Hot flashes back...again

[Sherryg683]

After chemo, I went for about a year with those nasty chemopause hotflashes. For the past 8 months they have been gone and I thought I was done with the hot flashes. But for the last 2 weeks they have been coming back strong, waking me up at night. I thought once you went through them, they would go away..is it normal for them to come and go..dang I thought I was done with it...sherry

[Mary Jo]

Yes Sherry, it is very normal. I've been told they can come and go like that for years and years. OHHHHHHHHH, lucky us.

I, too, went through them BAD while going through chemo. After chemo ended the hot flashes improved and eventually went away. Lately, they are back again also. Not so bad as of late but for a while there they were quite frequent again (but not nearly as intense as during chemo).

So, grab a fan and enjoy the ride. Hahahahahahahahaha!

Mary Jo

[Yorkiegirl]

I still have Hot Flashes. Ever since Chemo put me into Chemo Pause two years ago , and they have never went away.

I HATE them so much. I wish there was something I could do, nothing I have tried has helped at all.

Night time is REALLY, REALLY bad. I wish it would just all go away.

[StillHere]

Sherry, I never stopped having hot flashes since chemo started 2 years ago. I do take the antidepresant Effexor. It is suppose to help w/ hot flashes. I don't know how well it really works because I started it while on chemo. The hot flashes during chemo were severe and about 4 times per hour. Now they are once every couple of hours and don't usually wake me up at night. I hate to advise you to take more meds, but it may be worth a try. Good Luck. Karen

[Andrea Barnett Budin]

HELP. I THINK I'M ON FIRE. My hot flashes began at age 40 when I was perimenopausal and 10 yrs before bc. They have continued past menopause (age 47) to now (almost 63!). I drip from the nape of my neck, down my back, covering my entire scalp (and hair) as if I just got out of the shower. I feel like I am on fire. With a fever of 105. Trapped in the Guatemalean jungles. Stifling hot. I live in sleeveless everything w/as much a/c as I can muster. I have a Brookstone fan I tote everywhere!

Nighttime -- I am fine. I think that is from Ativan, or generic Ambien. Which obviously I don't ant to take during the day.

With approval from my oncological nutritional expert I do take Black Cohash Extract, Evening Primrose Oil, Isoflavones from red clover. My doc says plant estrogen is like a millionth of the strength of regular estrogen and is safe. I've been taking these since '98, and as you can see from my signature (ER/PR-) and NED since '99 -- this definitely is helpful and works for me. Most *regular* oncs fear all this and do not recommend it. I am that desperate, and have absolute approval from my NY onc/nutrition man who I trust and respect. I also take Effexor to help w/the hot flashes. All combined gives me a degree of relief. Truly the only thing that worked totally was estrogen, which I was on for 6 mnths prior to bc -- so obviously that is not a viable option. I'm just doing the best I can. I have decided it all comes down to QOL. I was using ice cubes on my wrists in in my palms for a while there, clammy and miserable at all times. Now, I am better. No great, but better.

I also tried using self-hypnosis to rid myself of the cycle of getting the hot flash, FEARING an all out break out of perspiration and thus actually bringing it on. This worked w/my 2 yrs of horrible back pain AND CURED ME, but I have failed w/regulating my body temp.

Any secrets any one has out there would be greatly appreciated to relieve my 22 yrs of suffering, along w/many others apparently. I FEEL LIKE I'M MELTING... ANDI