Any advice for Hot Flashes after chemo?

[MCS]

Thank you Rhondalea,

I know of phytoestrogenic hebs: don quai, balck cohosh, gingko,ginseng,red clover and now macafem.
have also herd of DHEA but a woman I know went through a lot with it so she discontinued it.
Then there's testoterone cream and damiana, which don't have estrogen but have other problems
Like I said, I am er- but I am not taking any chances at all.

I am doing Replens and another product from KY called Liquibeads that look like giant vitamin e capsules. These keep me moist but it does nothing for the vagina atrophy and libido either. I do get very mild hot flashes yet once a month and I mark them on a calendar to keep track when they occur-about every 4 weeks, like a regular period or ovulation, so I can tell I still have a limited estrogen in my body.
I've had an endometrial ablation before bc, then i had ovaries removed after bc and have a dble mastectomy
so the search goes on.
we really need doctors that take a copmprehensive view at the disease and not just the medical part
Thank you for the info on macafem and your quick response. That little boy is adorable

xoxo
maria (mcs)

[rhondalea]

Yeah, DHEA is probably not a good supplement for folks with cancer. I used to take 7-Keto DHEA, which is not converted into other hormones, but I'm not sure how effective it would be against hot flashes. There are some positive anecdotal reports out there, but it's not something I'd try again without the approval of my oncologist. Call me chicken.

Replens was utterly useless for me during chemo, so I won't use it ever again in my life even if I end up dry as the Sahara. After that debacle (and I gave it 2 months, which seems to me to be a fair trial), I decided not to bother with the KY product. Instead, I ordered something online called "Creme de la Femme" (http://www.amazing-solutions.com/). The company really needs to change the name of the product, because it would probably sell better, but it works pretty well. Coconut oil also works, although the application is slightly more problematic.

My onc said something about Astroglide, but I think she misunderstood what I was complaining about. On the other hand, it's probably possible to use the gel form in an applicator, so it might be worth a try.

There are a few other prescription solutions to hot flashes, here:

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/466850

I'm not sure, though, that I'd be willing to put up with the side effects.

On behalf of the baby in the picture, I thank you. I think he's the most adorable small child in the world, but, of course, I'm prejudiced--he's my grandson. He was 18 months old in the picture, and he'll be three this St. Patrick's Day. Time flies....

[Catia]

Hi,
I was 43 y.o. when the "chemopause" hit and I had crying spells and hot flashes. Onc said to take vitamin E supplements and they went away within a few days,...