Help with Hot Flashes

I took hormones for 13 years. I had kept taking them because of night sweats. Two different doctors told me I should quit them. So I did about 5 months ago. I continued the the night sweats. Once I found out I had diabetes and changed my diet and got my blood sugar levels down I stopped having them. Leslee

Thanks for sharing your experiences, Leslee. Night sweats apparently come from more issues than menopause, I have found. I took estrogen for ten years and it helped me sleep and feel much better. My night heat flashes came from Tamocifen which I took after breast cancer in the early stages. I only took it for six months because I wasn't sleeping. I was supposed to stay on it for five years, but couldn't imagine giving up sleep for that long. Now I am dealing with diabetes and have hot spells day and night even though my blood sugar numbers are almost normal most of the time. My son had hot sweats during immune treatment after prostate cancer. Diet and exercise help more than some pills, I have discovered. Eating lots of veggies makes me feel wonderful in the summer. Dorisena

I am 65 and have had hot flashes ever since I had a hysterectomy at 40. I always knew they were coming because of slight nausea and heat that I can only compare to a super hot light turned on in my chest and then the sweats. I equate the feeling to "flu like." My mother had hot flashes in to her 80's. I have been using HRT patches (ESTROGEN ONLY) for over 20 years. My doctors through the years told me to think about discontinuing, that I should quit - telling me of the dangers but quality of life PLUS my bone health were worth the chance for me. And yes, stress brings the flashes on for me also. Very annoying and embarrassing in the workplace or really anywhere. I tried to quit one time and it was unbearable. It is interesting to me that now after all these years, my current doctors and research I have seen say the benefits outweigh the dangers. Just the opposite of what I was told years ago. My mother had breast cancer at 72 and she used no HRT. I have had 2 breast biopsies 10 years apart and neither were cancer. I had to make a choice long ago.

Jody, thanks for sharing your experience. At age 84 I still get hot spells but do not sweat. I never sweat much, and I don't stink without a deodorant, either.
I had my uterus removed at age 35 but did not go on estrogen as many of my friends did after surgery. I went on the hormone in my late 50;s because I wasn't sleeping and took it for ten years. I was told to quit and spent one miserable month before my body settled down. I am thinking about all these different experiences and trying to figure out the best course for me. I think we are all different, depending on our diet and our activity in life. I am becoming less interested in pills and more devoted to a diet with fresh veggies and some fruit. I eat a low carb diet and have almost normal blood sugar numbers in the morning. Living a no stress life is the best course for me, except I am lonely in this current isolation. But I am healthy. I eat protein at breakfast. I still wish I could sleep better at night but my bladder calls me to the bathroom often. By comparison, I am doing pretty well. Dorisena

I am of the opinion that my stage one breast cancer was related more to the fat issue than the estrogen use because I also tested positive for the gene that is affected by soy oil and tofu. I was told the estrogen affects the heart health as does the cholesteral medicine. My doctor won't allow me to give up the beta blockers. I feel much better without so much blood pressure medicine, so we argue about that issue. I believe strongly that dementia is related to poor control of diabetes and obesity, as well as not exercising the brain daily. I don't even think about dementia at my age. And I blame my low energy on the low thyroid dose prescribed so I don't get more cancer, the doctor said. My thyroid was removed 11 years ago and the endocrinologist says my numbers are perfect so she can't see me anymore. So I am pretty much on my own to figure out each day for good health and feeling well. Dorisena

Because of heavy bleeding, I had my uterus removed at age 27. When menopause started in my late 40's early 50's, I didn't get hot flashes. Instead I had panic and anxiety attacks. I think I would have preferred the hot flashes. Through the years I did have 3 or 4 hot flashes that didn't last too long.

I also had my uterus removed at age 35 because of heavy bleeding. But I never had hot flashes and had no idea when I went through menopause. I was later told that the menopause comes immediately after the surgery. I was not given estrogen at that time. I suffered depression knowing I could not have more children. The hot spells came with the tamoxifen which I took after breast cancer surgery. I quit that after six months so I could sleep at night. Now at age 84 I have hot spells, mostly at night and go out on my little porch by the bedroom to cool off, not knowing what is causing the problem or what to do about it. Now I am working on a better night's sleep considering that I make three or four trips to the bathroom each night. Sometimes I am hungry in the night. I am working on it. Dorisena

Hello age 84; I am age 83 and have hot flashes and still do. Also with all the rest, going to the bathroom, etc., etc. I am not a doctor but I think there is still many hormones in our body that will not quit working. Perhaps this can be a good thing. Why are we still alive at age 83 and 84? (P.S. I also had a my uterus removed at age 34 ish.) but first had four children. Hello life traveler and let us see how much longer we have to help as many others as we can.

I do not believe that the hot spells I have now are hot flashes due to estrogen problems because I do not sweat. The only time I ever had real hot flashes is when I took Tamoxifen after breast cancer surgery. My dry skin shows evidence of low estrogen and no energy which is part of the diabetes problem and also the fact that I had my thyroid out. My hot spells come at night which could be a result of metabolizing my dinner and too many covers and socks in bed. After I go to the bathroom and sit on the porch, I recover quickly and go back to bed. I read something about growth hormone and I don't want that at my age because my eyebrows could grow together and my nose could get larger. I am getting used to accomplishing less in a day, being a little lazy, and perhaps reading a book, if the library would open so I can get something besides what is on the web. I push myself to get some exercise and that helps. I am doing better than others my age, and my grandchildren think I am only 35. We laugh a lot. I also blame my mitochondria which are supposed to be the workhorses in my cells to carry energy to my muscles. They are quitting on the job, I suspect. I am still alive at my age because I have concentrated on good nutrition and building immunity in my body, and I have always worked hard to contribute in life. I eat an anti-cancer diet and a low carb diet and maintain almost normal blood sugar most days. I watched my husband die because he wouldn't follow doctor's recommendations and had an eating disorder along with alcoholism. And I don't walk in front of speeding trucks. Dorisena

You might try taking megace/megestrol. I was having severe hot flashes and started taking it and my hot flashes are all but gone.