms, and I got a full thyroid panel done during this period too. I could feel a strong jolt (I don't know how else to describe it. It felt like it was coming from my adrenal glands which supposedly sit on top of kidneys) and my heart would start racing and I would get tons of PVC's.)

I started getting PACs (Premature Atrial Contractions) in perimenopause. They triggered tachycardia episodes where my heart rate would jump to around 220 bpm for typically 30-40 seconds. Turned out I had an "accessory pathway" in my heart, which caused a feedback loop that made it race. Apparently, I'd had that pathway my whole life, but it didn't get triggered until mid-life. Oh, what frailties are revealed when youthful waters do recede!

 

[ugeauxgirl]

This is going to be too much information but what worked for me besides lots of lube is a lot more sex .It seems to awaken what little hormone is still there .

DH is going to love that!

 

[O2Bfree]

This is going to be too much information but what worked for me besides lots of lube is a lot more sex .It seems to awaken what little hormone is still there .

I'll call your TMI and raise you one: Pornography. There's some good stuff online these days that's way more appealing to us ladies than older stuff.

Yes, the guys must be liking this thread...

 

[ugeauxgirl]

I'll call your TMI and raise you one: Pornography. There's some good stuff online these days that's way more appealing to us ladies than older stuff.

Yes, the guys must be liking this thread...

UMMM, you're going to have to clarify this one. Are you recommending that I view porn to relieve my menopause symptoms? Did YOU have success with this?

 

[ugeauxgirl]

Are there any guys reading this??

 

[MichaelB]

Are there any guys reading this??

<raise hand>

 

[O2Bfree]

UMMM, you're going to have to clarify this one. Are you recommending that I view porn to relieve my menopause symptoms? Did YOU have success with this?

I mean mainly for the dryness. To clarify, DH and I watch it together, and yes it
does help me get things going.

 

[REWahoo]

UMMM, you're going to have to clarify this one. Are you recommending that I view porn to relieve my menopause symptoms? Did YOU have success with this?

FWIW, I had great success. Not a hint of menopause symptoms for me.

 

[ugeauxgirl]

LOL.

 

[audreyh1]

Are there any guys reading this??

OMG you just invited them in!!!

 

[MichaelB]

OMG you just invited them in!!!

We’re here to learn. Medical advice is always appreciated.