Hot Flashes

[dyno]

I know I am in perimenopause. My periods are more irregular usually 1-2 months between them now and I am soon to be 51.

Does a person start to have hot flashes before you have completely stopped having periods?

I go to bed, like tonight, I am tired we have been working horrendous hours the last few weeks. Tomorrow/ today will be my first day off in like 18 days. Here I am at 4:30 and I can't sleep and I was hot. So I strip off some clothes and then I cool down so I put them back on and then I get hot again.

So I finally got up and will do some work for a bit and then go back to bed.

I don't think I like this.....

[CaliAnn]

I recently turned 44 and am in perimenipause too. It's 4:30 am here right now and I too woke up because of a hot flash. I get the same thing - so hot, take/throw something off, get cold, put/throw something back on, get hot flash again.. sigh .. I really hate it.

I have no advice for you, just wanted to let you know you're not alone - I feel your pain :)

[ICNDonna]

Yep, the fun begins before the periods stop. Hopefully this stage won't last long.

Huge hugs,
Donna

[mary124]

I had a hyster. back in 2000 at age 40; started having hot flashes a few years ago, it got so bad that I went to the doctor on one of my regular visits they did lab work, but everything is in order; but the doctor and I think I'm going thru perimenopause due to some of my symptoms--hot flashes, mood swings (of course my husband keeps saying that I have mood swings all the time so how are we suppose to tell if she is or not?? at that time of course, I want to slap him silly.) hot flashes/night sweats are no fun--I will go to bed and in a few hours I'll wake up drench in sweat, have to dry off change gowns and if my husband isn't in bed by this time (he's a night owl) I will sleep on his side of the bed.
But yes, the fun is just beginning and I was told that it could last for a while. The other thing my husband tells people is now maybe we will not fight about the A/C and heater.

[Goldfinch]

Everyone's different. Although I did not have IC when I went through menopause I was not able to take any hormonal or even herbal supplements because of a previous condition. I had serious hot flashes for two years. For some reason I didn't typically have bad night-sweats--the kind where you wake up in a lake, but for the better part of two years I had hot flashes hourly during the day: sweat, then the sweat dries, then there's that awful damp chill...then sweating again! I felt like an old rag!

My therapy was simply ice-water. As soon as I felt a hot flash coming on I would drink ice water and it would sort of cool me down from the inside out. I found a great thermos that I could fill with ice and that would keep cold for hours and I lived in mortal fear of losing that thermos. I came out on the other side, a little worse for wear, but free of all symptoms. No more periods, no more hot flashes. You are so not alone!

[dyno]

Well this is wonderful news! I usually seem to have these in the evening or at night. Well just another part of life, I am sure I will get through it. :)

[KarenAnne]

Oh yeah, I've been there. I still get hot flashes seven years later, but the night sweats have almost stopped. I just used to keep a clean nightshirt near the bed & change during the night. Dress in layers. I call in "my own private summer". lol

[carlag]

I started on progesterone when I started getting hot flashes. I get 70 mg. compounded at a compounding pharmacy but I started at 50 mg. and later increased the dosage. I don't take estrogen. You are probably estrogen dominant now. Read Dr. John Lee's books on progesterone and peri/menopause. They really helped me.

[carlag]

Also suggest Suzanne Summers books and Dr. Christine Northup's books as well. Dr. Phil's wife I think has also written a book on menopause. Perimenopause is worse than menopause I think. I've not had a period in about five years and it is wonderful!

[purpletomorrow]

I couldn't take estrogen and the hot flashes were horrible for my (already bad) rosacea.

I started taking Remeron (mirtazapine) and Clonidine and they both shut down the hot flashes ENTIRELY. WHat a godsend.

I take 30 mg of Remeron at night. Makes me sleepy, and has antihistamine qualities that help my bladder.

I take 50 MICROgrams of clonidine every 8 hours. The Clonidine is an anti hypertensive that also acts as a peripheral vascular stabilizer; so it lessens the hot flashes considerably.

Hope this helps.

Laura

[Rocklandgal]

I had menopause about eight years ago. Since then, I get hot flashes during the day, but it does not bother me too much. But the night!!! You get so hot that it wakes you up from a dead sleep. And us IC-ers do not need any thing else to wake us up at night, believe me!!! My doctor did not recommend HRT. I tried a few natural remedies with no luck. You just feel like you are on fire at night. I wear shorts and a tank top to bed. The less, the better. I had my husband put a fan on the ceiling right above my bed. On low speed, it is very quiet and makes a very mild breeze. But, here is my secret. I saw a product called a "Chillow". You can find them in those gadget books (like Harriet Carter, Taylor Gifts, and many others). It costs about 25-30 dollars. It works like a charm. I don't know what I would do without my Chillow! I can't explain exactly how it works, but it works. You put a quart or two of water in it. Don't worry. They are very sturdy and will never leak. You put it in a pillow case, and you have a pleasantly chilled pillow all night. When you are having a hot flash, it feels heavenly to put your hot cheeks on it. AHHHHH! It's not freezing cold, just pleasantly chilled. It lasts for years. You can even just use it on a hot night if you don't have hot flashes. If you really want to raise the bar, you can put it in the refrigerator and it is cold then. I just put it on top of my regular pillow. It is very flat. It is a life saver. I would recommend it to anyone.
Karen

[carlag]

What a great idea! Thanks for sharing it with us. I'm glad you found a solution to night sweats. They are miserable.