Hot Flash Forum!

Alive4Five

Thank you ladies! Better go back and do some reading then, huh? lol ...I will let you know sassy!

sas-schatzi

Okay Alive enjoy your reading and may you find the perfect thing (s) to help sassy

jramick

Hey Alive!

Sass is right that there are many things you can try here. I had my drenching off and on for the last 5 years. The Evening Primrose gel caps worked the very first night since I started them about 2 weeks ago.  I was surprised as I have tried many options.  The ones I take are 1000mg and directions are 3x day.  I take mine twice a.m. and p.m.  Very Inexpensive to try and can be usually found in the Vitamin section at some department stores, grocery stores, pharmacy or health food/nutrition stores. 

If you try them I hope they help! 

jramick

Sass! What in the world did you write on here that got deleted? Ha!  

sas-schatzi

Hi jra. Mods said I was spamming. All post were on my old& present stomping grounds, or my threads. Deleted it. It was about stuff LOL.  I'll get the link to Insomnia thread. It's really important stuff i.e. like how to find money.  BBL with the link.

here's the link . It's a post about needymeds.org and Social Workers Hope you find it useful.

https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/102/topic/767259?page=440

 

uds17

Hi Alive.

I've been taking black cohosh (recommended by my gynae) twice a day for about 3 weeks. I was having 10-15 hot flashes a day prior to starting this. Over the past week, I've noticed they've decreased by about half. I'm hoping this trend will continue!

Good luck!

Rennasus

uds17: Please check with your *oncologist* about taking black cohosh for hot flashes post breast cancer. It can be controversial.

gemini4

I really wanted to take black cohosh, but my MO said absolutely not. I don't feel like risking it, even though I believe she doesn't completely understand black cohosh. 

I'm intrigued about evening primrose oil. Is it safe for ER+ ?

jramick

Gemini!

Check with your doctor's! My breast surgeon initially recommended the Primrose and then my primary doc.  You will note I am not ER positive, however, I am somewhat sure that the Primrose unlike the cohosh is pretty harmless.  If you try it let me know how yo do with it.

uds17

Thanks for your concern, ladies! My gynae spoke with my oncologist and got the go ahead for the black cohosh. What have you heard about it being a problem??

JWoo

Effexor helped mine. I almost have none at all now. I take the lowest dose available, every other day.  

Good luck to anyone still having issues. 

sas-schatzi

This was on the Warm and Fuzzy's thread. Certainly fits here!

May 25, 2014 04:29PM         AZ85048 wrote:    

 

KiwiCatMom

Gotta love Maxine!  Thanks for the smile!

Linda54

Jramick, how is it going with the evening primrose? Still working for you?  Well I tried the capsules for several weeks. I have a problem with constipation but there's a supplement I take that works to get things going but while taking the evening primrose I wasn't having a bowel movement and since I was still flashing I decided I would not take them anymore...constipation and flashing are two evils...I would rather deal with just one  Hope you are still having fewer flashes. 

jramick

Yes Linda 54!  I am still taking the Primrose with no side effects and its completely zapping any SWEATS. Sorry they were not helpful for you!  

Linda54

great news jramich!!!.....I am happy the evening primrose is working for you.

 

dbrader

Here is something for those of you dealing with hot flashes to
consider. I was on Arimidex from June 2007 to June of 2012. Horrible
hourly hot flashes day and night. Tried all the typical fixes - Lyrica,
Effexor, Clonidine, . . . Nothing had an impact on them at all. Two
years later there had been no change. Saw a post on a Johns Hopkins
breast cancer thread I follow suggesting the use of Oxybutynin Chloride
ER 15mg. Asked my PCP who replied, let's give it a try. It has been
amazing!!!!!!!!!! Oh, to have found this 7 years ago. . . I now am
down to maybe 5 or 6 hot flashes a day, but they are not even hot
flashes. Merely "warm" flashes compared to what I have had for all
these years!! What a blessing to finally feel almost normal. And I can
go outside without instantly being drenched in sweat for as long as i
stay out!!!!! I can cut the grass and do my gardening without having to
shower and change afterward!!!

