Natural remedies for severe hot flashes

Hello blueskyes and welcome to BCO!

Good question! I'm still looking for a natural remedy for hot flashes.

WARNING: You may hear about Black Cohash, which is a natural remedy that is works well for many women. However, we (Breast cancer survivors and women at high risk for breast cancer) can't take Black Cohash because it behaves similarly to estrogen in the body.

In fact, my GYN had recommended Black Cohash for me at my annual last year. It took about 4 weeks on Black Cohash to reduce my hot flashes, and even gave me one last period (just over a year with no periods). Several months later we learned that I was BRCA2+ and I was taken off the Black Cohash immediately.

There's conflicting information about Black Cohash, but most sources say to avoid it.

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http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/cancers-in-general/treatment/complementary-alternative/therapies/black-cohosh

We don’t know whether black cohosh is safe to take if you have, or have had, breast cancer. It may affect the body in a similar way to the hormone oestrogen. If it does, this might trigger breast cancer cells to grow, especially in women with oestrogen receptor positive breast cancer. The latest research suggests that black cohosh doesn’t cause oestrogen like activity and behaves more like nerve signal transmitters, but we don’t know this for sure yet.

Studies looking at black cohosh for menopausal symptoms in women with breast cancer have had contradictory results. Some show a benefit and others don’t. A systematic review in 2002 found that black cohosh didn’t reduce hot flushes. A more recent study in 2003 looked at giving it to women who were taking the hormone therapy tamoxifen. This showed that it may reduce hot flushes. 

You also shouldn’t take black cohosh if you

• Have breast cancer
• Are having some types of chemotherapy such as cisplatin – studies show that certain drugs may not work as well if you take black cohosh

https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/black-cohosh

Because it is still unclear whether black cohosh has estrogenic effects, women with estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) cancers should avoid this supplement.

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http://www.healthline.com/health/menopause/understanding-hot-flashes#Medications9

Gabapentin and pregabalin, usually given for nerve-mediated pain, offer relief for some women. Gabapentin is also prescribed for seizures. Antidepressants venlafaxine (Effexor), fluoxetine (Prozac), and paroxetine (Paxil) have also been shown to be effective for treatment of hot flashes.

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I've heard from my doctors that low doses of SSRIs/antidepressants can help with hot flashes. I haven't pursued that route yet.

Good luck,

Mominator

My oncologist said that Vitamin E can help.... I have tried it for only a week or two and haven't noticed any improvement yet.