Dear Carrie: Hot Flashes
Every week I attempt to field at least one reader question in my Dear Mark series of blog posts. Some of the inquiries that are submitted are outside my scope of knowledge or experience, or are questions that are addressed to my wife, Carrie, specifically. While I could (and have been known to) dig into the research on such topics as cellulite, menopause, nursing, giving birth and the like, I think it’s valuable to offer a woman’s perspective on these and related topics of interest. And so, enter Carrie…
Hi, everyone! It’s good to be back on MDA. I so appreciate the emails I regularly get from everyone. Thanks for all your questions and kind messages. I love this community and always enjoy contributing. I get a lot of questions about family and the female perspective in living Primal. One common topic is menopause. I know how intricate a life transition menopause can be, being I’m navigating it myself now. There are a million questions I think women have about menopause, and I know they’ll be more relevant posts coming up. For today, I thought I’d take up one reader’s forum post about hot flashes and sleep. (Do I already see some heads nodding out there?)
I’ve just been looking around on the forum regarding hot flashes increasing on the primal diet for peri and menopausal women there are several threads on it – so figure I am not alone and wondering if you or maybe a guest contributor could do a more pointed column on this? (i.e. I am dying from no sleep – up every night between 12 and 5 cycling through hot flashes) For the first time in 17 months on the primal lifestyle – i feel like crap and its all from the sleep deprivation. I’d like to make one last valiant effort with diet, lifestyle and supplements before I go the Bio ID hormone route and hoping you might have some suggestions?
Thanks to Barb for the great question. Since some three-quarters of women experience hot flashes during the menopause transition, it’s a subject well worth exploring. For those of you unfamiliar with the experience, hot flashes occur when blood vessels in the head and neck suddenly expand. They can come during the day or at night with or without sweating and other symptoms like dizziness, faster heart rate, or headache. Hot flashes can start in the years leading up to menopause (a.k.a perimenopause) as estrogen levels sharply drop. They often resolve themselves over time but can linger for some women well into their post-menopausal years.
Researchers are still filling in some of the picture, but they believe hot flashes are a result of both the hormonal changes happening during the menopausal transition and their effect on areas of physical functioning. Hot flashes are associated with both the withdrawal from estrogen hormones women experience in the peri-menopausal and menopausal years as well as the “surges” of lutenizing hormone that occur during this time. (For the record, men can experience hot flashes when undergoing androgen deprivation therapy, which imposes a sudden and dramatic reduction in their testosterone levels.)
As much of a pain as they are, I should add that some studies suggests that hot flashes bode well for post-menopausal health. Researchers have found that women who experience hot flashes, especially early in menopause, have a lower risk of developing breast cancer, stroke, and heart disease. For what it’s worth in those hot, miserable moments…
During the menopausal transition, the body’s thermostat (part of the hypothalamus function) can take time to recalibrate with ongoing hormonal changes. Hot flashes, experts believe, may be related to this process. Women with severe hot flashes (in terms of both intensity and frequency) can have their sleep regularly disrupted and are at risk for chronic insomnia, like Barb has been experiencing. Given that some women can experience several a night that may last up to thirty minutes each, a good night’s sleep can be next to impossible. The effects can be grueling over time. Moreover, women are at a higher risk for other sleep disorders like sleep apnea during and following menopause because of the shift in hormones.
Although most women will experience some degree of hot flashes during menopause, certain factors like obesity, smoking, and inactivity can put your at higher risk. Caffeine, alcohol, sugar, and spicy foods can exacerbate hot flashes. Exercise and relaxation practices help many women cope with both the hot flashes themselves and the resulting sleep deprivation.
As for alternative remedies, I would give acupuncture a chance. The research looks pretty good as a whole, and I can say it’s had an impact for me personally. In terms of herbs, I’d recommend trying (individually) black cohosh, chasteberry (which are both used in Europe for management of menopausal symptoms), keishi-bukuryo-gan tea (PDF), and perhaps dong Quai (which can help dilate blood vessels). Other common options women try for hot flashes include Evening Primrose oil (less effective in my experience), and maca root. Although your best bet for menopause nutrition is an all around, nutrient dense diet, you might try increasing your intake of vitamin E, and vitamin C (to aid the absorption of vitamin E).
