Oh Lord, It's Happening (For Women Of A Certain Age Who Can Relate)

[SiouzQ.]

Geez, I finally figured it out after a few weeks! I am having bona fide hot flashes! I had been wondering what all the fuss was about (I'm already 53 but I am still having fairly regular periods) and now I know . For weeks I kept equating this feeling of having a fever that comes on raging out of the blue (especially at work when I am running around like a crazy lady) with all the cold viruses I've been having and then changing to a higher dose of my thyroid meds. So I started taking my temperature at various times and couldn't figure out how my body temp could be so low (one morning it was 95.4) and but later at work it felt like I had a major fever!

This is happening a lot at work; like I said, I am always moving, and walking, reaching, lifting and running hither and fro at Wholefoods and this..this..heated flush just starts and it makes me clammy and sweaty under my chef coat. Yuk! Sometimes I have to run back to the walk-in cooler but then the sweat chills on me...

So ladies, what do I do about this? I think I am going to have to start wearing a tank top to work under my chef coat, even though it is winter here. I really don't want to take medicines/hormones for this but are there any natural-type remedies you know of that help? I would say at this point it is moderately uncomfortable but not totally horrible to deal with. It has room to get much, much worse (hopefully that won't happen but I want to be prepared).

[kib]

Sorry, the only thing I've found to help was a tiny daily dose of estrogen. Every time I try to wean myself off or switch to plant based creams or black cohosh or whatever I wind up with a month of not sleeping more than 20 minutes at a stretch. indeed.

ETA: women of a certain age ... is that us? Sigh, when did this happen.

[Gardenarian]

Evening primrose oil capsules worked very well for me, but when I tried them again recently I got started getting headaches - and I'd been headache-free for a few years. It's worth trying, though - really got rid of the hot flashes for me.

[domestic goddess]

Never had a hot flash, never had a symptom of any kind. I was looking forward to hot flashes, because I'm always so cold. Got no relief from freezing to death. In a way, I kind of feel like I lost out, but I guess I'm lucky. Never needed meds of any kind.

[rosarugosa]

I would also describe my flashes as moderately uncomfortable, so I've just dealt with it. I work in an office, so a blazer over a short-sleeved shirt was the best clothing solution for me. Mine seem to be cyclical but I can't discern the pattern. Right now I'm in a period of no flashes for over 2 months, so I've been able to wear wool and fleece this winter (could not wear for the past two winters). I will say that they have subsided in frequency even when I'm "on." In the early days they were continuous, like a strobe light. Blazer off, blazer on, blazer off . . . Now it's more like 6 - 10 in a day. I've also noticed I don't get them if I'm in a really cold environment, but then the downside is that I'm really cold!
There's way worse things!

[SiouzQ.]

It probably happened four or five times today at work. And four or five times yesterday too...and all last week. I have been wondering how it is linked to the monthly cycle - it's been 37 days since my last one, and I kind of feel like I may get another period,there is this sort-of heavy familiar feeling in my abdomen. My cycles have gotten quite a bit longer in between too - they used to be 25, maybe 28 days, but now its more like 35, 37 or so.

But right now I am freezing at home and want to go jump in a hot bath. I have been noticing how I am becoming more gentle with myself lately too, like my physical comfort and well-being are so extremely important that I am not really pushing myself to accomplish stuff that ultimately isn't that important. Also, winter is wearing on me quite a bit. I am making myself get to the gym at least 3 times a week (which can be a struggle some days but so worth it). I just really want that springtime energy so bad...

[Suzanne]

I had hot flashes so bad that my clothes would stick to my body and my hair to my head. I barely slept because of the sweating, which was so bad that my husband accused me of wetting the bed. I tried herbs, minerals, vitamins, and acupuncture. The only thing that worked was the microdosages of estradiol that also tamed my chronic migraine. I've noticed that a resurgence of hot flashes precedes a whacking migraine. Sugary and starchy foods definitely trigger hot flashes for me. Every few weeks, coffee tastes unusually bitter and triggers flashes.

[SiouzQ.]

I've been waking up in the middle of the night and peeling off my pajamas. A lot of times I don't really remember doing it and I wake up nekkid! I think I can't wear my exercise bras to work anymore because it is just too much fabric too close to my skin, plus a T-shirt and a chef coat on top of that. So tomorrow I'll wear a regualr bra and a tank top and see how that goes.

[Zoe Girl]

i have been okay on hot flashes, moderate really. And it helps because i was always freezing cold. i have some vitamins that i take for perimenopause )and often forget) but they help. i am 48 and most of my periods are light and 2 days now, the sleeping is the biggest issue honestly. i seem to be more sensitive to caffeine but i can't just drop that.

[Francie]

Mid-'90s, so mild they hardly registered. Maybe once a day, or twice, as I recall, and don't remember any at night. I was working then, so in that way it was good that I didn't have time to fuss about it. I'm very easy-going about everything, actually.