post menopausal hot flushes

I'm 61, had my last period at the age of 59 1/2. I'm having daily hot flushes (starting at my chest, going up to my face) and night sweats most nights. My duvet is 4.5 tog, all year round, and yet I'm hot all night. I'm interested in the replies on here, and I'll try some of them.

GinnyHendricks-love your user name!I am a NEWBY& a v. slow one finger typist.As u can tell by the fact i did not eradicate error of caps ,& all the abreviations i use.I have all of your symptoms & alas have found NO cure,& believe me i have tried everything in the last 20yrs! But had a really dud G.P. for first 10yrs,female(thot that wouldve helped)-my Scots male Dr. for first 10yrs who told me i only couldnt put up w/it cos i was a feminist?was at least sympathetic.She(military)told me to get out more!BUT please get an ultrasound(ASK) if bleeds are still eratic,mine were,i asked,was fobbed off ,& ended up w/a 2b cancer of a rare'smart' type (gynae),but can morph to grow anywhere.Ive been cancer free for 6 yrs-more luck than judgement-but am still banging the drum for women s hormone probs to be taken seriously.Soz my first postings so depressing,but i dont have time to write a book about the last 30yrs of medical mystery tour,cos ive gotta get out & LIVE(was told i had fibromyalgia at 37(now 67)met a brill surgeon for something else,who said,after doing lotsa bloods,you dont have fibro.u have a hyperparathyroid tumour!Had it removed at Xmas & am now v.improved)SO,anyone out there whos worried about their symptoms (Dad says,'south of the equator') try a diff. Doc if yours is indifferent.And dont give up.I did & luckily am still alive to tell the tale. Must get over to the exercise info & get in shape!(Naturally help will be scarse until after lockdown).All best wishes tho to anyone whos suffering beetroot face,and 'natural' fibre mania.(why arent more tops & dresses made in cotton)I luckily have a husband who likes ironing.

I’ve drunk soya milk throughout my menopause and have at least 4 hot flushes a day even after 7 years! Now I drink oat milk and have porridge every day which hasn’t stopped flushes but I’m convinced it prevents stiff and sore joints which I haven’t had for years.

Hmm I think I was in peri from about 42, I had a couple of incidents of extreme fatigue that no amount of sleep could help, each lasted several weeks. Periods came every 14 days for a while but I felt quite well regardless, it was just inconvenient, then periods became erratic and now I haven’t had one this year at all but I’m not sure if that’s it now due to previous erratic nature. I’m very achey, get hot flushes, my hips hurt badly but then I’ve always had joint problems, I’m far more anxious but again have a lot to be anxious about right now. Zero libido but single anyway, now have a few spots to go with the chin hair and wrinkles.

Hi, I’m very new to Gransnet, 62 and was on HRT for roughly 7/8 years. I decided to come off about 5 months ago and as soon as I switched to a patch (in order to come off in a controlled manner) the hot flushes started. I kind of expected that but I’m more concerned about aching limbs, weepyness, and lethargy. Is anyone else experiencing these symptoms post HRT?

Its so good to hear from people who have done the hard yards.

I started at 42, my symptoms worsening as time went on. I could not do my job as a property manager.. I could remember where things were or information.. It ruined my career.

Started with

1. Notice I would fly of the handle at the smallest of things and was shocked at my response

2. I felt so unwell and some nights i would vomit and I had no energy at all.

3. I became so very hungry all the time.

4. I would get really bad dizzy spells. I would have to sit down.

5. My hair started falling out in clumps

6. Then notice I wasnt retaining information.. So bad I simply could not get out of a well know shopping centre.

7. My periods were all over the place

8. I started to get stomach cramps so bad that I would almost pass out.

9. Clots started to come out so large one covered the palm of my hand.

10. My feet started to swell so badly i was not able to wear heels.

11. My joints and muscles retracted so badly I started to get large knots

12. All my joints became stiff and to walk up hill or stairs was painful but going down was so much more pain full.

13. My vitamin levels were all over the place

14. Noise started to irritate me

15. Starting to get cold flushed

16. Couldnt stay asleep. Suffered insomnia.

17. Woke up with stiff painful feet and legs

18. Had severe depression and anxiety

19. Panic attacks were so bad I started to hyperventilate.

20. Breast cysts

I have now 51 and I still have

Sleepless nights
Back pain
Pain in my feet
Breathlessness
Heart erythema
Hot one minute cold the next
Insomia
Moods swings
High blood pressure spikes with hot flush
Panic attacks
Nausea
Allergies ( never ever had these until now)
Thirst that is hard to quench but not all the time
No energy

I have asked for help from doctors but recieved nothing but tests and more tests.

I would like to know when this will all end as I am so very tried.

I want my life back please.

I took HRT for several years as the hot flushes were unbearable. I stopped because the GP kept telling me it's not good to stay on it too long. My hot flushes are now occasional and very mild but have got worse since my hysterectomy earlier this year even though I'm 64 and this started over 15 years ago. I would recommend HRT for anyone struggling badly with flushes.

