Can anyone tell me how long hot flashes typically last?

dccancer

I went into menopause as a result of the chemo and immediately started getting hot flashes. I am finished with my surgeries and am supposed to start Tamoxifen in May. I am looking for a ball park....i am going to be dealing with this for months, years? I get them all day long. I have been taking gabapentin but i don't know if it's helping at all.

ml143333

I was diagnosed in July, 2014 and had my first chemo in October of that year. I went immediately into chemopause with all the lovely hot flashes and still have them. The hot flashes seem to ebb and flow. I will have periods when I don't have many and then periods where they are uncontrolled. I have found that I usually have one every morning before getting out of bed. My MO said that is probably because my body has been in a state of rest and is now being awakened and it is a bit of a shock. Other times that I find I have them are when I am stressed.

I don't take any medication and just ride the waves.

dccancer

Thank you for the information. I guess they can last years which is what I feared.

gailpet

That's a good question -- I had my ovaries out at the end of December and noticed a few hot flashes but nothing major until I started on Femara in mid-February. I know have them every hour or hour and a half during the day and I am woken up at night 4-5 times with night sweats and hot flashes and then I have insomnia and can't go back to sleep! I was hoping that my body just has to settle into a new normal??? My oncologist prescribed Effexor for me today at my appointment so will be trying that. She also mentioned the gabapentin as another option for me if Effexor doesn't work so sorry to hear you don't think that's working for you!?

dccancer

gailpet - can i ask about the ovary removal? even though my hormone levels are low enough for me to be considered post menopause the dr still thinks i should start tamoxifen. i would prefer to skip it and take the AI's instead. I am only 48 and she is concerned my system my bounce back. I told her I would rather opt for the ovary removal than take tamoxifen and she balked. I have read the studies that say it's safer and more effective. do you mind my asking for a little more details about your situation?

gailpet

dccancer -- I am 50 and wasn't anywhere near menopause. My doctor felt that AI's would be better for me to take instead of Tamoxifen as I have a family history of high blood pressure and strokes/clots (I have had high blood pressure since I was 33 myself). Since I wasn't near menopause, she said I could suppress ovulation with a shot every month or so for a few years or have my ovaries taken out. I opted to go that route so I could just get it taken care of and not have to worry about going in so often. Good luck -- I didn't have to convince my MO since she suggested it to me and I was fine with that option!

bevin

well... we are all different, but mine started when I was 40 and I still have them. Its been 13 years

dccancer

Oh bevin I am so sorry to hear that. I feel like that is the route I will take. They really are nonstop at work all day. I guess if the gabapentin doesn't work I will try the effexor. I am torn about the drug therapy. The risk of uterine cancer with tamoxifen and the hair thinning freaks me out. The information I am getting is conflicting - some say the the SE's on AI's are worse than the tamoxifen some say they are milder. I guess I am just on the edge of both treatment protocols so it's not clear. Thanks for sharing everyone. I am so grateful.