I am adding the links to a couple
articles/studies. It has been a month and a half now, and I continue to
be amazed at the relief I finally have!!!!!!

I REALLY hope this
can bring relief to others. And no side effects to speak of except a
little dryness in the mouth/throat (makes me drink more water - a good
thing).

http://www.google.com/patents/WO2007143486A2?cl=en

http://journals.lww.com/menopausejournal/Abstract/2007/14030/Oxybutynin_for_refractory_hot_flashes_in_cancer.29.aspx

IDunnoWho

I get the prickly skin and the "closed-in" feeling, then WHOOSH...instant heat. Dont feel sick, but I've only been on tamoxifen for a month. Hoping it gets better. I'm sure other issues will make themselves known.

aviva5675

Been on anastrozole since Sept.  My flashes started right after I had to quit the hrt after my dx. Have tried 2 diff anit depressants, am on Effexor now and hate the bad dreams. Has minimally helped the flashes. Would give anything to sleep more than 4 hours! I go in Sept and am going to ask about gabapentin and the above mentioned oxybutyin.

sas-schatzi

Bump

Anonymous

MO put me on Megace to help with hot flashes, they seem to be much worse. Anyone taking Megace have any comments?

sas-schatzi

2ta, this thread isn't very active anymore, but there is a wealth of info in the past pages. 

I know megace wasn't mentioned in the first 26 pgs. I suggest scanning the remainder pgs. h

Hope you find something   sassy.

jenn333

Has anyone experienced a sudden increase in number and severity of hot flashes 2+ years into Tamoxifen?  I have had hot flashes on and off since about 6 months after starting but nothing to interfere with my day to day.  The past couple of months though I've been having 5-6 each night and probably the same number or more during the days.  These are of the face and neck dripping kind.  Ugh.  So far today I'm getting them every half hour or so.  I don't understand why this is happening all of a sudden since I've been taking Tamox for so long already.  Maybe the start of menopause?  Tried Effexor for the past couple of weeks but didn't do a thing (my MO said if I was going to get a response it would happen by 2 weeks).

lifelover

Hi jen333,

My hot flushes just increased about 6 months ago (would have been about 2 years into taking tamoxifen).  They were really horrid for a couple of months - I'd have sometimes 8 per hour.  I assumed that my body was trying to purge itself of oestrogen.

At diagnosis I was very strong positive at 100% and even after 3 1/2 years without a period, I am told by my oncologist that my blood tests show that I am not yet in menopause.

I am trying to tolerate the hot flushes with the thought in my head that "I'm getting better and better every day".

Well, the last few weeks I have been having a lot less flushes.

I did start drinking a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in a large glass of water a few times a day.  I was doing this because of digestive issues but somewhere in these posts recently I've seen that it may be a natural remedy for hot flushes.

I should say I am now taking a huge dose of Effexor - 450mg but I'm not sure if it is helping.  Maybe if I didn't take Effexor they'd be worse.  I take the Effexor for anxiety.

How are you feeling now jen333?

glennie19

Trying melatonin,,, will be going back and reading these posts.

glennie19

I read all the posts!  Whew!!  It was a LOT to absorb.  Much to ask GYN about at appt this week. 

farmerlucy

started the apple cider vinegar to see if it helps the HFs. At least perhaps the placebo effect will do the trIck! Seems better already! Hmmmm 

KiwiCatMom

After about  three months of very few, now that summer is coming...they're baaacccckkkk.  May try the vinegar.

hugs to all

Terre

glennie19

Just got some apple cider vinegar and will be trying it. Also taking calcium citrate and magnesium citrate.

sas-schatzi

Glennie friend lol...please, make only one change at a time. With this scenario HF attempt to allow at least a couple of weeks to see if experiment worked. If the present experiment is obviously a failure, ditch it and move to the next. Sassy;)