Help with hot flashes post breast cancer treatment please!

Hi

I'm sorry to hear you are also experiencing the hot flushes. Mine are awful, feel like I am constantly having them.

I also take letrozole and have zoladex injections. 

I am taking an anti-depressant which is supposed to help with them, but im mot getting much joy.

I have heard they can get less with time, so fingers crossed. 

Unfortunately not found anything that works, but just wanted to let you know you are not alone.

Hopefully others will comment and help us both.

Hi NicW and Blueberrymuffin , I’ve been on Anastrozole for nearly 7 years and still get hot flashes but mainly during the day. I get hot at night but can usually cope by having very light bedding and sticking feet and arms out! Re treatments, I had a 6 week course of ear acupuncture at the Maggie’s centre at Addenbrookes, just before lockdown. It definitely helped with the hot flashes and just generally - at that time I felt very anxious, which wasn’t something I’d had before so I did feel it was another anastrozole side effect. I’d definitely recommend seeing if there’s any form of acupuncture available near you eg a Maggie’s centre, MacMillan centre or if you’re near London, there’s a wonderful place called Future Dreams in Kings Cross. They’re specifically for people who’ve had breast cancer and offer lots of in person and online support, workshops etc. Love and hugs, HFxx

Thank you for replying. My oncologist did say that I could start on an antidepressant called Venlafaxine if they do get worse. Hopefully someone will have found something that helps! x

Thanks...I'd not heard of acupuncture for it, so I shall look into it x

Hi. I started on Anastrozole a few weeks ago. My side effects were pretty instant and one of them is my temp being all over the place. I assumed it wasn’t a hot flash as I was going cold - shivers, goosebumps etc but the doctor said that’s also a hot flash! My internal temp is so high that my body is cooling itself down, like with a fever. It comes about every day around the same time - early evening, and lasts for hours. My skin is burning up to touch but I’m covered in goosebumps and shivering. My doctor did say that they can give me something for them but didn’t say what so might be worth asking your team if you find them unbearable. 

Sounds like you are suffering with the side effects, and I have heard a hot flash can also make you cold. Have they said if they will ease once this initial period of taking it is over...I'm hoping so! x

I hope so too! Dr didn’t say either way but he did say what might seem like a minor side effect is no longer minor if you have to deal with it every day for ten years so to always tell them as they might be able to give you something to help. I’m going to remember that!! 

Hi, I’m older than you- 71. I had hot flushes as main symptom of menopause and they settled down, never quite to premenopausal state but fine. When I started letrozole nearly 2 years ago they came right back, but have settled again somewhat. After menopause I never again wore polo neck jumpers, but would have a scarf to quickly expose neck to cool myself, always a top layer that I could undo/remove, very necessary when I was teaching with temperatures rising in classrooms full of teenagers!

Ive never had the waking up drenched in sweat again that I had during menopause for a while and generally manage ok with clothing and arm or leg out of bed technique, but wouldn’t hesitate to seek allowable relief from Drs if it got worse.
All the best xx

Thankyou; good advice about the clothing. Good to hear they did settle down again x

Just off HRT due to ER BC and about to start letrozole.  Not putting up with this bloody heat/nightime hot flashes.  Sleep is awful.  I have managed to get private prescription for Veoza.  I hear it's a game changer.  It arrives today and I can't wait to give it a go.  Its approved but not yet signed off for NHS so will cost £60 per month thereabouts.... I would pay double that to be honest to manage the flashes at night.  Have a look at the infor around Veoza - really encouraging.