I have nothing to offer except my hopes that you will find some relief. I too have gone through the 'change' and come out the other end ok. Hot flashes were wicked and I, like you, did not want to resort to HRT.

For me, I just made sure that I ate right (I found that keeping the refined sugars down really helped) , drank lots of water, exercised every day and tried to get enough sleep. But it sounds like you're dealing with hereditary problems as well.. I will commiserate with you and hope you find relief!

I was having horrible hot flashes a few weeks ago but they seem to have tapered off lately. It might be that the sciatica pain and the pain in that same sideâÂÂs foot are overwhelming my notice of hot flashes. IâÂÂm not coping well with either or all annoyances very well at the moment. Exercise is impossible for me right now and thatâÂÂs my biggest problem. When I can exercise I feel I have some control.
I am very interested in this topic though and Annie I have never heard of those natural hot flash remedyâÂÂs but will look them up.

What about soy protein. Not only good to relieve menopausal symptoms but good for your heart.

There are some nasty implications of the unfermented soy which is what is available to us in the US vs. fermented soy products used in Asia. I don't know how true any of this stuff is, but it is probably worthwhile checking into before pursuing.

Here is a link that might be useful: Dark side of soy

Soy milk helps relieve my flashes. However, I think it messes with your hormones. My cousin had breast cancer and was told by her doctor to avoid soy. With your family history, you may want to research before trying it. Good luck.

When going through that stage I discovered a lot of the hot flashes I had were triggered by something I ate like sugar or carbs. Also, if my body temp changed too fast, by that I mean if I was freezing cold and snuggled up in a blanket, the quick change would rapidly trigger the heat flash. My point is if you document what you ate or were doing when they happen you may see a pattern of triggers as well.

I honestly believe the change would have been a lot worse for me if I hadn't of figured that out and adjusted my habits accordingly.

This post was edited by lukkiirish on Thu, Apr 4, 13 at 19:13

I resorted to HRT for a year and it REALLY helped. Nothing else worked and I was miserable. Couldn't sleep because of night sweats. I would get really hot, sweat to death, then freeze. Repeat all night. It was like I had the flu.

I quit taking HRT after a year and I've mostly been great. Sure, I can freeze DH out of the house but he has agreed it's easier for him to put on his merino wool undies and a vest than to have me way too hot to move around the house. Plus I remind him of the savings on the heating bill...

I tried everything under the sun before resorting to HRT but I can honestly say that I have no regrets. A year is a short time...

Yeah, I just found out that soy milk is not the best for us women of a certain age. Just like many things, you think you're making a good change to your diet, then BAM "studies show", etc.
I don't know your age, but I thought I had breezed through menopause at 52. Then all of the a sudden I thought I was going to self combust! And I had hot flashes regularly for years -- it was so awful. The worst was at night when hubby-dubby and I would toss the blankets back and forth. But gradually they tapered off and now no real issues with "hot flashes", but I really haven't been cold since 1998! My biggest issue with MoP was/is sometimes I just feel like jumping out of my skin -- it's hard to explain -- but usually a good walk clears it away. I don't think we're ever really relieved of MoP symptoms (hot flashes being only one symptom) because there are the ever present POST MoP symptoms. My doctor discouraged phyto-estrogens they're geared toward your personal hormal replacement needs, but still synthetic. (someone correct me if I'm wrong). I'm still considering using some, though (at my age, I'm more willing to take a chance). The weight gain issue is my biggest problem right now, and I think hormone replacement will help alleviate some of that problem and boost quality of life issues.
One thing I would like to caution is the use of hormone creams. I think typically they can give some relief, but if applied to the forearm and not washed from hands, you can passively pass the hormones onto your pets and loved ones by hugging -- (who knew)!
Particularly annoying is that, although both men and women go through change of life issues, women suffer hot flashes for 10 years and men just buy a 4x4 or toy car, and THEY'RE THROUGH in a single weekend!
Hang in there. It probably won't get worse -- you just need to know what you're dealing with.

I should have added that Your Vitamins by Andrew Lessman (sold on HSN or online at yourvitamins.com) offers women's' vitamin supplements that claim to offer help for MoP issues. I personally didn't feel that hot flashes were alleviated, but I do think they can help with general feeling of well-being. Both of us take the supplements geared to men and women and feel better for it.

