New Weird Symptoms

Yes, I was in natural menopause a few years before bc, and was just finding the hot flashes diminishing when bc hit. I've been on an AI for three years now, and the hot flashes started about six months into it. Only just now have they started to abate.



I've had the pimples now, too for some time, but not initially. Mostly tiny whiteheads, but occasionally deeper ones. Surprisingly, I was told they come becuase the skin needs moisture so that's why non-oily skin develops them. I use a gentle soap at night (Cetaphyl bar) but in the morning I use a gentl anti-acne cleanser for the antibiotic properties. I also use Olay Regenerist micro-sculpting cream.

I went into chemopause in June 2008 and had my ovaries out in March 2009. Am on Arimidex and am still having hot flashes.

I developed a slight case of perioral dermatitis in August 2009. This is usually a "young woman's affliction," according to my doctor, but I was 50 when this began. And by the way, it kinda looks like pimples, but usually more like a rash. Well, chemo, etc., can cause some strange changes to our bodies.

Hi Jenn, normally you would be experiencing perimenopause with those symptoms.  But with chemo and the fact that your ovaries are removed, you are reacting to the estrogen depletion in your body which is what causes those hot flashes.  I had them really bad when I began perimenopause, and they were brutal enough to cause not only the feeling of a horrible heat wave beginning in my upper torso and radiating upward until it got to my head, causing sudden pounding headaches and beads of sweat in my face.  If I drank red wine it triggered one. This was the reason I went on HRT and refused to give it up. When I was diagnosed with BC years later I stopped the HRT.  Hot flashes came back and worsened after chemo.  EFFEXOR was recommended to diminish them.  After chemo and starting on aromotase inhibitors and Tomoxifen, the hot flashes became just as brutal.  So now they've become lessened and more in control with the Effexor low dose 75mg and constantly having a glass of ice water available, and air conditioning.  Also, Claire's recommendation of a good exfolient and facial moisturizer will help with the dry skin.

Barb

Jen I could have written this myself today!!! i had an ooph, in july 2010,  I am having horrible hot flashes and break outs. Thats not my biggest problem though, I am having these big dark clouds come over me. it's bad, I just start balling,  I feel like I should be commited sometimes!!! Does anyone who has had there ovarie's out feel like that? I mean I was 41 when I did it, and it was my choice, a choice I can never take back .I seemed fine the first year,  but today I was a mess, a total mess. I cryed all day,  really?  whats up?  Yes I too am freaking out about the dryness in my face. I don't want to look 80, on my husbands 46 year old arm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

jen, thanks for posting this, I do not feel so alone. Do you think we made the right decsion having them out?  I pray they will have data soon to tell us it was the right thing to do!!!!!!!!!!! Then again with my anxiety ridden butt, it would have made me crazy not to do it!!! I feel like a total nut job, oh and the memory thing. If I don't write everything down, and I mean everything, I would not know if my kids had school tommorow!! Scary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Stay cool my dear friend,

xo

Steph