HOT FLUSHES - Mainly ladies but lads too if you have anything constructive to add.

[Plot10]

Since I don't want to chat on the rant thread but there seem to be a few of us in the same position, I thought it might be worth starting a new thread.

There are a couple of us at work (mid-late 40s) starting to get bothered by hot flushes etc. My boss suggested Black Cohosh but I'm worried about it interfering with the combined pill (I'd rather have the hot flushes than take a chance at my age).

Does anyone have any experience or thoughts?

BTW I am going home now so if I don't answer till tomorrow it's cos I'm not here.

[julesapple]

I get the danged things, although I'm perimenopausal. These are quite enough to cope with one week in the month. I'm not looking forward to the full-blown thing. A hormonal coil was suggested by my gynae, but I've refused it on several grounds; Physically the thing was bigger than me, secondly I'm sure she's on commission and lastly, they don't have a good track record and can cover up menopausal problems.

I'd like to go down the more natural route, but that doesn't necessarily mean it will be the healthiest way. It would be good to see what's working (or not) for other ladies.

[Glutton4...]

I have a group of friends who are in similar discussions. One has been on HRT for six months and says it's making no difference, but she has other 'issues' so they may be linked. Another has declared HRT to be the best thing in the world!

All my life I've been a 'warm bod' sleeves up, no coat, but last winter I was blue with cold, and suffered almost Raynaud's symptoms in my hands. Yes, I got cold flushes too - not unheard of! This summer, the hot flushes are coming over me in exhausting waves. I've had two this week that were so bad I had to go and sit down in the shade FFS! Also, I'm not sleeping, as himself insists on having the duvet on the bed, so my half is squished into a sausage down the middle, leaving me with a narrow strip of bed, and no cold spot to move into. I lay there listening to his snores, until eventually fall asleep through exhaustion, just before the alarm goes off!

Luckily I'm post surgical menopause, so I'm going to try everything! Black Cohosh tablets ordered, and Doc. appointment booked for next week. I'll keep you posted!

[julesapple]

Geefers, have you thought about your thyroid? Can't remember whether you said you'd had it tested or not on some other thread. Temperature control is a major symptom of a dickie thyroid, amongst other things.

Dong Quai was the other recommended herbal. Don't take the Cohosh for longer than six months.

I've started to keep a diary of all things menstrual. I just wish it would all go away, I've done my bit for the population

[Glutton4...]

Haha, perhaps that's my problem, Jules - I never added to the population! I've only ordered a month's supply.

I did get my thyroid checked, but was told I'm 'normal' Yeah, I know, don't laugh!!! Will check out other symptoms...


Edit: OK, I've just gurgled and discovered I have half the symptoms of an under-active Thyroid. However, I also have half the symptoms of an over-active Thyroid. Make of that, what you will!

[julesapple]

'Normal' is a huge blanket expression. They told me that for nigh on fifteen years.

I'm not sure I can take the Cohosh yet. I do already have some Dong Quai (Donkey?!) I might read up on that, see if it'll be of any use.

[mothhawk]

Okaaaayyy.....

How strong minded are you? How desperate to stop having hot flushes?

If you're really serious, then here's what to do.

You must GIVE UP COMPLETELY:
CAFFEINE - anything containing caffeine, chocolate, coffee, cocoa or products with cocoa in, fizzy drinks, strong tea (weak tea or herbal seems OK)
TOMATOES - anything containing tomatoes/tom sauce/puree, etc.

Do that and I can pretty much guarantee after 3 or 4 weeks, no more hot flushes.

Stay off both for a couple of years - yes it seems a long time and it seems purgatory at first, then gradually introduce small amounts and see if it makes you flush. One small tomato will do it.

[mothhawk]

If you don't think you can bear to give up stuff like that ^^^^^ then do keep a diary of what you have eaten just before you get a hot flush, and see whether you get any correlation between certain foods and flushes.

[julesapple]

OMG...that's heading for martyrdom MH. 'Twas bad enough giving up the carbs last year.

I shall keep a 'flush food' diary though....that's a really good idea.

[Kirk]

To butt in so to speak I recall something from years back that said (possibly a bit extreme) that the condition doesn't really exist in many Chinese. The reason given was the diet and specifically beans/legumes eaten as a normal part of the diet there. Not sure that rice was relevant, suspect not.

Something in the beans substituted for the loss of estrogen so they did not experience the same problem or in a much reduced amount.

All is a past memory, and no way of knowing the accuracy but may be worth considering. A casserole of mixed beans on a regular basis could be worth thinking about, mixed bean salad another option.

No idea if daily or two or three times a week, and it is something that I suspect you could get fed up of eating, so some inventiveness would be good.

[mothhawk]

Well, apparently hot flushes can last for years... - after 8 months of them, I'd had enough, and concentrated on what was causing them - that's what it turned out to be. Two years without toms and coffee or eight years of flushes four (five? eight? fifteen?)times a day...

Surprisingly it was harder to give up toms than coffee and chocolate. So much good food contains tomatoes in some form or other.

As a plus, I wouldn't thank you for a bar of chocolate now, it tastes disgusting, although I drink cocoa, made with milk but no sugar.

[veggiechicken]

To butt in so to speak I recall something from years back that said (possibly a bit extreme) that the condition doesn't really exist in many Chinese. The reason given was the diet and specifically beans/legumes eaten as a normal part of the diet there. Not sure that rice was relevant, suspect not.

Something in the beans substituted for the loss of estrogen so they did not experience the same problem or in a much reduced amount.

All is a past memory, and no way of knowing the accuracy but may be worth considering. A casserole of mixed beans on a regular basis could be worth thinking about, mixed bean salad another option.

No idea if daily or two or three times a week, and it is something that I suspect you could get fed up of eating, so some inventiveness would be good.

Its soya beans that are believed to be beneficial.

[mothhawk]

To butt in so to speak I recall something from years back that said (possibly a bit extreme) that the condition doesn't really exist in many Chinese. The reason given was the diet and specifically beans/legumes eaten as a normal part of the diet there. Not sure that rice was relevant, suspect not.

Something in the beans substituted for the loss of estrogen so they did not experience the same problem or in a much reduced amount.

Specifically, it's soya beans/soy bean curd/flour etc. BUT you have to keep eating soya daily 'cos as soon as you stop, you get the menopausal symptoms again, the same as if you take HRT then stop.

[Glutton4...]

Interesting, Mothhawk, as I've been told caffeine and alcohol are the biggest triggers - yep, I drink coffee during the day, and G & T in the evening!

Also interesting, is that I'm half-way through a G & T, and currently look like I'm fully-clothed in a Sauna! Maybe there's sommat in it, they're both stimulants, after all. Perhaps I need to avoid both drinks for the next week, before I go to the Doc.

Just need to work out what causes the ones at night, and when I'm out at work in the middle of a garden with just a bottle of water...

Also interestingly, I was told to avoid tomatoes (and anything red/dark meat/wine/spirits) if you have Arthritis! I don't, but my knuckles have the beginnings of the tell-tale swellings between them.

This getting old lark ain't much fun!

[mothhawk]

I'm tee-total, so I never "tested" alcohol