A question for mature women here

[Ohiogal]

Do hot flashes ever end?

I have had them for ten years now and am sick and tired of it.

Doctor offered to give me a pill for it, but I am loathe to take any pills since my hot flashes are not debilitating, just extremely annoying.

[Haggis for Breakfast]

1. Ten years is a long time to have hot flashes IF they are related to menopause.

I say IF, as there are other causes for hot flashes for women (and for men for that matter).

Do the flashes happen in conjunction with sweating when the weather isn't the cause ? Have you had a thorough thyroid work up ? Does diabetes run in your family ? If so, ask your MD for a fasting lab. Also, is there any family history of auto-immune problems ?

Just some possibles . . . But I'd ask my MD for some blood work and labs.

[Ohiogal]

3. I just had my annual physical last October

Including blood work. Thyroid problems and diabetes run in my family, and he always checks those. Both were normal. I had onset of menopause from chemotherapy at age 51. Both my
MD and my Gyn. have offered medication, which I don't want for various reasons. I just never dreamed they'd last this long.

[ms liberty]

29. Ah, there's a prime suspect.

I had a mastectomy and chemo in 97 & 98 due to breast cancer; I was in my late 30's at the time and it sent me into chemo induced menopause. I've had hot flashes ever since. My doctors have said that when your menopause is chemo induced, the symptoms can last for a longer time, or even forever, basically. The most effective remedy I've found for it is cannabis, and it helps a lot with all of the symptoms.

[Haggis for Breakfast]

31. This is something that makes my blood boil.

MDs often tell women that their TSH (or other indicators) levels are "normal." Well, what is normal for YOU ? If you are within 2 or 3 points of the normal range, that may NOT be normal for you. And further, more sensitive testing may be in order. Far too often MDs disregard womens' issues as just being hormonal or (and this incites me to riot) "emotional," which is dismissive, misogynistic and maybe reckless. My sister had an unusual auto-immune disorder and kept hearing that all of her levels were "normal"/"within normal limits" (that's another one to watch out for). It took three years to finally get a diagnosis and then she nearly lost her eye sight because of the delaying shenanigans.

So, ladies, don't always take "normal" for an answer. Remember, we are not cookie-cutters.

[pnwmom]

33. They used to say that but they don't anymore. They say 7 -11 years isn't unusual.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/menopause-related-hot-flashes-night-sweats-can-last-years-201502237745

How long do hot flashes last? It used to be said that menopause-related hot flashes fade away after six to 24 months. But for many women, hot flashes and night sweats often last seven years and may go on for 11 years or more.

[AllyCat]

2. I have heard they are forever for some and disappear for others

I am not a fan of Premarin because I am a horse lover and the industry to make the drug is horrible. Made from pregnant mare urine. ( not kidding)

[Ohiogal]

4. Wow, I never knew that!

[Bayard]

12. Actually, they came up with a synthetic

Several years ago now. Cruel premarin farms are gone.

[AllyCat]

22. That is good news.

The whole idea of what they did at those farms made my blood boil.

[Liberty Belle]

5. I'm 62, have only 1 ovary left and no uterus, but still occasionally get hot flashes.

They are only mildly annoying and pass quickly. I don't want to take any hormones that raise cancer risk, so just deal with it. I have no other health issues.

Severe night sweats can be a symptom of lymphoma, so of course if it's extreme and occurs often you should get it checked out.

But occasional mild hot flashes even well past middle age do occur in some women.

I guess the good thing is it means your body is still producing some hormones, which may help keep you looking younger. The women in my family don't get much gray hair until well into their 70s; that's a good trade-off for the occasional hot flash!

[Ohiogal]

8. I follow up with my oncologist every year as well.

I see 3 doctors every year, two of them do blood work, so I feel as though I'm pretty well covered in most all health exams.

I honestly hate to see the warm summer weather come at least in the winter it's not so bad to be hot.

[dawg day]

6. I couldn't take hormones-

and the hot flashes lasted for a while... but they did eventually end.
Does the doctor have any suggestions?

I remember I was told that antidepressants helped. Found this article-
there's a blood pressure pill listed.
Coincidentally, my hot flashes dissipated just when I got diagnosed with high blood pressure and got on a pill for that. I never connected it before, but maybe that helped end the hot flashes.

https://www.webmd.com/menopause/news/20060502/treating-hot-flashes-without-hormones#1

[Ohiogal]

9. I do take a low dose of blood pressure medication

It doesn't seem to make any difference, but thanks, that's good to know.

[Ilsa]

7. The pill the dr is recommending is

Probably a very low dose SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor). If the flashes are still annoying or worse, you might consider it.

My hot flashes still occur when I imbibe a lot of caffeine, and it's been 15 years since I noticeably began menopause.

[Phoenix61]

10. I used Remifemin and it worked great.

I'd have an occasional warm flash but nothing that kept me from sleeping. Used it for several years. It's estrogen free so safe even if you've had breast cancer.

[blueinredohio]

11. I'm 61 and I started menopause in my mid forties

and I still have them. Not as often or as bad as when I was younger. My doctor said some women will always have them.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

13. Oh, dear.

I had hot flashes for about 18 months and it was brutal. I'd wake up five or six times at night, throw the covers off, go back to sleep, wake up cold, drag the covers back over me, wake up hot and throw the covers off, repeat.

One friend called them "personal moments of summer" which was accurate. And it seemed as though they were at the very worst in the middle of the summer. At the time I lived in the Kansas City area.

But they ended. I cannot begin to imagine how awful it would be for them to go on. Ten years? If they'd lasted that long for me I'd be willing to try to figure out what's going on and what can be done to bring them to an end.

Oh, dear. Ten years.

[secondwind]

14. Do you drink alcohol? If so, that may be the culprit.

I also found that daily exercise helped me tremendously.

