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NaturalBel's avatar
NaturalBel
Member
11 years ago

Hot Flushes

As some one who had Triple Negative BC last year, I have been thrown into Menopause and Hot Flushes have fast become my enemy.  I have spoken to my surgeon about it.  My doctor wrote a script for Effexor, and anti depressant regularly prescribed for women who are Triple Neg and the usual hormone therapies dont work for.  I dont take any on going medication, and even though I work within Pharmacy, reluctant to take anything due to what I have seen, the spiral effect of once you start with one..........).  So I asked the Pharmacist I work with about the natural product that my doctor recommended.  He said to avoid taking Black Cohosh as it is bad for the liver.  So this morning I researched this and it seems to be true that it is hard on the liver.  So I have over the last month taken natural Sleep Enhance type vitamins.  They work some times.  I definately notice the flushes are worse if I drink Wine, so dont worry about going into that one!  I only have one coffee a day by the way.  So I open up the subject HOT FLUSH THERAPIES FOR TRIPLE NEGATIVE WOMEN.  Oh, and has any one tried Sage Tea, I havent as yet?  I am being consistently woken several times per night.  

9 Replies

  • positive3negati's avatar
    positive3negati
    Member
    11 years ago

    Hi there,

    I finished chemo in December last year and at that time I had to sleep with a hand towel on my pillow and another next to the bed so I could change them during the night! Fortunately, they've become less frequent and less severe over time. Some of these will be repeats but here's my top tips:

    1. Drink lots and lots of water (seems to reduce both frequency and severity).

    2. Avoid all forms of caffiene including chocolate and cola drinks.

    3. Try herbal teas, including sage, peppermint and ginger.

    4. If night sweats are really bad you might want to get a 'chillow' pillow. Here's the link: http://www.sleepsolutions.com.au/temperature-control/?gclid=CMWvj5eR4r4CFRMHvAod9qsABQ

    5. Carry a fan and don't be afraid to use it.

    6. Shift your thinking; if you find the sweats embarrassing or distressing they will seem much worse. I put my hands on my hips and say "I'm having another wonder woman power surge. Does anyone want some water heated?" Being able to laugh about it really helps.

    7. If you don't already meditate then add that in too. There's lots of good, free guided meditations on YouTube. I've found that the calmer I am, the less I sweat and meditation has helped with that.

    8. Learn the early warning signs of a hot flush and strip off those layers as fast as you can. 

    9. Wear cotton (or nothing) to bed.

    10. Be naked as often as you can. 

    Hope some of this is helpful to you. Remember, they're going to get better in time. My other favourite thought is that they sure beat having a period!

    Best wishes and good luck with it all.

    Meg 

     

  • Sandi_Lockwood's avatar
    Sandi_Lockwood
    Member
    11 years ago

    I am 6 weeks post chemo and still getting the hot flushes, especially at night. They wake me up and of course a visit to the toilet is necessary and annoying. I find them worse after drinking wine, however I have also found drinking lots of water seems to reduce the amount of flushes. Another thing I have noticed is stress or a stressful moment will bring on a hot flush.

    So I am concentrating on drinking at least 5 good size glasses of water a day and trying not to get stressed, try meditation. I like my glass of wine now and again, so I just drink one glass of water to every glass of wine. I never go past 2 glasses in one sitting, thats for sure.

    I was on effexor for 4 years after my son passed away, I will never go on that drug again, would rather have the flushes. I put on over 10kg (have lost it now thank goodness) but found that life was one level of emotion. It did get me past the worse grief I will ever experience, but weening myself of it was a nightmare. My partner is nodding as I say this. Many other personal side effects as well.

    Try more water, try meditation and relaxation and check your diet, could help you to deal with them, but they do subside as time goes by.