In the last few years, there’s been a trend toward using off-label pharmaceutical treatments (e.g. Gabapentin — a seizure medication, Clonidine –a high blood pressure treatment, and a few anti-depressant varieties) for menopausal symptoms, especially severe hot flashes. Given the potential for serious side effects over time, I would suggest avoiding these medications (as I would conventional, synthetic HRT).
Although Mark tells me they’ll be more to come on menopause in the coming months, I just want to offer a word of support for Barb and other women who are looking at bio-identical hormones. Although I believe in first trying natural ways to handle menopausal symptoms, I don’t consider it failure by any means to embrace the bio-identical HRT route, especially if you’ve tried other measures with little success. I think bio-identical hormones are a reasonable option for women who can’t find relief from natural means when ongoing problems seriously impact their well-being.
A couple of years ago I gave bio-identical hormones a try (a low dose mix of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone) when I exhausted the possibilities of various herbs and supplements I could find at the time. (For me, it was more memory issues than hot flashes.) Although the hormonal combination didn’t help my memory situation, it eased a lot of other symptoms I was having. I felt great in ways I hadn’t for a long time.
These days I’m still searching for something to address the memory fog. I’ve gone off the bio-identical hormones for now and am trying a new regimen of Chinese medicinal teas and acupuncture that I’ve designed from my research. It’s a work in progress, and I’ll let you know more when I’ve given it time. For now, I’ll say I’m sleeping better and experiencing less dramatic hot flashes, but I haven’t seen as much change on the memory front yet.
MDA readers, I hope you’ll share your thoughts and stories on coping with hot flashes. I’ll be back with more “Dear Carrie” answers in the near future. Have a great week, everyone!
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As a guy, I don’t have any personal experience. but my Mom swears by bee pollen. She takes 1 tablespoon every morning with breakfast. She found that good quality stuff (more different colors, rather than a uniform yellow kind) works much better.
Just a thought. might be worth considering
I am also riding the waves of menopausal hot flashes. I can make a few suggestions on how to make the ride a little easier. First, get hold of Susun Weed’s “Menopausal Years”. She is an herbalist and has great suggestions on hot flashes as well as other menopausal experiences that range from ‘do nothing and just experience it’ to herbal and homeopathic remedies to medical intervention.
I’ve stopped drinking coffee altogether. I make a daily infusion of nettle and oatstraw (directions in Susun’s book) and in the hour before bed I put tinctures of chickweed and motherwort in a glass of water and sip slowly. It’s not 100% effective, but the frequency and intensity of the flashes have definitely eased down.
Like everything in life, what works for one person doesn’t necessarily work for another — but experiment with the options she gives (one or two at a time!!) and see what works best for you.
“Like everything in life, what works for one person doesn’t necessarily work for another — but experiment with the options she gives (one or two at a time!!) and see what works best for you.”
+1
Please realize this everyone! If what you are doing is NOT working then try something else. Make one change. Do something that Carrie recommends. Give it a chance and if that does not work then do something else. We are all unique and you must experiment on yourself.
Just because A works for Joann does not mean its going to work for you. B may work and it may not. Never give up!
i’ve had good experiences with OTC progesterone creme, though Chris Kresser looks askance at topical preparations. those of us with hypothyroid problems might want to avoid maca, as it belongs to the cruciferous category, which are known thyroid depressants.
I, too, would avoid transdermal progesterone. I went to a naturpath who was involved in a study to test the effectiveness and safety of these creams. What they found was that they do in fact work….only too well. In every case, women were overdosing on it. Because the hormone is stored in the fatty tissue, it will build up very quickly. The side effects varied but is some cases were so bad that a couple of women had to be hospitalized for psychosis related to severe anxiety upon withdrawal. This is because progesterone is an anti-anxiety hormone. There are dangers with estrogen creams, too. Your best bet is sublingual drops. They don’t go through the liver, they don’t get stored in fatty tissue. They are absorbed directly into the blood stream. Therefore, ODing is not possible.
I’m pretty much where Barb is – often up a few to many times a night with hot flashes – and yes I am desperate for a good night’s sleep. I have already tried exercise, chaste berry, black cohosh, and acupuncture with very little relief. I normally drink very little alcohol and only occasionally caffeine and have been doing similar to a primal diet for months (so low sugar) to little effect. My old doctor said bio identical hormones were the same as conventional HRT but wouldn’t prescribe either and was not very sympathetic. Am seeing a new doctor but have had to complete a lot of expensive tests to make sure I’m “healthy” enough to take them!