Has anyone had painful hot flashes? Sometimes the night ones hurt...as I'm laying in bed, I will get transient but deep pain in my extremities...legs and hands...not unlike the achiness that's familiar with a flu or fever...I don't usually notice the pain during the day though....

Experience is certainly a factor with the hot flashes...it's very difficult to put make up on after a shower as the shower often triggers a hot flash....ever try to powder a sweaty face??? Also stress is a trigger, like when I'm rushing with co. coming, it can trigger one. But then again, I can be sitting on the sofa, relaxed and then whooosh! Off comes the sweater! Or at night, in the middle of the night, you wake up for no reason and then about a minute later wham! What I've learned to do is wait for the heat, then get up and go potty so I'm not cold when I get out of bed. The worst is though, then I'm up for an hour or so and I finally start feeling sleep come on....I roll over, get real comfy and then pflume! The heat is on!

I have upcoming apptmts with my gyno and my primary care physician...I'll discuss the supplements with them as well. I know they won't know anything about this stuff, but at least we can discuss it and I'll bring them some research on it.

And don't you think it should at least be called "womenopause"????

annie1971, I was hoping I was breezing through menopause too, until your post. I am almost 51, had a hysterectomy which will be two years ago in July, and haven't had any hot flashes. I've been pre menopausal for about 2 years before my hysterectomy. My worst thing so far, is just moodiness and forgetfulness. I was hoping that was all I was going to deal with. My mom had hot flashes, but only for a couple of years. They say whatever your mother had, you will probably have too, but, so far, I haven't.

One thing my doc said was since I had fibroids, which are caused by too much estrogen (which is why I had hyster) that is why I don't have hot flashes. So, I guess, if you are low in estrogen, you are more suseptible to hot flashes.

This post was edited by olliesmom on Fri, Apr 5, 13 at 9:32

Among my family members, long term anti-depressants are used. My doctor's sister swore by them, and my doc was willing to put me on them as well. But I'm going to wait till I'm 70. :)

When I was caring for my mother, a very stressful situation, she couldn't have the AC on. So I would go around in my underwear. What choice did I have? My mother's friend told me "By the time you are 70 it will all be over". Because my mother was dying, and I figured I'd follow soon, living to 70 was a wonderful, optimistic, notion.

Until then, I'll layer and unlayer. When I shop I just strip off the left side of my body, carrying the extra layers on my right shoulder and arm. Oh, yes, I look charming. Back on they go when I have to walk down the freezer isle.

I have to say that I don't think my thermostat was ever that good. I used to be cold all the time, and even now my feet can be like 2 blocks of ice when my upper lip is dewey.

I just marvel at women who can wear polyester.

About the pain? I asked my acupuncturist about this. Even though he is kind of woo-woo it didn't resonate with him. When I first wake up but am not fully conscious I feel all kinds of pain. It's so brief; full alertness blanks it all out. I do wonder about that phenomena, and I'm so grateful that it is fleeting. I tell myself that it's my body doing its healing work in my sleep.

One more thing about the flashes -- I need air flow. Being in a closed room, or a room without 2 sides of windows is bad. It's not just the ambient temperature. I can tolerate higher temps if there's air. (Blowing or moving the stagnant air around doesn't count. It has to be real ventilation) Same with clothes. I can wear long sleeves if they don't cling.

And there's an emotional/spiritual component. I get a flash at Mass, every single time. It's worse when there's a big crowd. I strip down in there, too. It's better than having a wet face.

My mom had breast cancer. She also took estrogen. SIL had stroke at 51...also took estrogen. No HRT for me.

Instead I took Welbutrin. It helped.

Plus, I keep my bedroom at 66 at night.

My mom took HRT too, and had breast and cancer. She also had lung cancer, but it the lung cancer wouldn't have got her, the breast cancer would have, as it was aggressive. No family history of breast cancer until my mom. And other people I know who have said the same thing. Maybe it's a coincidence-but I'm not taking chances..No HRT for me either!

I know someone who keeps a small portable fan where ever she is in the house. When she feels a flash coming on, she snaps the button and it seems to help her through the hot flash.

