I only stopped my periods and went into the menopause at the age of nearly 60. My GP was so amazed I was so late that he wanted to post it online! Anyway, what I wanted to say to all of you with hot flushes is that I seem to have cracked it! My hot flushes were so bad and frequent at night that I hardly slept at all, or so it seemed. Then I went on holiday to Japan and my hot flushes just went - it took 3 weeks though. When I came back home they restarted, as bad as ever. So I thought about my diet. In Japan there is no wheat or dairy in their diet. I thought it more likely to be the dairy so stopped all dairy. Bingo! 3 weeks later my hot flushes had virtually stopped. They are still there sometimes, but much milder and perfectly manageable now. It's just tricky when eating out. Friends are pretty good when we go round there, and restaurants seem to, in the main, take it in their stride. Of course I do think I have some dairy when I'm out, but still it seems there is a threshold, and mostly I manage it quite well.
It's worth a try - some of my friends have tried it and seen a difference too. Not everyone wants to do it though - says it's too difficult to do. So I think their hot flushes can't be too bad then! Bizarrely, for me anyway, I can eat goats produce (cheese, butter), and other dairy produce that's not cows. I'm now, 6 years later, still doing it, as if I go back to cow's milk produce the hot flushes come straight back. I keep trying though! Some day I hope this will be behind me, but meanwhile I just keep on watching out that I don't eat cow's produce.
Good luck to anyone who gives it a try. I don't know if there is any known medical reason for it though? I certainly have lots of energy and don't feel too old - yet!