I've been having them for 4-5 years now. At first they were frequent and intense, then for several years they almost disappeared.
But for the past year, and especially the past 6mos, they've been horrendous.
I can't take HRT, have tried the soy, red clover, and black cohosh supplements to no avail.
If I make it to the the end of this month with no period I will officially be a crone and will have made it through the one year w/no period that will officially make me a menopausal mama.
Do the hot flashes get better or worse at this point?
Will I ever be able to sleep again with meds?
Will I ever be able to live through another winter on the tundra w/out needing one room in the house to have an open window and fan going through the night, even in sub-zero temps?
TIA,
MZ

Stress can bring on Hot Flashes.

Have you been stressed lately?

Too much sugar and lack of exercise have a noticeable effect (for me).

Sorry for your discomfort...

I am not a candidate for hormone replacement therapy either and was told to try this stuff you can buy over the counter at Walmart. It took several weeks to a month to work. I threw the box away so I am not 100% sure of the name, but it is something like Estro Plus. It is a Walmart brand. Comes in a box that is white and green. The pill is yellow and it says take two a day, I think. They are bubble pack type packaging. I take one usually at night and it has helped my night sweats. If I am having a bad day I take a second one during the day. It has not completely removed the sweats but it has helped tremendously. I buy the higher count box of 50 or 90 and it costs around 10.53. I hate bubble packs so I pop all the pills out and put them in a container and throw the box away so I do not have it to look at. But this has been the only thing that has helped me so far. I have even been able to turn off the fan at night during this winter. My doctor is who told me about it.

Am I stressed? Bwahahahahaha! I'm a wife and mother, stress is my middle name ;-)
I eat verrrrry little sugar (not because I'm virtuous, but cuz it makes me sick).
I get plenty of exercise and have a very low BMI.
Friends of mine going through this have different triggers for their heat waves - chocolate, caffeine, wine, etc.). I haven't been able to pinpoint everyday triggers for moi-self.
The only thing I know without a doubt that will create a blistering hotflash is spending a few minutes in any Walmart, I have no idea why, maybe something they clean with? 3 times in the past several years I have ventured into 3 different Walmarts and within minutes I was embarrassingly drenched, lightheaded, weak in the knees and needed to get out fast, fast, fast. Never had any negative reaction to that store before my internal thermostat went wonky, it's very odd to me.
I know I've tried Promensil and Estroven, can't remember the names of other products I've tried, just know I've done different amts. of soy, red clover, and black cohosh.
Has anyone gotten beyond this stage in life without any HRT or supplements and had the flashing go away? Or will it happen for the rest of my life without some kind of intervention?And if the flashing does go away, when, when, when? ;-)
TIA,
MZ

Well, I'm sorry but I'm not going to be much help to you. All I can do is tell you what's happening with me. I'm entering my third year of menopause and it's only just recently that the hot flashes have abated somewhat. There was a time when I was beginning to think that just breathing would set off the hot flashes. I didn't want to go the HRT route so I struggled thru. I tried the natural/herbal remedies without success. But lately I rarely get a hot flash during the daytime and at night - I sleep with a fan running no matter what the temperature is outside - I just automatically throw off the covers until I've cooled off. I have a friend who's a couple years older than me and she keeps telling me to hang in there because one of these days the hot flashes will just stop, they did for her, and then it will be the other extreme - always cold. As to your observation about Walmart, I too have noticed that certain stores will do the same thing to me. I don't shop Walmart but there have been times when I go into another store and I'll be drenched. I feel really self-concious thinking that everyone is looking at me and wondering what's wrong because I'm leaving a trail of water drops wherever I walk. Sorry I couldn't offer a helpful suggestion but it does seem to get better with time.

Sue

Did you try Evening Primrose Oil? I take 2-1000 milligram tablets. One in the AM and one before bed. Also cut out the dark pop/cola/soda. Only clear. The Evening Primrose oil took about a week to kick in for me. Everyone is different. It may not work for you, but it's worth a try. My flashes are much less drastic. I don't sleep with the fan on either anymore. Also have you heard of /tried the "Chillow"? It is basiclly a cold ,water filled ,pillow. It really helped me cool down at night. I know how you feel. (((MOMZILLER))))

__________________
Freedom Stands...Because HEROS Serve

Mary

Sues47: thanks for the encouragement that the flashing will eventually stop, it's what I needed to know/hear.
Working2pay:
I *did* try evening primrose oil at one point, will give it another try now that you mention it, perhaps I didn't try it for a full week (I am the most impatient woman on the planet ;-)
Thank you everyone who responded!
MZ

I can't use HRT or over the counter herbal aids because of blood clotting disorder.The oncologist I see recommended the anti depressant Effexor.Said it woeks wonders.I used HRT patches for years but after heart surgeries and blood clots thatsa no longer possible.

Allergic to Wal- Mart,eh??? ROFL. I work there and man, those hot flashes do seem to be worse when I'm at work. They all use the same cleaning products and the same floor waxes so it is possible they trigger something, who knows??
I haven't been told officially I'm menapausal but tomorrow I get the results of the bloodwork to check the hormone levels. I really do not want to use hrt. I did ask about products like estroven and herbal suppliments. The gyn told me that since they are herbal they are not regulated by the fda so the amount of potency can vary not only from bottle to bottle, but pill to pill. She said that basically they are still hrt, only they use plant estrgens and not animal ones.
I have slept with the fan on 24/7 for months. I can be sitting watching tv and the sweat drips off my face. The hair around my face is almost always drenched with sweat. There must be something that works somewhere. You can bet if a man had these wonderful hot flashes there'd have been a cure decades ago!!! lol
All in all, I still wouldn't trade being a female for anything!
Meri