While I’m still suffering I ran across some women who mentioned Vitamin D. Since a recent blood test showed I was at low levels (as most adults are) I started taking supplements of D3. Nothing definitive yet but the flashes seem to generally be milder and usually fewer at night than before. Would love to know if any other women have tried this.
My mom has been battling this for a while, and now is doing a “Standard Process” (supplement company) regimen that includes sage tincture among a few other things (all natural) and has experienced GREAT relief. As in 100% turn around.
Won’t work for everyone, I am sure, but just thought I would get that out there!
I was late finally getting to menopause–a very long perimenopause–and after a few years on HRT, low dose (no mare’s urine derived), I weaned off last year. The hot flashes returned in a mild form for a few months, but are pretty much gone now. I find that my range of temperature comfort got very narrow. If I got a little too warm, it set off a hot flash. Black cohosh and red clover got me through perimenopause without the serious hot flashes many of my friends suffered.
I used black cohosh under the care of a wonderful doctor (since moved) who knew the ideal doses and side effects. Black cohosh in some women can cause liver side effects. After 3 months my liver function deteriorated so I went off it. Bugga too as it worked well. I struggled with flushes and chronic debilitating joint pain until I finally went on bio identical progesterone. So far not needed estrogen but do also use Di indolemethane (also bi identical) to boost estrogen buffering for the inversely high estrogen based on dropping progesterone. I went to a GP to work with me, she said she did not believe in “that untested treatment” but the clinic I use treats 30,000 women in Australia and growing so that’s fine with me. I found a better more open minded GP instead!
I get “slightly warm” flashes and seem to be managing to avoid the worst of the menopausal symptoms. I find that avoiding gluten helps me a lot (if I mess up and fall off the gluten-free bandwagon, the hot flashes start up again). Taking maca also seems to help.
I’m with you on the gluten, I started getting waves of nausea quickly followed by a hot flush every few nights, about 2 years ago. I was doing a paleo diet – with gluten probably about once a week or so. 18 months ago I found I had Hashimotos and went of gluten strictly. No cheats at all. I continue to take a good quality multi, fish oil, extra zinc (as it was a bit low) selenium, and vitamin D.
No peri-menopausal symptoms at all at the moment. I am also dairy free, (except a little cream and butter) legume, nightshade free (occasional very ripe tomato) Minimal nuts.
At what age does menopause start?
I’ve read somewhere that both men and women decline in hormones waaaaay before menopause becomes obvious.
I remember my mother dealing with hot flashes in her 40′s…and they had gotten REALLY bad in her 50′s. At the same time all the grandparents had died, uncles and other relatives,too, and us kids grew up and moved out.
I wonder if emotional stress makes everything 10x worse.
My sister had a histerectomy at age 40. The doctors blamed her uterus for all of her digestive upsets … ironically she is on a high grain diet from the moment she wakes up (mediteranian diet). Now her toxins have no way of leaving her body (monthly period) and just accumulate in her system. Since her histerectomy she came down with several other health problems, the biggest problem her having degenerative cartilage disease with inflammation. She is now on heavy pain killers. Her allergies are out of control. She is ‘allergic’ to everything in sight.
My husband was also diagnosed being in andropause in his early 40′s and has been taking synthetic testosterone ever since. He is now 48 and still has hot flashes and gets pissy on a regular basis. He also can’t stop eating grains (mostly oats) and sugar (cane sugar).
I used to be the one with the hormonal imbalances, acne, poor health, temper fits, allergies, digestive problems, bad PMS and severe cramps and joint pain. Since going primal all of this disappeared. Fact is I’m the ONLY person above 20 (i’m 40) in my family that’s now actually healthy…funny how that works.
Paleo completely eliminated menstrual cramps, and PMS with nasty breast tenderness.
Magnesium for me makes a huge difference with sleep.
I had a hysterectomy 5 years ago and it improved my life immeasurably. I’m not a doctor but I don’t think that menstruation is how our body rids itself of toxins. I think it has more to do with a healthy liver and kidneys.
