Menopause / Hot flushes

Hi Ruby and a very warm welcome to the online community

I'm sorry to read how much you're suffering with menopause symptoms and it must be extremely unpleasant for you.

I don't have the experience you need but I noticed that your post hadn't had any replies yet. This is probably because this is such a busy group that your post has fallen off the first page before someone with the right experience has seen it. Replying to you will 'bump' it back to the top of the discussion list where it'll be more easily spotted.

While you're waiting for replies if you type 'menopause' into the search bar at the top of the page you'll find lots of previous posts on this topic. You could have a read through some of them and reply to any of the more recent posters if you want to ask them any questions.

Wishing you all the best

x

Hi

The flushes will likely eventually lessen but as for how long, it is probably an individual thing. 

I think the first thing to help cope, is to...

1)  wear light, easily removed clothing and just have layers, so  you can just take off a layer or two.

2)  drink lots of water etc

3)  have a hand fan, of some description, handy in your bag.  I like the hand-activated ones, that open out to be used.  No worries about the batteries running out at the wrong time, apart from weight

4)  have effective fans in the room, easy to access to turn on/off.  Personally, I have ceiling fans in bedroom, lounge and computer room - the most frequently used rooms.  A free-standing fan, about 14" and 3 settings, the 2nd and 3rd settings really effective.  The ceiling fans, I have a long piece of string attached to the 'pull' so I don't have to get up, to switch off, once I've cooled down - I was getting hot again after getting up to switch off !!!!  Yes, friends used to comment but now just accept.   Unfortunately, friends just don't seem to understand how hot one can feel so visiting friends can be a bit uncomfortable as they don't have such effective fans 

I can't think of anything else just now

Good luck

Thanks so much Chocdrop and Latchbrook,

I need to get organised with fans! Struggling to wear much more than a vest too at the moment as they are really frequent and so uncomfortable, hopefully they might settle a bit after my last dose of chemo and I’ll get some relief in between then and starting the hormone tablets!

Ive just ordered one of the LadyMagnets that are mentioned in other threads too and although I’m sceptical I’m willing to give it a shot!! 

Thanks again for your help,

Ruby xx

Hi

I've not heard of the LadyMagnets until I read you post above.  It certainly sounds interesting.  However, I also found the page, which doesn't rate the use of these magnets, or any other. I haven't looked into these properly, though

https://www.healthline.com/health/menopause/magnets-for-menopause

I appreciate there is always the positive and negative but, reading on the LadyMagnet page, I'm not convinced regarding the validity of their research, low sample of people trying them, for one.

I'll be very interested to hear how  you get on with the LadyMagnet.  I do hope you will post back after using for a few months.

Like you, I'm very skeptical about such devices.  I might have been more interested in buying one if they also offered full refund if, after 3 months, there was no imporvemenyt etc but didn't find anything about refunds on their site.  It's a significant cost, though

It would be great if they do reduce symptoms so will await hearing back in a few months

Agree with everything ChocDrop suggested and I also have a chillax/chillow pillow which is a cold gel that you can use during the night - it's bliss! You put it beside your bed again once the flush has subsided so that it cools down again. Is that the one you have?

I have a small fan by my bed that is easy to turn on and off during the night, and I had a hand held fan for during the day

I'd be interested to hear how you get on with the LadyMagnet too, wearing it all the time put me off as I don't wear anything in bed and though wearing something would then make me more likely to have a flush!

I just wanted to say that my hot flashes/night sweats wee really intense during chemo. The chemo itself makes them bad and I also had zoladex injections from the 2nd cycle to put me into menopause so a lot going on. They calm down significantly once chemo ends and now, 6 months on, mine are probably every 2-3 hours (24/7) compared to every 20 mins during chemo. They were also far more intense during chemo and I got terrible chills afterwards. 

They will get better and be manageable. I'm hopeful mine will continue to improve, I am on zoladex and exemestane.

Thanks all,

Ill let you know how I get on with the magnet. I’m not entirely convinced, but there are quite a few women in this forum who have found it works so I’ll give it a shot.

I have a chilled pillow and it’s great for night time as you say, I will get a fan though. 

I really hope the flushes ease after chemo, they’re quite hard going on top of side effects and mean sleep is really difficult. 

Thanks again,

Ruby xx

I spoke to my BCN about the flushes during chemo and they said chemo effects make them much worse. mine have calmed significantly, I'm sure yours will too though it was a few weeks before they started to calm down after chemo and several months before they got to every 2-3 hours, so try and be patient! I found I had anxiety with them during chemo too and that has calmed too. Now they're just a bit annoying during the day but subside quite quickly. I find them worse at night because when you're not thinking about anything else, they seem to last longer. I find I need to get myself to the point of being cold with the fan, otherwise they last a lot longer and I can't get back to sleep.

Hi Ruby,

I'm following this with interest as I'm struggling with this too. I'm sleeping on towels and changing the pillow towel 2 or 3 times a night. The hot flushes are about every hour and a half, 24 hours a day, and in between sweating, I'm shivering with cold. The oncologist can't do anything, just recommended a fan which keeps me and husband awake and makes me even colder. He did suggest Venlafaxine which is an anti-depressant that can also help hot flushes, but I'm rubbish with medication. I tend to get the side effects rather than the effects.

If the LadyMagnet is helpful to anyone, I'll give it a go.

Meanwhile, hugs to you.

Another Red! XX

Hi RedSquirrelsNuts

It’s rubbish isn’t it! I find the interrupted sleep really hard to cope with, I feel so tired.

The LadyMagnet arrived today so I’ll keep you posted. I had my bloods today and asked the chemo nurse about it and she said it should ease considerably once treatment finishes. I really hope so, but not much help right now. 

I still need to get a fan. My bedroom is really cold, and I hate being cold, but I’ll put up with it if it slows the flushes. 

Hang in there and hugs! 

Ruby xx