Does anyone else have cold chills as well as hot flushes?

I’ve been on tamoxifen and zoladex for 1 and a half years. I still get hot flushes and then go cold and shivery. I get night sweats also that wake me up and then I go freezing cold straight after also. It’s annoying but i count my blessing that it’s manageable and could be a lot worse.

Hi Lucy Locket

I have the very same thing happening! I'm on zolodex and so menopausal. I knew to expect hot flushes but was surprised I also feel the cold as well. I was lucky and my local maggies centre ran a menopause workshop and explained that oestrogen is used to regulate our temperatures so without its like our bodies panic and either overheat or can't heat us up.

I find night time the worst as I'm so cold getting into bed but know a hot flush is just around the corner.

Cheers

Lizzy

Aw Yes Lindzorama that happens to me too, one minute I can be freezing and the next I'm stripping off layers because I'm having a hot flush. I'm finding this shivery cold feeling slightly different , as it's lasting longer than the one straight after a hot flush. How long are you cold fro afterwards?

Hi BC Be Gone ( loving your name ) I'm glad to hear it's not just me! I wish the specialists would warn us of these symptoms , everyone talks about hot flushes but no one has mentioned feeling cold. The menopause workshop sounds great and it makes sense that it's used for regulating both temperatures. Thank you. : )

Hi Lucky Locket

i find I’m colder for much longer than the hot flush lasts. I’m also finding that I’m cold so put a blanket on and then hot flush and have to remove layers just to go cold again!  I struggle to ever be a comfortable temperature. 
I also have a condition where my hands and feet are constantly cold/dead so thought the cold feeling was due to that so I’m glad I’m not the only one experiencing both.

Yes me too. Been on tamoxifen 6 months. A few hot flushes to start with but have waned. Pre Xmas I got skin rash and my skin has become very itchy. I did get strong anti histamines from GP but am struggling to swallow them even after cutting them up. Resorted to slightly bodybrushing and have switched from E45 cream (even got prescribed the itch cream) to CeraVe which is helping. I seem to get very cold hands. I can sit on sofa with a red flushed nose and be cold as well under a fleece blanket with heat on. Did find a lovely cream to help redness on face if anyone interested (its called Rosalique). Get like goosebumps and cos i have some fluid build up in armpit and boob it tingles cold like a spider in my bra and feel shivery. My sister who also going thru menopause symptoms but is 2.9 years older than me gets cold too so thought it must be a family thing but maybe not. I have to say although side effects are settling down, I do blame the tamoxifen for feeling off a lot of the time. I've always been cold natured but its not a nice feeling.

Sorry to hear you've got issues with your skin as well Tired Minion, that sounds horrid. As does the cold spider!!

Yes how on earth is it that we can be having a hot flush but still have a cold part of our body, I can be flushing but still have cold feet or hands!

I did an internet search on feeling cold and breast cancer and it seems to be a common anecdotal thing amongst breast cancer patients, so we are far from alone in this...which is somewhat reassuring though not nice that any of us have to experience this.

Lindzorama, You’ve just described exactly what I have been experiencing, being so cold I need to have a blanket on, even though the heating’s on, only to have to throw it all off a minute later! 
As BC be gone said it sounds like this is all related to our lack of oestrogen affecting our ability to regulate our temperature!

Thank you all for sharing, it is so reassuring to know I’m not alone. 

Hello ladies, oh this post and comments resonate so thought I'd add my pennyworth  (amazing skills from the surgical  & RT teams big t y to them all.)     After juggling meds cos of unwelcome s/es was put on Exemestane and can now understand a bit better thanks to the replies above, this wasn't mentioned to me either so last night despite it being a 'mild' night for early Feb.  had on cotton pjs, a 15 tog duvet, fleece throwover on top of that plus a fleecy jacket wrapped around toes that were like icebergs, meanwhile my cheeks were rosy red felt like on fire could have cooked eggs on 'em. !!     

My best wishes for a full recovery everyone  

Hi tyensidelass, Ha love your description of cooking eggs on your cheeks lol. Glad it's helped you understand, me too!

Also I spoke to my doctor the other day and she confirmed that although generally most women just get hot flushes, there are a percentage who suffer the reverse too, ie chills and shivers. She said the lack of oestrogen means the body struggles to thermoregulate...under statement or what!

I've noticed the days I manage to get on my exercise bike I dont seem to be as cold...though the evenings and sitting watching tv I generally am. My surgeon and my doctor have both said exercise and diet are the way to go, so looks like there might be something to that

All the best to you and everyone here, in finding ways to cope and recover!