No, periods have nothing to do with toxin release – if it did all women post menopausal would slowly ( or quickly) be poisoned? The uterus does however still make low dose hormones post menopause so a hysterectomy does upset a normal balance. Pity as sometimes it causes more harm than good and has to go. An excellent book is “The Wisdom of Menopause” by Dr Christine Northrup from the UK. All bio identical and some well researched information and links to more. Google search for website and other information.
It can be a long process. Some people start in the 30-40s, others later. It can start then stop, and I read somewhere that if you started your periods late, you often have late end to periods. My aunt is 60 and still has periods.
For your sister, you may want to check out “The H Word” by Nora Coffey. This book deals with hysterectomy, instead of menopause. A lot of people seem to want to equate the two, in spite of the fact that in menopause uterine/ovarian function remains. That’s a significant difference between the two conditions. Good luck.
I am so glad to be done with all that but had many many years of craziness around menopause. I never took hormones but did have many years of acupuncture treatments and herbal teas that my acupuncturist provided.
Sometimes I thought I was going insane (panic attacks etc.) but the acupuncturist was able to fix the different phases I went through by treatments and varied herbal concoctions. I am soooo grateful for her help with it.
Eiselt Double Pro I use as a complement as a meal. Have tried to find reviews about it online but have not found any good ones. I’ll continue to use it. x
I second Emma’s recommendation of Susun Weed’s excellent book. I also use a low dose of bio-identical hormones and they have helped me so much. I have found that even a small glass of red wine will give me hot flashes in the middle of the night. Stress will cause them during the day and if I manage that better then I can go a whole day without flashing at all! Diet is a key factor and avoiding blood sugar highs and lows will also lessen the frequency of hot flashes.
Chinese medicine did it for me – a combination of about 2 weeks of herbs and 6 weeks of intense acupuncture (she put the needles down my spine, very close together). As I progressed through the weeks, each acupuncture session ‘held’ me for longer periods of time. First session was just through the night, by the 4th I was OK for a week.
Can you be more specific what kind of herbs were you using?
Although other females in my family did not experience menopause until their 50′s, after having an ovarian cyst removed 5 years ago, at the age of 41, menopause hit me – slowly at first and in the last year, like a train. I spoke to a GP about it and said it can be brought on by major abdominal surgery – even though one ovary was left. She also said that in Japan, there is no word for menopause as it’s symptoms are not considered serious enough to warrant a word for it. She believed that soya in their diet is the reason for it. So armed with this information I bought soya supplements – it took a month but all hot flashes disappeared completely. I thought it was perhaps a fluke, but after going away for a couple of days, I forgot to take my supplements with me. The flashes returned, not badly and I had them under control as soon as I returned to soya.
Thanks to soya, my ‘personal summers’ are a thing of the past
I work for an alternative MD (uses supplements too) and also have an RN degree. I’m in menopause and have been for a couple years now. I’ve got it bad.
At first the progesterone cream worked, but that stopped. I’ve tried just about everything, including Bio hormones, which made me gain 7 pounds and Bio hormones as in homeopathy drops, which is out there as well, and just makes my hormones “squirrel-y”… I’ve tried all the herbs recommended in Susun Weed’s book too. Nada.
I think my worst thing was not sleeping at night! And then the hot flashes second. NOW brand has a new “Herbal Pause” out that is NOT any of the traditional S. Weed herbs — that helps the hot flashes for me, so far, more than anything else, including the Bio’s.
My biggest help was using (for sleep) an over-the-counter product that the doc gets from a company called Sanesco. The product is called “Somni TR”. Even though I am familiar with all the ingredients, and have tried them separately, for some reason the combo works quite well, as far as sleeping goes! THANK GOD.
Still doing “trials” on myself with other things that come up (like tried 20 mg of Folic Acid, after reading a trial done on it — worked just so-so)…
can’t wait to hear about the Chinese herb preps Carrie is doing!
For Carrie – Regarding your “memory fog” – I had memory fog for about six months. Turns out I had pernicious anemia – low vitamin B12 – which can affect several aspects of your neurological systems. I would recommend getting it checked out.
I also found a lot of support in Susun Weed’s book. The “cooling” herbs she mentions have helped a lot — chickweed, elderflower, violet leaf.
St. John’s wort herb (tea made from the dried herb, can also use the tincture) usually helps me with depression and concentration issues.
