meds for hot flashes

[cherylynnie]

Has anyone's oncologist prescribed medicine for reducing hot flashes and night sweats? Mine has prescibed neurontin, which is a seizure meication. He says that it may seem odd that he is placing me on this but that it will work. When I talked to one of the onc nurses last week she seemed to not have heard of this before. Sometimes I wonder if we are all just big guine pigs.

The taxotere started the hot flashes and sweats which were mostly at night. Now I have them anytime since starting the tamoxifen.

Thank you to anyone who responds!

[Becky]

I have also heard that the antidepressant, Effexor, works too. I had an oophorectomy in order to take an AI with Herceptin but did not experience very many hot flashes (thanks to my mom who said she had none). My gyne told me he would put me on the Effexor if I needed it since I was also ER+ and couldn't ever do HRT.


Hope this helps.

Becky

PS - I find I do get hot flashes if I am already hot or if I have had a couple of alcoholic drinks. I really get a good one or two since its summer and I can be hot and drinking at the same time (we do have to live it up sometimes!!!!)

[Sherryg683]

Aghh, the hot flashes. My Oncologist told me there wasn't really anything that he could prescribe that would really work (don't know if he just didn't want to bother or think it was that big of a deal). He said they would eventually decrease and I'd get use to them. Well, they have decreased but I still have them daily..just not as often. Anytime I drink alcohol, I feel like I'm sweating bullets. I'm going to talk to my Gyn. about it next time I go...sherryg683

[Leslie S]

Hi,
I have used Neurontin for several years for diabetic neuropathy. Because I was already using the Neurontin before being diagnosed with breast cancer, I can't say for sure if my hot flashes would have been worse without the drug. Even though I do have some hot flashes, I don't think I had them as bad as some other survivors that I know. And I really am not bothered with night sweats. My advise would be to try it. I have not had any bad side effects. Also be assured that the hot flashes will decrease in severity and frequency as time goes by.
Leslie

[dskdrive]

I am and have been on neurontin and it really relieved the night sweats. I dread the day my oncologist takes me off of it.

[Berta]

Cheryl: I had big time problems with hot flashes. I had hysterectomy with ovaries removed 9 years ago and then took hormones until BC diagnosis on 11/04. I had big problems through chemo with hot flashes. Then between chemo and herceptin it got better but then got progressively worse to the point I couldn't sleep due to hot flashes on the herceptin. My onc thought it was med related and prescribed Effexor for me. That did the trick. I have very few hot flashes now and I intend to stay on the Effexor for several months . (I just finished last dose of herceptin 2 weeks ago). After a few month, I'll try it without the herceptin and if I'm better, then I'll quit, If not , I'll take it for a long time. Good luck. BERTA

[Kimberly Lewis]

Hi - I tried effexor first and didn't like how it made me feel. The "brain" effects were strange. I did neurontin and that seemed to help more without the side effects. I am an epileptic though so maybe my body was more in tune with that type of med. Hope you find something that helps. Mine made me misrable when the Chemo through me into meno-madness.

[Yorkiegirl]

My PCP put me on Effexor and I as well didn't like tej feeling it gave me, so I stopped it. I HATE, HATE the Night Sweats, I can't sleep.

I'm waiting on my Chillo Pillow to arrive and I hope that will help me some.

Since I am Er/Pr-, there is nothing they can give me. Ah well.

I'ts been in the triple digits temp wise the last week and I can tell you this was not fun at all.

I walking around in places with a cool pak on my neck.

[mts]

I have not had a hot flash since I began Effexor in 2005. I also only take half the dose and it works really well for me. A few months ago I had forgotten to refill my Effexor, I figured it stayed in my system a few days... anyway, I had withdrawals from the effexor. I was dizzy, could not lift my head, could not drive! I understand that if you try to get off of it, you need to do so incrementally so you won't have the "withdrawals".
If you decide to take it, start out with half a dose (cut the pills in half) and work your way up...

Maria

[panicked911]

i too was offered effexor but declined it for night sweats - was takning to much already - I am on lupron, arimidex and herceptain - th night sweats were awful when i firststarted this combo in december - I can honestly say it is getting better - I am not doing anything differently excpet making sure the room is really cold a/c sets it at 60 - there are actually many night where i am not woken up by night sweats at all and the hot flashes are diminishing as well !

Now only hoping that the muscle joint, aches, pains stiffness also abates. Started glucomimine and controitin yesterday and p/t as well.

Susanne

[cherylynnie]

Becky, Sherry, Leslie, dskdrive, Berta, Kim, Vicki, and Maria,

I am glad to know that others have been prescribed neurontin. The first pill I took made me dizzy and I took a nap. But for the most part I have not had other side effects. Just have been dizzy a few other times.

He has talked about Effexor but said it would increase my appetite. And neither he nor I want that.

I am not sure if it is helping although some days are better than others, but he wants me to try it for another month to see if it helps.

Vicki - I hope the chill pillow works for you!

Take care of yourselves everyone and God Bless!

Thanks!

[cherylynnie]

Susanne,

Thanks for your reply. I hope the glucosimine and controitin work for you. I had really bad joint pain after I finished chemo. But am slowly feeling better. I am glad that your night sweats are lessening. But I was to a point where I told the onc. that I couldn't take it anymore. I was out on the weekends watching my daughters soccer games. And he told me he wanted me to try the neurontin. I will give it another month and see if there is a difference.

Thanks!
Cheryl

[kimber]

I have been on Effexor and LOVE IT!!!! Have not had a hot flash since. Been about 7 months. I will get warm but no more true hot flashes or night sweats.


No problems with it at all! - kim

[tousled1]

When I had hot flashes my oncologist recommended neurontin. I decided not to take it as I had been on it for a few years back when I was having back problems. I didn't like the way it made me feel -- couldn't concentrate. I was on Effexor for 4 years for depression and am now in the process of weaning off. Effexor is a difficult drug to wean off.

[mekasan]

Because of the mixed reviews from those on this site, it is clearly personal if Effexor will work for you and/or produced negative side effects.

My experience with effexor was nothing but positive. I had terrible terrible hot flashes that came and went every half hour or more, all day, all night. I didn't realize there were pills that could help. My onc could see me flushed and sweating and asked about my hot flashes. Then prescribed the anti-depressant effexor (that has a side effect of diminishing hot flashes)

I took one pill per day for 1 week (loading dose) and then when up to 2 pill per day (I could find the dosage if you need more info). By the time I was up to 2 pills per day they were 90% better. I still got warm, but only several times per day, and not warm enough to disrupt sleep. I had no noticable reactions when quitting the Effexor.

Everyone is different, so becareful and good luck.

[CherylS]

Did you guys see the post recently about Joint, bone, muscle pain from arimidex? There was a post that talked about effexor for that, as it is also perscribed for diabetic neuropathy and fybermialgia (sp). I called my onc right away, as I am suffering big time from both the pain and the hot flashes. She had her pharmacist call me back, we talked for a while as the post actually talked about cybalta (sp again?). He said the effexor was equivalent but easier and the liver and effective for the hot flashes. I took my first dose last night. Anxiously awaiting results!

[Ora]

After reading the benefits for hot flashes on this thread (many thanks to all), I asked my onc to prescribe Effexor because my hot flashes were really bad. He started me out on 37.5 mg the first week and I got relief by day 3, but the next week the "kit" raised the dosage to 75 mg. I'm like so many of you who hate to take more of any medication than I really need. Does anyone know if there is any benefit to taking the full 75 mg? If not, I'm going to ask him to take it down to the 37.5mg.

[cherylynnie]

Thanks again to everyone who posted. I maybe asking for the Effexor sooner rather than later.