Annie, I used to have those leg cramps, but it was every month when I had my period. In the 1970's I started reading Prevention magazine, which was not the slick mag it is now, and they talked about calcium deficiencies. One part of it was caused by using non-fat dairy (which I used to do) and they claimed it was necessary for you to digest fat with calcium to utilize it. The other part was an imbalance of calcium, magnesium and phosphorous, caused in part by drinking diet soda (an excess of phosphorous in those drinks leaching magnesium and calcium from your system). I always struggled with my weight, so both those things were part of my diet. They claimed that even calcium supplements, if they contained phosphorous (if you had excess phosphorous intake from soda) would not help the imbalance and your body would not utilize the calcium. I don't know if it's true or not, but what I did cured my leg aches every month.

I found a liquid calcium, magnesium supplement (without phosphorous) and began taking it, along with switching to 1% dairy. If I would run out, or get out of the habit of taking it, I would get these terrible aches in my legs at the onset of my period. I remember several times when my legs would start this terrible aching, during my 1 hour commute, stopping at a health food store to get my calcium and chugging a bit of it in the car, then continuing on my way home. By the time I reached home the aching had stopped. It happened enough times that I became a true believer in their theory.

So, even if you take calcium, read up on the best kind to take, see if it contains magnesium and phosphorus and if you drink soda, try to find a supplement without the phosphorus. And if you use only nonfat dairy, try switching to 1% for some things and see if it makes a difference.

Here is a link that might be useful: one article on calcium supplements

Thanks olychick....interesting. I don't think it's calcium though as my gyno complains I take too much. I also never drink soda...maybe one seltzer a day...and I'm a full fat dairy person...I use whole milk and cream. I also take calcium multiple times a day as I know the body can absorb only so much at once, and I take magnesium every day. So I'm pretty sure that's not it.

I think I need to get more diligent about my flax seed oil though which really helps.

I spoke with my neighbor yesterday who is a professional accupuncturist and is involved with Chinese medicine. I don't think he was familiar with shatavari, but he uses pueraria mirifica. He suggested I try one and give it about 3 weeks to see if there are any effects. If that doesn't work, try the other. I mentioned that my gf tried the latter and started cycling. He said, yes that can happen for a few months or maybe a year....of course, he said it so nonchalantly. If he thinks I'm going to put up with that at this age, he's crazy!

But their take on medicine is so different from western meds. He used the example of a tree that has a fungus. Western apporach is to treat the direct symptom... spray the tree with fungicide. Chinese approach is to treat the entire tree....drain the water at the base of the tree and trim the branches back to let in more sunlight so the tree will grow healthier on its own.

I've started taking the shatavari....I'll let you all know how it goes....

I've tried any number of OTC and herbal "remedies" that did absolutely nothing for me. The only thing that helped noticeably was when I was on bioidentical HRT. That stuff was amazing, and I'd still be on it, were I not more afraid of the possible implications than I am of dripping sweat in front of people. My symptoms seem to ebb and flow. I was recently in the UK and despite driving on the opposite side of the street and racing to catch departing buses, I rarely had a hot flash. They've come back fiercely over the past couple of weeks, however, and I'm miserable once again. I'll have a "really big flash" shortly after I doze off every night, and while brushing my teeth every morning. It's like I can absolutely count on those two to hit. The rest of them come at will; often when someone important to me professionally is in my office. ::sigh::

I have some hot flashes that begin with a certain feeling of anger that builds to near-rage proportions at times. Of course, those are accompanied by profuse sweating and a beet red body from head to toe. I'm not happy about these things being a part of my life, but I guess I've more or less resigned myself to it all. My mother, who is 73, still experiences "moments in hell" from time to time.

When I read your post this morning, Annie, I laughingly recalled the great scientists and doctors who used themselves to experiment for a cure. Well, not really recalled, because I can't remember anything any more, but sort of remembered and asked DH and went on a web search after work. You are the noble Jesse Lazear of the change!

(I'm taking Ginko)

Here is a link that might be useful: Yellow Fever Hero

Hopefully not that dangerous...shatavari is a plant based product (indian asparagas) and has been used in ayurvedic tradition for centuries.....

Then there's Schwarzbein's Hormone Balancing Therapy for treating menopause....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBs8O5cr7WY

more at:
http://www.youtube.com/user/MENOPAUSEPOWER