Putting up with hot flashes

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esserbre
esserbre Member Posts: 82
edited June 2014 in Hormonal Therapy - Before, During, and After

I don't know how I'm going to survive another 5 years on Arimidex with these hot flashes.  As soon as I get into bed and try to sleep it hits me and then 4 or 5 more times at night, every time I roll over, I wake up slightly and bingo, there it goes.  Just feeling sorry for myself I guess tonight.  I can handle them during the day but at night it's frustrating because I know I need the sleep to make it through the next day.  Does anyone have any suggestions?

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  • saluki
    saluki Member Posts: 2,287
    edited November 2007

    For some  Effexor XR works well --It is a muliple reuptake inhibitor.

    Also some of the SSRI's work.

    Not for me---can't take anything with a serotonin reuptake inhibitor---actually makes me sweat---but I am the exception!

    I've gotten relief from a Catapress Transdermal patch.  It's main use is for blood pressure but it can help with hot flashes. 

    If you can tolerate it --Neurontin (gabapentin) can reduce them significantly

    and give you a good night's sleep. 

    Also adding magnesium to your diet can help.  It a matter of trying until something works for you wiyh the minimum of SE's.

    Good luck 

      

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  • JoelKM
    JoelKM Member Posts: 205
    edited November 2007

    There's a new drug that supposdto be coming out for hot flashes called Prestique. Not sure if or when it willbe approved.You might want to try a nicotine patch.I haveheard that they work for some people. Maybe someone else can chime in on this.

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  • iodine
    iodine Member Posts: 4,289
    edited November 2007

    Some other meds are: megace and bellergal, oldies, but goodies.

    The night time is a real pain, I even found myself getting so angry I couldn't go back to sleep sometimes.

    You can also ask your doc for something to help you sleep, or get back to sleep after you wake.

    I also have a fan, the kind on a stand, pointed right on me.  I have a remote control for it and it was a huge help.  Almost glad I got hot, it felt so good to cool off.

    a chillopillow is another good thing to try.  Ck out walgreens.

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  • blackjack
    blackjack Member Posts: 1,010
    edited November 2007

    Hi  esserbre, I too have had really bad hot flashes due to my decrease in estrogen level. I found for me that I put my self on a no carb low fat diet, increase my wt training and excerize to 1.5 hrs day I feel better at noc. I take Ambien occ for hot flashes and lack of sleep. My doc told me that increasing muscle mass and decreasing fat helps with the low estrogen level. I agree that it has help me + I have lost wt and toned up my muscles. This also prevents bone loss.

    Hope this helps. blackjack

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  • esserbre
    esserbre Member Posts: 82
    edited November 2007

    Gosh, I just wrote an answer and it disappeared.  Computers!  Anyway I wanted to say thanks for the ideas, I will print some of this off for my onc visit on Thursday when I find out if my MUGA was high enough to give me Herceptin this week or not.

    I did actually see a nutritionist on Fri for the weight loss idea, and she thinks she may be able to help with the hot flashes -- I just hope she's not going to try to sell me a bunch of supplements or something.  But I do need to lose some weight for future health and it's supposed to be good to prevent reocurrence I think. 

    Getting back to sleep in the middle of the night is the worst problem, maybe he can help me with that.  I have too much going on too, my brain won't stop in the middle of the night. 

    Well, good night everyone, I've been trying to stay awake all evening but keep nodding off in the movie I was watching with my hubby -- Sleepless in Seattle, great movie :)

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  • esserbre
    esserbre Member Posts: 82
    edited November 2007

    Heart test fell again -- no more herceptin for me.  He is sending me to a gynecologist for my menopause symptoms though -- we'

    ll see what she has to say -- I asked for a woman this time. 

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  • Cynthia1962
    Cynthia1962 Member Posts: 1,424
    edited November 2007

    Sorry to hear about your heart test.  I hope you get help with your heart flashes, though. 

    Cynthia 

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  • Maire67
    Maire67 Member Posts: 768
    edited July 2010

    .

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  • badboob67
    badboob67 Member Posts: 2,780
    edited November 2007

    Hot flashes...ugh, do I know them well! I try to think of them burning the everluvin' cheese out of those horrid cancer cells, too. Still, it is quite uncomfortable walking around with a sweaty forehead all the time!

    One (probably too obvious) suggestion I have is to get yourself one of those "tower" fans that has a remote control feature. We have one in our bedroom, set atop a pedestal in front of a window. We leave the window cracked a little on cool nights. If I wake with a hot flash, I can quickly adjust the fan with the remote control so I don't get fully wakened by having to cross the room and fiddle with the fan controls. I also sleep in layers--and end up waking with very little on me and a pile of "layers" on the floor!

    I also keep a spray/mist bottle filled with diluted witch hazel and rose water on the night table. If I have an exceptionally severe hot flash, I spray with the mist and turn the fan on high. It really helps.

    Diane 

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  • SLH
    SLH Member Posts: 566
    edited November 2007

    I started Arimidex right after getting a complete hysterectomy, so I don't know which caused the hotflashesfromhell for about a year and a half.  I took one "Simply Sleep" every night.  But I've noticed that the hot flashes are getting more infrequent for the last 6 months.

    Be careful about taking anything that is supposed to remedy hot flashes and other menopause symptoms.  My dr said that they are still estrogen, even though they are from plants.  Ask your dr first.

    sally 

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  • QueenSansaStark
    QueenSansaStark Member Posts: 207
    edited November 2007

    Hot flashes! Whee fun! Kiss

    Diane, that rosewater + witchhazel combo sounds great - I love the smell of roses. I will keep a bottle on my nightstand.

    A Chillow helps with the hot flashes. So does keeping one of those thermal tumblers filled with ice water by your bedside. Sleep in cotton nightgown or pajamas (or naked!) under cotton sheets and bedcovers, in a cool room. Try to keep pets from snuggling (when my Maddie kitty snuggles with me, as she loves to do, she sometimes triggers a huge hot flash).

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  • BlindedByScience
    BlindedByScience Member Posts: 314
    edited November 2007

    Has anyone tried a BedFan? I just read about it in the Sunday newspaper....it blows air between the sheet and the comforter and fits on the end or side of the bed. The control can go under your pillow. It's pretty much hidden from view.

    The article said the inventor (a man) wanted to reduce his A/C costs and created this special fan. After his MIL borrowed it and never gave it back, he realized it may have a whole 'nother market with the hot flash gang. True or not, I thought it was a cute story.

    I realized I like gadgets and hate hot flashes, so I went to the website & bought one. If anyone wants to take a look, the site is:

    www.bedfan.com 

    If it's wonderful, I'll let you know. If it isn't, well, that's what garage sales are for. 

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  • iodine
    iodine Member Posts: 4,289
    edited November 2007

    Wow, that site looks great.  I've never heard of it before.  I don't have night sweats any longer, but do occasionally use my fan on remote control when I get too hot at night.

    They do have a money back guarantee, so you don't have to have a garage sale!

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  • badboob67
    badboob67 Member Posts: 2,780
    edited November 2007

    wow....www.bedfan.com, here  come! Laughing  Thanks for sharing it with us!

    Diane 

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  • iodine
    iodine Member Posts: 4,289
    edited November 2007

    While cking the fan out, I came upon a new to me water heat/cool, mattress pad.  You can do either one with it.  It was really expensive, about 200, but you can ck it out with google.

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