    All the best, Sandi

  • Kb's avatar
    Kb
    Member
    11 years ago
    By the way I mentioned accupressure because no. Needles required, I was told to not have acupuncture because of operation etc.....
  • Kb's avatar
    Kb
    Member
    11 years ago
    I have been told I'll go into Meno as we'll. first thing I would do which I have been doing past few days is go to YouTube and look up accupressure points for hot flushes, menopause, they show you the point tell you how to do it, keep doing them frequently it suppose to get better, if you need links let me know, heaps of info out there and it's free and safe unless you get too excited and over so it. A lot of info a herbal lady called Susan S Weed I've been finding anything she has written though depending on treatment your going thru checking about herbal interactions. http://www.susunweed.com/Article_Menopausal_Years.htm Always check regards what won't interact with your treatment. http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/natural-remedies-for-hot-flashes/ A lot of info out there but does your head I. Somedays who to trust who not too even In The natural world coz it's big biz too. I hope this info maybe some help, goash my iPad is full of bookmarks at the moment
  • dmed's avatar
    dmed
    Member
    11 years ago

    One of the girls in my support group mentioned she had some relief from gel pads that you can get to put on your pillow and think you can get some for the bed.

  • mause58's avatar
    mause58
    Member
    11 years ago
    I had my last period 2 weeks after my first chemo treatment. I think I was in early menopause but about a month after my last period I started getting hot flushes. At first they were more intense and annoying mainly affecting me in the early hours of the morning. But over the last six months I've noticed they are not as bad. I think as the stress of everything eases, I get a better nights sleep and generally eat sensibly I'm keeping on top of them. I do take a multivitamin, I don't drink alcohol( no real reason) I don't drink coffee anymore ( at my last chemo I was given a coffee and it made me sick and now I can't stand the smell. I was a coffee drinker) I try to walk daily, great for stress release and I try to be kind to my self. I still get flushes maybe one or two just before daylight but they're not bad now and I can cope. I had my last chemo 15 months ago.
  • shereejoy's avatar
    shereejoy
    Member
    11 years ago
    I am unaware that triple negative has anything to do with it??? Can't chemo put hormonal and triple negative into early menopause? I am triple negative and first diagnosis went into early menopause and then 5 months post chemo bam I get a period back and then this diagnosis I have been on indefinite chemo since February 2013 and I didn't get one period from the day I started until the 1 year mark and bam! I have been taking Effexor 37.5mg initially and then 75mg as it still wasn't controlling the hot flushes and this was pre getting my period back! Then get my period back and the onc then gave me zolodex injection to stop my period. Which it finally did but my hormones have been all over the shop this year and have been increased to 150mg of Effexor for depression. I am also on 225mg morning and night for my pheripheal neuropathy. 40/20mg plus 10/5mg targin for pain relief, as I have cancer in my spine and now a left leg limp. 2 lumps on my right side which I had a scan about today. Crossing my fingers all is ok. I have really bad right arm Lymphoedema! The chronic conditions are what get me down a lot but I keep fighting for each and every day. My beautiful little boys are worth it. Sorry for the vent! I will be ok. Tomorrow's a new day I guess. And a day I will be grateful to wake up up! ;)
  • yetbeung's avatar
    yetbeung
    Member
    11 years ago

    I'm in the same situation as you. I'm doing radiation at the moment (2 weeks to go) and the hot flushes are horrendous. We are currently waiting to see whether or not I have actually gone into menopause or not, apparently it will take about 3 months after the last chemo to see if it all falls back into place by itself. 

    My oncologist suggested a few different things to me, one being the ant-depressant, but also 2 other "natural" type ones that I will get the name of tomorrow when I'm there, I forgot already. She said there has also been proven results with acupuncture in about 80% of women who tried it, I haven't looked into this further because of my fear of needles, but I might just get up the nerve as I'm pretty over taking pills. 

    It's worse for me with wine also, and worse at night. So far I've been coping by:

    1. Swanning around naked as much as is socially acceptable ie. at home

    2. Keeping a few beanies and tea towels in the freezer so I can grab them out at night to cool down

    3. Carrying a water bottle and fan around with me, and wearing layers 

    4. Warming the bedroom before bed - seems stupid, but I find that the hotter the weather, the fewer hot flushes I have. When I was in darwin for a week, I didn't have a single one - the weather was 33 each day.

    I'll find out what those drugs were and reply again. We'll get there!