post menopausal hot flushes

Hate it, so miserable at times. I use soya in porridge, went back to my doctor after a while for another cholesterol test and he was amazed, much lower, don't know how well it works for hot flushes though. Have tried sage tablets, although as others have said the hot flushes are so erratic, you might assume something works but it really is just coincidence. I know that they get worse in the day when I'm stressed, well, basically thinking, that's pretty stressful sometimes! Night-time is unpleasant, might try black cohosh. Seems the menopause is low on the list of problems to sort out, perhaps because only women suffer from them. Ooh sexist, or what! As someone said, if men had to go through pregnancy, things might have got easier much sooner.

I cut out processed food, sugar and went low carb. My hot flushes decreased. Im told its because of the lack of insulin surge. I then decided to go paleo and cut out dairy due to its high oestrogen levels and my hot flushes virtually vanished. I also don't drink alcohol.

I have been using black cohosh for the last 5 months and my hot flashes have reduced dramatically. I wouldn't be without it now

I am aged 60 and came off HRt a year ago. Got a lot of hot flushes straight away but they do seem to be getting less. Awful thing I have discovered is that cutting back drastically on red wine for January has helped enormously. Now I didn't want to know this!! Obviously need to decide what I like most, red wine and flushes or no flushes and no red wine.

I did not have a menopause, or should I say I never had any symptoms. My doctor told me many women don't notice anything apart from their monthly stopping, and most women assume they will get symptoms simply because they read the horror stories of the hot flushes, dry skin, night sweats etc etc

I'm sixty one this year and have started to feel over-warm at night. I throw the covers off for a few minutes and then pull them back on.

I was burgled in September. The burglars (three of them) found nothing of value but came across some photos of me that were a little embarrassing and they proceeded to blackmail me. They wanted money or they intimated they would hurt me. The police were fantastic. I had a panic alarm installed and a hotline to a female police officer who has been my rock.

Suffice to say they are now in prison. I think the hotness at night is a result of my disturbed mind and I suspect it will stop after a while. At least I hope so.

Hope this message is within guidelines

I am 60 , didn't get hot flushes at all until quite recently and now wonder if it is being triggered by stress - in the last two years my daughter has had a lot of problems with my now ex son in law culminating in him leaving and my daughter then moving jobs away from where we were living. For the first 3 months she was away I had my three grandchildren living with me then we moved to be with her. Looking back the hot flushes started to occur around the same time - might just be a coincidence though!

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I have just gone back on HRT after six years,having tried lots of herbal remedies which seem all to work for a time.Having recently suffered with itchy dry and sore bits,and three different kinds of creams ( last one worked)
But for some reason became depressed.I finally got my GP to prescribe a low dose HRT.She has given me 3months supply and if no ill effects,I hope to get some more.I am 66 and really do not care about the risks,am just so happy to be relieved of flushes,night sweats strange panicky feelings.It may not be for everyone,but to me its quality of life.

It's so true about the hot flushes coming and going. That is one of the reasons that it is very difficult to know what (if anything) genuinely helps to ease the symptoms.

When I first started getting hot flushes, I tried various herbal 'remedies', including black cohosh, but saw no improvement.

This time last year, the hot flushes and night sweats were so bad that I finally (after 3 years) asked my GP for HRT. However, in the 2-week wait to see her, the hot flushes eased off slightly, so I decided not to start taking the HRT that she prescribed straight away. That was the start of almost 6 months of only occasional flushes and less severe night sweats.

If I had started taking the hormones two weeks earlier, I would have been convinced that they were to thank for my relief, and the same would have been true if I had tried another herbal remedy at that time.
In other words, there is a lot of room for coincidence.

I was suffering from terrible hot flushes and they came at the worst moments. My doctor prescribed Clonidine Hydrochloride as I didn't want HRT. It works a treat!

