Hot flushes

Hi Em, sorry to hear about your situation.

I don't think that your GP has much understanding about PC suggesting that your dad stops HT treatment which is the one thing keeping his psa down.

I would suggest that you contact your hospital/cancer centre to get some help from them.

Hot flushes are a usual side effect of HT, I didn't have HT myself, perhaps someone will post who can give u some more advice on the problem.

On the plus side, good news that the psa level is under control.

Best wishes

Steve

There is medication which can help with the hot flushes and your oncologist should be able to prescribe it and also  could if necessary change the hormone treatment your father is on to see if another type of drug would not have such severe side effects  though as hormone therapy generally gives hot flushes he would probably still get them.  Definitely contact your consultant and do not stop HT until you see them.  Call and see if you can get an earlier appointment or speak to someone on the telephone to see if you can get some help before your next appointment.  In the mean time do all the things that ladies of a certain age do.  Wear layers so that you can take things off when a hot flush comes on.  Same with bedding a sheet and blankets are far better than a duvet as a blanket can be shed during the night.  There are cooling sprays you can buy as well.  A good diet and drinking plenty of water tends to help a little too.  There are other supplements such as Sage and evening primrose oil and these work for some but better to run this past your oncologist and pharmacist to make sure they do not affect any other medication your Dad is on. 

All the best

Des

Hi

i suffered from hot sweats very badly, told the consultant about it, he said that Provera would help and yes it does, but you need to ask if it has any way of stopping the or impairing the treatment he’s having.

hope this helps.

joe

Hi Em.

I have been on Prostap since October last year and will probably continue to have it for two more years. I suffered very badly from hot flushes just a couple of weeks after starting HT. My GP (who is also a homeopathy practitioner) suggested Evening Primrose Oil and Sage Leaves. So I now take 1 by 1500mg Evening Primrose Oil capsule twice per day (morning and evening) and 2 by 285mg Sage Leaf capsules twice a day at the same time. This has pretty much completely stopped the hot flushes. I still sweat when exercising but I have always done that so I don't associate it with the HT and I do exercise quite hard with rowing for an hour two or three times a week and attending a weekly aerobics class. If I do feel that the hot flushes are starting to return I supplement the EPO and Sage with a homeopathic treatment of three tablets of cuttlefish ink (sepia) taken over one day between meals and that will knock it on the head for a few months. I haven't needed the sepia since early April, but I always keep some as a standby.

I get both Evening Primrose Oil and Sage Leaves from Holland and Barratt buying online (or in store if I happen to be near one) and they often have a "Buy one get one half price" offer so that's when I stock up.

Even if it doesn't do any good it won't do any harm so give it a try. It certainly works for me.

Thanks so much for the advice.  I will pass it on to my Dad

Em xx 

Thanks.  That is brilliant.  We will check with his consultant 

Em xx

Thanks for this.  I will pass on all of the advice 

Em xx

Thank you.  We will get in touch with the hospital 

Em xx