But the herbal remedies that have helped me the most during menopausal transition are red clover blossom and sage. Red clover help with mood swings, edginess, depression, flashes, etc. It’s rich in phytoestrogens, similar to soy; so could be an option for those who avoid soy. The red clover herb (leaves, stems, and petals) is easier to find than the whole blossoms, not quite as potent but still effective. Sage is also high in phytoestrogens and helped a lot with flashes. I like using fresh sage for tea when I can find it but dried sage is fine.
Also for me lately, nervousness, agitation, and edginess are pronounced. I quit coffee for a few weeks but it didn’t make much of a difference. The herbs I turn to for these matters are tulsi (holy) basil and skullcap; both are soothing and nourishing for the nerves, calming without being overly sedating.
Hope this helps! I love working with the plant remedies and learning about them. Susun Weed teaches the Wise Woman tradition which focuses on the idea of nourishment for healing.
I took a workshop with her a while ago and she startled everyone by recommending what amounted to a mostly primal diet and the health benefits of grassfed meat. (A lot of people in the group were vegetarians and she freaked them out talking about the healing properties of meat!)
I am one of the one’s whose hot flashes got maximally worse after going primal. For the first couple of weeks my energy soared, then I dropped a couple of pounds and the hotflashes came on like gangbusters, especially every 90-120 minutes all through the night. Other sx of low estrogen were anxiety/panic attacks, depression, and leg aches.
At first I tried gabapentin, which did calm the hot flashes and help me get a good night’s sleep at first. but I found that as I increased tolerance to the medication, I had to keep increasing the dose and then it finally just stopped working. But I had had a taste of a good nights sleep and was determined to get that back – in fact it is essential for me to be able to perform my stressful, physically demanding job as a hospital RN.
Next up was the estradiol patch, with period doses of prometrium (these are both synthetic, but bioidentical hormones). I feel like I got my life back!!! As menopause has progressed, I still have some fluctuations in estrogen level that will bring on maybe one hot flash in a night and the occasional anxiety attack, but nothing I can’t live with. I am on the lowest dose patch (25 mcg).
My research into doing estrogen was that it seems to be physically safer to use it at the onset of menopause as the body is adjusting (or having trouble adjusting) to lowered estrogen levels. It poses most dangers for older women who are already way past menopause. I see it as a bridge to a happy adjustment to permanently lower estrogen levels and the ride to get there can be less bumpy with an estrogen supplement that can be tapered off in a smoother course.
I started primal to improve my health and energy levels, not out of some ideological purity. I wear an estrogen patch for the same reason.
“As much of a pain as they are, I should add that some studies suggests that hot flashes bode well for post-menopausal health. Researchers have found that women who experience hot flashes, especially early in menopause, have a lower risk of developing breast cancer, stroke, and heart disease.”
And
“Although most women will experience some degree of hot flashes during menopause, certain factors like obesity, smoking, and inactivity can put your at higher risk. Caffeine, alcohol, sugar, and spicy foods can exacerbate hot flashes.”
I find these two statements to be at odds with each other. I’m not a medical professional and I am a 50 year old woman who has never experienced a hot flash so perhaps it’s just ignorance on my part.
My husband and I have been eating Paleo since last year. We have been walking an hour a day for the past 6 years. Prior to eating Paleo, we ate as close to the tree as possible eventually getting rid of grains in 2010 (although we do indulge on special occasions). We rarely drink, don’t smoke and have been told we have the healthiest hearts the doctor has seen for people of our age. We take no prescription medicines.
I have watched my sister, who is three years younger than me, practically melt into a puddle with hot flashes. She is overweight, smokes, drinks, takes (at last count) 12 prescription medicines and eats a diet of processed and fast food.
I find it hard to believe that if I don’t experience hot flashes that when I reach a post menopausal age that I will actually be less healthy than she is because she did experience them given the difference in our two lifestyles.
I agree with what several people above have said that everyone is different and will react differently to the same situation but I’m really struggling trying to make the two statements above work in my head.
Lauri, every person is different. I think it just suggests that otherwise healthy women shouldn’t worry about experiencing them. If they’re exacerbated by one’s lifestyle and food choices, then that’s not a good situation. If you’re doing everything right and experience them nonetheless, it’s not something to worry about. I liken it to morning sickness in pregnancy. Women who have morning sickness have lower risk of pregnancy loss/complication, but that doesn’t mean women who don’t have those things are going to experience complications.