[MontanaMama]

15. Hot flashes suck! I had them horribly bad for 3 years

and they paled in comparison to night sweats. I would get so hot at night I swear my skin would sting...they were unbearable. I finally tried HRT in Nov 2017 and the flashes and night sweats were gone in 3 days. GONE. My OB/GYN retired over last summer so I transferred my care to a naturopath who has lowered my estrogen dose, continued the progesterone and added testosterone to my daily regimen. The progesterone is a pill I take at bedtime and the estrogen and testosterone are creams. I have zero hot flashes and only an occasional night sweat which isn’t even a big deal. I feel normal again. At 54 years old, I feel like I did when I was 30...but better. It is worth talking about hormone replacement therapy, IMO. It isn’t for everyone but it was a game changer for me.

[Ohiogal]

23. I am happy you found a cure that helped you

I cannot take estrogen with my breast cancer history

You described it well when you said it feels like your skin is stinging and burning

[MontanaMama]

24. Darn it.

I know there is that wrinkle with estrogen and breast cancer. I have to be very diligent with self exams and mammograms etc. you mentioned that your Dr recommended a at would help. I’m curious what that was? I have a friend who had breast cancer...caught early and removed but is now experiencing terrible hot flashes. Her Dr. told her she’d just have to withstand them which seemed odd to me.

[Ohiogal]

25. I had stage 3 breast cancer

I had a mastectomy on one side and had 20 lymph nodes removed .... chemo and radiation after that. This was in 2007. And, yes, I had regular mammograms every year for ten years that were all negative up until then! ugh

I had to take an estrogen blocker for 10 years after my treatments. That lovely pill gave me many side effects -- hot flashes, joint pain, insomnia, to name a few. But I toughed it out because it increased my chances of staying cancer free by 17% which is a big deal. I've been off that medication for a year now, but the hot flashes, although not as often, are still occurring. I honestly hate to see summer come, because I am so miserably hot when it happens, my skin stings and feels prickly, and there just isn't any relief for them. My docs say if they aren't very frequent I can just try to put up with them. Which is what I've been doing .... but .... ugh .... when do they ever go away!!!

[woodsprite]

16. I was put into surgical menopause at 42

due to endo cancer. I had hot flashes and muscle/joint pain that lasted a little over 5 yrs. Since being diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes 2 years ago (I’m 55 now), I noticed my hot flashes have come back with a vengeance if my blood glucose is 160 or higher. I feel chilled when it drops below 118. My thyroid checked out fine, so my dr said this is being caused by my blood sugar levels.

Hope you get it figured out. Something called a “Chillow” has been my saving grace. It’s a vinyl pillow with a sponge inside. You put about 2-4 cups of water inside and put the stopper in. Now you have a cool pillow to lay on. I have two and sometimes rotate them through the night.

[GemDigger]

17. 21 years and counting. But they have mellowed out to only a couple a day vs

one every couple of minutes.

[mahina]

18. Yes

Pro tip, drinking lots of water dilutes the hormones in your bloodstream and minimizes the affect on you.

Good luck.

[LakeArenal]

19. Started early at 43. Decades later I still have one occaisionally.

I don’t mind too much. I hate the facial hair much worse.

[Laffy Kat]

20. I take HRT and swear by it.

My hot flashes were constant and disabling. They are going to have to pry my Estratest from my cold, dead hands.

[Haggis for Breakfast]

30. I know this is no laughing matter for those who suffer,

But, prying it from your cold, dead hands made me giggle.

[Laffy Kat]

32. ...

[spinbaby]

21. I don't think they ever go away

At least mine don’t. I’ve had them for over 20 years now and am not allowed HRT because I had a blood clot once. The 2:00 am hot flash is reliable as clockwork and sometimes—like tonight—turns into a series of hot flashes that has me up for the day at some ridiculous hour.

[samplegirl]

26. Yes the do stop

But you still can get one now and again. The night sweats and insomnia will be the hurdle that plagued most of us. But then again it’s frequency is much less!

[DUgosh]

27. I'm 60

I’ve changed my habits to accommodate them. I purchased better cotton sheets, cotton pjs, exercise daily, drink lots of water, sleep with fan 365 days per year.

[littlemissmartypants]

28. Still having them but I call them power surges.

Helps me deal. They rarely last more than a minute. They used to be much longer. I count the seconds and tough it out. As I have aged they have reduced in frequency. Bedside fans are a must have. I have them pointing at me from every direction. The white noise also helps me sleep. Also keep water at the ready. I mostly just try to grin and bear it.

[pnwmom]

34. The Harvard newsletter says 7 - 11 years "or more" isn't unusual. Bummer, I know.

How long do hot flashes last? It used to be said that menopause-related hot flashes fade away after six to 24 months. But for many women, hot flashes and night sweats often last seven years and may go on for 11 years or more.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/menopause-related-hot-flashes-night-sweats-can-last-years-201502237745

[phylny]

35. I haven't had them in years.

IIRC, I went through menopause at about age 53 or so, and it wasn't too bad for me - I do think I have high testosterone, though, and I don't know if that matters. Anyway, I haven't had a hot flash for a long time (I'm 60).

[shanti]

36. It's awful, isn't it?

I'm 63 now, and have been in the 'pause for about 10 years now, but had hot flashes and night sweats for about 8 years. I rarely get them now, once in awhile, mostly in the summer. I still experience occasional intense sweating on my head of all places, with physical exertion. Before that, I really didn't sweat much. But I was discovered to have a thyroid deficiency too, so it might have had something to do with it as well.

For most women, they don't last forever. I (very) briefly considered HRT, but if you go that route, you have to start early. Have you considered supplements? There are a few out there that might help somewhat. Check it out.