Hot Flashes - what do they mean?

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clariceak
clariceak Member Posts: 752
edited June 2014 in Stage III Breast Cancer

I've always treated my hot flashes as a minor annoyance since be launched into chemopause 3 years ago. I'm on Femara and had a ooph a few years ago.  Lately, they seem more frequent and intense which leads me to wonder what this means.

I admit, I haven't done any research on the subject.  Do continued hot flashes mean my body has an infinite supply of estrogen?  Who else still has hot flashes years after chemopause or menopause?

I'm waiting for a clinical trial which would compare survival rates between women who had the extra roll of estrogen sucked away (liposuction) and those who were left with their muffin top. 

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  • clariceak
    clariceak Member Posts: 752
    edited October 2012

    The clinical trial is just a silly idea I had.  I know that abdominal fat is especially deadly and is associated with continued estrogen production.  There are many of us who have gained weight due to side effects from anti-hormonals, lack of energy, early menopause etc. 

    I was willing to have my ovaries removed to try and eliminate more estrogren from body.  I would certainly consider other options, so "save a life with liposuction" was just wishful thinking.

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  • KerryMac
    KerryMac Member Posts: 3,529
    edited October 2012

    I still get them, ooph and all. If you look at the SE's of Femara, you will probably see #1 is hot flashes. I often get them right after taking my Arimidex, I just have assumed it was a SE of the AI rather than a SE of menopause.

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  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited October 2012

    I had a total abdominal hyst-ooph 11 years ago.  Major hot flashes commenced immediately (I was 45 at the time) and I have had them numerous times a day/night since then, and continue to have them on AIs.  I was on Femara first but switched to Arimidex due to excessive joint aching.  I have not gained weight on either AI, so extra around the middle is not a factor for me, but I have pretty intense flashing just the same!

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  • MandalaB
    MandalaB Member Posts: 111
    edited October 2012

    my RN said  they're from an absence of estrogen.

    in that case- I am the sahara desert of hormones.
    wearing a sweater and sweating my a** off.

    good thing i'm bald!

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  • weety
    weety Member Posts: 1,163
    edited October 2012

    I've been on femara for almost 2 years and yes, I still get constant hot flashes.  Hot, cold, hot, cold.  I am really quite sick of it! 

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  • Blessings2011
    Blessings2011 Member Posts: 4,276
    edited October 2012

    When I was 46, I started perimenopause....hot flashes every 20 minutes, and night sweats every 45 minutes. I went on hormone replacement therapy (Estrogen/Progesterone). That stopped my hot flashes.

    When I was 47, I had a total hysterectomy (including ovaries), and switched to Estrogen-only hormone replacement.

    I stayed on HRT for nearly ten years. Then I figured I was through the worst of it, so went on Estroven (plant-based) for a year. Finally, I quit everything. It was over. No more hot flashes or night sweats for me.

    Last year, at age 61, I was dx'd w/ BC, and I was 100% ER+. I argued with my MO, telling her I didn't need an AI because I was 1)post menopausal, and 2) I had no ovaries.

    She kindly pointed out that estrogen is produced in body fat - especially belly fat, of which I had plenty.

    I went on a diet and exercise program and lost 56 pounds and more than 65 inches. She said I reduced my risk of recurrence by 23%.

    And yes, I did start the Anastrozole. Interestingly enough, I haven't had any hot flashes. Absence of "cold flashes", yes, but no hot flashes.

    Is it because I was so ER+ the AI just hasn't had time to suck all the estrogen out of my body? Or is it because I'm so far past menopause and hysterectomy that there really wasn't much estrogen in there to begin with?

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