I like that explanation. I do realize there is a lot that researchers don’t know and may never know. It’s just those two statements seemed so at odds with each other when I read them!
Yes it is hard to comment when one has not experienced hot flashes, and yes, those two statements ARE at odds with each other! The fact is, scientists just don’t KNOW.
Not only are people SO different fm each other, the hormonal titration that goes on in our bodies is SO unique to each, SO incredibly subtle, that it can’t be measured and documented in any satisfying way.
…at least not yet. 
I know hundreds of women who are overweight and lead unhealthy lifestyles and yet I’m the one falling down with hot flashes that are literally like going into labor. It’s all very mysterious!!
I did some research on bioidentical hormones on my blog, they seem to be a lot safer than conventional HRT even though the studies are quite limited.
I hope it’s okay that I post the link in here, since a few people seem to be wondering about them:
http://www.kriskris.com/bioidentical-hormones-side-effects/
I have a comment and a question. I started having hot flashes at the age of 50, and still have them 7 years later. BUT……they are FAR less frequent and intense. When they first started they were literally every 15 minutes of the day or night. Now, maybe one an hour, and then not for several hours, and not very intense. So what i’m trying to say is, it’ll get better, slowly and gradually. Much much better. The question is this: i notice that when i start a “diet” (meaning, cutting out the donuts and chocolates and being “good” again) that my hot flashes increase! I have asked this question to a lot of people and nobody knows the answer. It’s this: are hormones stored in body fat in some way and when you start to lose weight are they released from the fat cells, thereby increasing symptoms? When you lose weight, are substances released from fat cells that you feel in the form of hot flashes?? I would love to hear opinions on that.
I’ve been told and read that fat produces estrogen in small amounts, therefor when having a bit more body fat symptoms would be less severe.
I just never understood how a passive cell can produce a hormone…beats me lol.
Interesting! You may be right!
My wife suffered for 4 years with hot flashes etc. After much urging from me we went to see a doctor that specialized in bio-identical hormones. We both are taking them and have seen remarkable results. Her hot flashes were gone in two weeks and she lost 20 pounds. My libido improved greatly and am now able to build muscle. BTW, we were both primal for a year before starting. She had tried every natural remedy out there, to no avail.
I noticed peri symptoms at 40. Used an herbal progestrone cream then (FemCreme). This year (age 51) I started getting hot flashes. I tried plain old herbal supplements & that seems to be working for me. “Female Comfort” by Natures Sunshine or Change-o-Life by Nature’s Way. Took 2-3 weeks & they subsided to near non-existance…
I still have my coffee in the morning (half-caf)
so, that seems to be what works for me
I just wanted to add:
It may be that some notice posts about women experiencing hot flashes on the primal diet simply because it is that time in thei lives, and not because they are on the Primal Diet. You would probably experience some portion of these things whether you are eating that way or not. It’s also possible that the symptoms would be worse if not on the diet. I know women not on the Primal Diet who complain about the very same issue of sleep deprivation. This is a strong complaint from many women, most who are not on the diet. So I would think that some may inadvertantly think the Primal diet contributes to the sleep issues when in fact they would experience these same issues even if they were not eating this way, possibly even worse.
“It may be that some notice posts about women experiencing hot flashes on the primal diet simply because it is that time in thei lives, and not because they are on the Primal Diet”
This may be simply coincidence for some but in my case I had my intense period of hot flases behind me by 3 or 4. When I switched to low carb (Protein Power ) and subsequently Primal, I started to experience hot flashes and imsomnia at night. I don’t think it is related to weight loss and fat releasing stored estrogen as I had just lost 30 lb. on Weight Watchers with no flashes.
Perhaps it is going low carb rather than primal?
Insomnia is often linked with low carb. A common side effect in some.
That is my experience. Ive been paleo for about three years. Menopause for me happened really suddenly. Menstration went from regular to nothing over 8 months. And hot flushes started over a couple of weeks, and have continued through the first 3 months with no cycle. Prior to that I only had hot flushes with gluten in my diet.
