menopause, does it ever end?

[Patty H]

I,m plenty old enough to be through menopause but I had not started into it when I was first put on chemo and thrown into it. I came out of it after I finished the first chemos but then was put back in when I reoccurred and went back on chemo. Now after several years of chemos I am still having major hotflashes. I have been off chemo for 6 months this time, but I know I'm to old to come out of it again. What I was wondering is, will it ever get better? I had read a book that said if you climbed a mountain that you would adjust to the thinner air as you climbed, but if a helicopter just dropped you off onto the mountain top you would have a hard time breathing because you didn't do the climb and have time to adjust to the thin air. The same thing for menopause, I was dropped onto the mountain top and didn't do the climb. I have as many as 12 hotflashes in a 24 hour period and night sweats. They come on so strong that at first I think I'm getting sick at my stomach, then I remember oh, it's just a hot flash coming on. Is there any women out there who was put in menopause and finally made it through the hotflashes?
Patty H

Patty,
In Feb of 2000 as I began my first chemo (A/C) I was in peri-menopause, yet regular as clockwork, without hot flashes. I had had severe night sweats the week of my period for many years, tho'.

After chemo and with Tamoxifen added, my hot flashes began in earnest at the rate of one per hour, total body, rapid heart beat, 'knowing it was coming on', inability to think of any thing else while it lasted from five to ten minutes.

This continued after I stopped the Tamoxifen, peridodically. Some things I took 'seemed' to help for brief periods of time, but always, the hot flashes returned.

In spring of '04 I was dx'd with cervical cancer and had a total hysterectomy/oopherectomy.....

I finally broke down, risking a lot, and begged my onc for a hormonal called Estratest. Poor guy. He nearly fell off his chair... yet, he finally agreed, for my QOL.

I've been on this for nearly two years. First at full strength, then at half strength (Estratest H.S.). I tried going off it, with the return of the hot flashes. I now have one or two mild flashes in the late afternoon, early evening that I am able to live with contentedly.

So, my only point here (!) is to offer my empathy, as this has been a long damn six years!!! And I don't know how long this will go on for either of us.
hugs,
pattyz

12-1999: Age 50, Dx'd Invasive Ductal & Inflammatory. Two tumors, upper and lower inside quadrants R/breast.

1-2000: Mast., 6/26 pos. nodes. ER+PR-, Heu2+++ StageIIIb - 4rnds A/C, no rads (my choice & no medical ins.)

7-2002: Dx'd mediastinal node/s mets, (surgical biopsy), 'spot' on lung and pelvis. Arimidex briefly.

9-2002: Dx'd brain mets. (mininally symptomatic) Two lesions, 1.5cm, 6mm. SRS focalized tx successful. Refused WBR.

11-2002: Navelbine/Herceptin 4rnds for systemic mets, scans show NED.

3-2003: Progression of brain mets. 14 new lesions visable. Asymptomatic. Continue to refuse WBR. "Watch and wait " approach. Treat in small batches with two more SRS, two CyberKnife procedures through 5-2004. NED in body.

3-2005: Progression brain mets - maybe 10 new lesions, asymptomatic. (otherwise NED) Again 'watch and wait' approach until...

8-2005: Dizzy 24/7 in the course of just one day. Begin Temodar/Xeloda.

9-28-2005: Following 2 rnds, MRi shows response of nearly 50% shrinkage in many brain mets, including brainstem/pons. Dizziness gone.

11-28-2005: MRi duplicate of previous films- after 4rnds T/X, mets remain responsive w/ more shrinkage nearing 50%. Continue Temodar/Xeloda.


12-19-2005: Onc confers w/rad onc re: past scans. Determine that some of the 'new' lesions are not new at all, but old treated spots just vaguely visable.

[Lyn]

Hi Patty, I too was thrown into early menopause with the chemo, I was 44, I was that desperate one day I put my head in the upright freezer at the supermarket to be assulted by a frozen chicken landing on my big toe. I remember many a trip to the market hanging over the trolly with a water bottle in hand. I came across Black Cohash and the hot flushes stopped, many have warned that it is not safe to take, all I can say is that I am now 51 so it didn't do me any harm. At first I tried it in combination with Soya so I tried just the Soya and it didn't work so it was the black cohash doing the job. It was apparently used by the American Indians for the same reason. I feel for you and hope you get some relief soon. In the early years this is what sent women mad and they were placed in mental institutions, why not the suffering can send you crazy, we are just lucky that the medical institution understands what we women do go through.


Love & Hugs Lyn

[Sandy H]

This is just a suggestion and you can take it or leave it. I too had lots of hot flashes and now hardly none. I use some all natural balancing creme and that saved me. I did find that if I don't drink lots of water I will have the sweats, whether it is hot flashes, night sweats or detoxing who knows. I then realize I am not drinking enough water and once I start drinking I feel so much better. I mean lots of water at least a 1/2 gallon a day and more is better. Hope this helps, Sandy