I'm 61 and have had night sweats for the past 12 years. Hot flushes in the day come and go.HRT is not for me due to family medical history so over the years I have tried a variety of options such as diet, herbal remedies. The only things that seem to make a difference are cutting down, or cutting out completely, alcohol and eating anything too late in the evening. Exercise seems to help but maybe the bit of weight I lose contributes to my general feeling of well being. I've just reduced my working hours, have started swimming regularly so am hoping for an improvement in the night sweats. But even though I haven't slept for more than 2 hours at a time for the past 12 years I've always been grateful that I have not had to deal with any more debilitating medical conditions

I'm 65 and a quarter!

I melt every night, I had a hysterectomy 13 years ago, tried all sorts - still melt every night

Best way of heating up cold winter bed! Cohosh and no alcohol def helped but dull, getting less slowly a year on, exercise good for stress as well I find

*there. Sorry pedants

If you must go down the HRT route, please ask you doctor NOT to prescribe Premarin. It's made from the urine of pregnant mares and they are kept standing in stalls throughout their pregnancy just so their urine can be collected easily. In fact, the only reason that they are made pregnant is so that the oestrogen in their urine can be extracted and sold. They have a horrible life and don't even get to enjoy motherhood as the foals are of no use to the breeders. Their are alternative, synthetically made brands out there.

If you must go down the HRT route, please ask you doctor NOT to prescribe Premarin. It's made from the urine of pregnant mares and they are kept standing in stalls throughout their pregnancy just so their urine can be collected easily. In fact, the only reason that they are made pregnant is so that the oestrogen in their urine can be extracted and sold. They have a horrible life and don't even get to enjoy motherhood as the foals are of no use to the breeders. Their are alternative, synthetically made brands out there.

My most embarrassing moment, I returned an item to House of Fraser that hadn't been used and as I spoke to the assistant I felt my body heat rise and my face went blood-red! She went off to speak to a colleague and I'm sure she thought I was lying, I felt awful. Damn these hot flushes.

I'm 59 and was on HRT for 10 years decided to come of it Jan 2014. Hot flushes night sweats all returned,had I have known I wouldn't have taken it at all,as after starting menopause at 45 I'm now going thru it all over again.All HRT did was prolong it.

Knspol would you go back on hrt again or are you going to persevere this time? I'm so unsure but feel exhausted with it all

Now 65 and still having around half a dozen hot sweats per day. Tried no alcohol, no caffeine, black cohosh and even stooped to a magnet and all to no avail. Eventually gave in and went on HRT for 18 mths and the relief was enormous. Came off the HRT due to long term health worries and back the sweats came with a vengeance. They've reduced in strength considerably but still a real nuisance and an embarrassment too at times.

Still get them aged 62 - no period for ten years. They don't bother me.

I came off hrt after 19yrs ( hysterectomy in 1996)to have a knee replacement last yr. I'm still off it as I'm having 2 nd knee done shortly. I'm having the most awful constant night sweats, I sleep with window open and just a lightweight throw on.I've not had a full nights sleep since last April and as soon as my knee is done and I've had my first check up I'm going straight back on it for quality of life!!! I can't stand it much longer

HRT. Magic. Stopped my hot flushes instantly and they have not been back. I seem to be much more 'even' and calm on HRT too. Read up on the pros and cons to be well informed if you think you will consider it.

I am 66 now but when I was going through the menopause I took all the advice re soya and it took me 6 months to realise the horrible itching to my legs which by then looked like raw minced meat was due to the soya. It was the only thing added and with all the media advice re soya I was hesitant to drop it. I finally dropped it and within a week my legs were back to normal. Please do the research for yourself re soya. Yes the Japanese have a good history with soya however you will find they hardly never have soya milk - only fermented soya products which interestingly I can take also without any problem.

Re Hot flushes . . . what really worked for me was evening primrose oil capsules. Now we are all so very individual so what may work for me may not work for all, however anyone I have suggested this too have found relief so maybe give it a try.

And re magnets . . . never tried for hot flushes however i have a little pack of tiny magnets which have the ability to knock out a whole load of pulled/strained muscles, etc when I play tennis and get a little over-eager on the court. And I play about 5 hours a week, and do pilates twice a week, so these magnets are my little go-to pain-killer saviours, and they really do work for me.

I`m currently taking Clonidine, having no effect at all, still getting hot flushes and night sweats.

I had a total hysterectomy in 1995 at the age of 48 as I had ovarian cancer. thankfully the removal of both ovaries meant that I didn't ovulate ever again!!

however I went into full-blown menopause two days after the op. I was prescribed patches and, after a couple of weeks, I found I was allergic to them [ring of red rings around my waistline!].

as I didn't like pills I was then given an implant every six months of oestrogen and testosterone until the manufacturers decided that they wouldn't make them any more so I had to go on to pills.

I've been on the hrt since 1995 and bless them every day as they help to keep me feeling well. I might get one or two night sweats every now and again but they are few and far between [how much worse would they have been without the hrt?].

I know all about the risks but I think the pros outweigh the cons and my gp has no qualms about me continuing on the pills even though i'm now 68.

Cambia alas and alack - things which, if consumed during evening, that give me flushes in the night - wine, chocolate, spicy food or even a sweet dessert. My body obviously trying to make a point