I thought this was interesting regarding the importance of hanging onto your uterus if possible. It isn’t just for babies and periods.
http://www.goldenalmond.com/healthy-living/2011/04/a-womans-well-being/
Turns out our wombs serve a lot of functions throughout our lives. One of the things that the article didn’t mention is that one of the signs of ovarian cancer after menopause is abnormal bleeding. If you’ve had your uterus removed but not the ovaries, you’d miss this important symptom.
Acupuncture has helped me a great deal. Both my acupuncturist and an herbalist gave me the same advice for hot flashes. It sounds counter-intuitive, but it does help when I remember to do it:
A half-hour before you go to bed, soak your feet in a bucket of hot water for about ten minutes. Make the water as hot as you can (think hot-tub) and deep enough to cover a hand’s width above your ankles. Sounds strange, but it works for me.
It’s true, everyone is different. What works for one woman will not necessarily work for another. And what works for you at one stage may not work at another! It’s a constant process of evolution and discovery.
Has anybody tried drinking raw goat milk to relief symptoms?
I took Estroven for 8 years – worked like a charm then stopped working 2 years ago – went primal and that worked like a charm until recently…i ve found two different medical professionals recommending oils for hot flashes. A book – The Brain Trust program by Dr. McCleary recommends MCT oil (refined coconut oil) and Flaxseed oil and fish oil (epa) – being primal I am already eating coconut oil and fish oil – but the coconut oil (albeit, its medium chain tricyclerides are only half what MCT oil offers but would think unrefined coconut oil would be better than refined?) – i’ve added flaxseed oil and am waiting to see how my next cycle goes. Also, found this suggestion from a naturopath group in AZ alternating evening primrose and flaxseed oils. http://www.prescottnaturopathicdoctors.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=80:bio-identical-hormone-replacement-therapywho-needs-it&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=76
Bio-identical hormones have worked wonders for me. I tried all kinds of things before and wished I had started them much earlier. I was having mood, memory and concentration problems, I even lost my job. I have always avoided medications but in desperation ended up on one for depression, one for anxiety and one for sleep and still did not feel good. I tapered off all of them after starting the hormones and feel good again.
I have a question that may sound a bit weird (my GP certainly thinks so). I have noticed that, when I turn over in bed, a hot flash follows… Has anyone else had that experience??
I have been in full menopause since I was 46. (I’m 52) Hot flashes minimal until this summer (southern hemisphere), but really melting now.
I have been gluten free for 18 months (celiac disease) and Primal for about a month…
i ve noticed the same thing – if i turn to sleep on my side often a hot flash starts up.
Yes! I noticed that too.
Yes, and also the following situations:
* when I sit for awhile & then stand up.
* when I stand for awhile & then quickly sit down.
Also:
* before I’m done with a class of wine or beer I get a hot flash.
Granted, these are the more mild hot flashes, but still you’d think the medical profession would better understand hot flashes given the direct cause n effect observations.
Oh – thank you ladies!
It is so nice to know that I’m NOT weird! My GP has said he will ask his other menopausal women if they notice the same thing (I seem to be the canary in the mine for all sorts of things lately!)
Wine does it to me too, but since going Primal I’m not drinking very often.
All I need now is for the weight-loss to start!
Same for me. I get into bed – hot flush, even in winter, cant tolerate a warm bed anymore. Turn over – hot flush. Other triggers, eating, drinking wine or hot drink, feeling anxious, ccoking dinner (warm stove). Moving from one temperature to another. outdoors to indoors. I dont like a hot house at all now.
I’ll I know is what my Acupuncturist tells me.She has recommended acupuncture and herbs for menopausal symptoms and I noticed Carrie did too.The amazing thing is my Acupuncturist got real excited about something the Western Community peer reviewed and has many people using for many things,hot flashes is one of them.With the FDA running around you can’t say all that much about anything without side effects.As Mark does intensive research into his articles I thought I could share here as well as it has 25 universities studying with remarkable findings.The MD who found SOD (Suoper Oxide Dismutuse) back in 1969 has created an herbal formula that takes TBars (aging markers) from any age including 80 yr olds to those of a 20 yr old. What it does to oxidative stress which cause more than 400 types of age related diseases is verified as well.It gets the body to release it’s own enzymes and fight free radicals at millions per second and nothing ever created is in the same game. I strongly advise to research before you make any judgements as this is pretty well documented .www.PonceDeLeonFountainofYouth.com