Oh shysal - magnets really are pseudoscience I'm afraid - out and out fraud.
Sorry to be a wet blanket but there is no convincing evidence that either black cohosh or soya products actually work for hot flushes (in other words no scientifically conducted work has shown their usefulness - they may possibly work, but the proof does not yet exist despite all the hoo-ha)
The trouble is that these symptoms do clear up sooner or later in everyone - so the recommendations of friends may be based on the co-incidence that they were taking something just before their symptoms cleared up.
I have found that reducing stress, caffeine, alcohol and spicy food do help reduce the frequency. Also wearing layers that can be easily shed and un-shed. And taking exercise.
Wish there was a nice, harmless herbal solution
summaries.cochrane.org/CD007244/black-cohosh-cimicifuga-spp.-for-menopausal-symptoms
summaries.cochrane.org/CD001395/phytoestrogens-for-vasomotor-menopausal-symptoms

I used a Chill-o-pillow at night and found it very helpful.

Welcome agus (and any other newbies), you have mastered the smileys well!
I am still getting hot sweats 17 years after my last period. I tried a few herbal products which worked for a while and then stopped. I am doing alternate day fasting, which is said to have health benefits as well as weight loss (maintaining only now), and the flushes are at last subsiding a bit, which of course may be coincidence.
Also used a Ladycare magnet attached to the front of my pants for a while, thoroughly recommended by a friend. www.ladycare-uk.com/effects-of-ladycare-on-menopause-symptoms.php

talking about soya milk, I like my porridge made with this, I have always had Alpro but have been thinking of trying the Aldi one, has anyone tried and tested this

(I know this thread is about hot flushes but soya milk has been mentioned)

been dealing (sort of) with flushes for the last 17yrs since my hysterectomy

Thanks for the suggestions. I drink one de-caff coffee a day and do not drink wine more than two or three times a year. I will give black cohosh a try. How long should I try it for? I do use Soya milk with my cereal.

You're welcome Phoenix. Hope it works for you too or if not, you find something that does.

If they are stress related, that definitely explains the recurrence of mine Jess

Agus thanks for the further info, I may give it a go.

The menopause is technically the actual stopping of the periods. "Peri-menopause" refers to those glorious years of irregular and sometimes heavy periods, plus coming and going hot flushes at times, etc. You only get hot flushing when you are not ovulating because they are caused by low oestrogen. So the vast majority of all hot flushes are in face post-menopausal. Mine are still around, 11 years after last period. They can be stress related.

I'm not sure I'm post menopause, I'm late 50s, I'm having what I imagine is a late menopause. Periods stopped about 3 years ago, horrible hot flushes, and sleep what's that? It seems hard to believe I used to hit the pillows and was out for 8 hours solid. I am resisting asking for HRT, although a GP friend told me half a patch is sometimes a good way to take it. Everything I read seems to suggest that whilst it may eliminate the symptoms for a while they will eventually return once you come off it at a later stage so I'd rather deal with them, however unpleasant, now.

My hot flushes sometimes disappear for weeks and then return with a vengeance in terms of frequency rather than severity...not sure what triggers them as to me it appears random! Never had HRT, had a relatively straightforward menopause aged about 55 and am now 62.
Bodies...who'd have'em!!

Oh dear. Can you tell I'm new here?

I followed the instructions to do a grin, bear with me.

I see what I have done, here goes,

Hello Phoenix I would drink roughly a half pint a day. It worked well for me and some others I suggested it to. I was just so relieved to get rid of the symptoms and ignored the fact I didn't like the taste much grin I buy Alpro unsweetened and also their single cream which I serve at meals or use for cooking. Weight watcher friends enjoy it without the guilt!

Also found that white wine wasn't a good idea, but, on reflection, maybe I should have used the milk as a mixergrin

My DH is allergic to dairy and has been drinking soya milk for years as recommended by our GP so we will continue using it.

NannaAnna when I went through the menopause, soya was being recommended as an alternative to HRT which I personally would not have taken as no one knew what the side affects might be. I will though have a look at what you are saying. I do get fed up with guidelines that chop and change so much that I end up not knowing who to believe. One day something is bad for you, the next, it's the best thing since sliced bread!

I find they disappear for a while (weeks, months) and then return. Right now (at almost 62 and my first ones were at age 52) they have returned with a vengeance
Buggered if I'm giving up the red wine though phoenix
Also no way I'm going anywhere near anything soy Agus. I used to drink soy milk until I was alerted to all the negative health issues associated with it!!

Just coming back to this thread, as for some reason I've started having more daytime ones

Agus how large is "large" and is it the soya milk that is easily available in supermarkets/ (Alpro Soya?)

Also, what does it taste like?

Thanks in advance!