POLL - hot flashes

[Biciclista]

I rode about 70 miles yesterday, the most I have ridden this month. Afterwards (all night) I had several hot flashes. I normally get one or two a day.

Do you get hot flashes? More after exercise?

[azfiddle]

Not anymore... I just could not deal with waking up 4 times a night and having disrupted sleep- and then have to cope with a room full of 7th graders. I went on HRT about 2 years ago.

[Crankin]

I don't get hot flashes anymore (well, some night sweats, but that's related to other stuff) and I am 9 years post menopause. I *never* had flashes while exercising outside, riding, hiking, etc. I remember getting a couple in spin class and thinking how annoying they were. I don't remember them increasing after exercise.
The thing that made them worse was being in a hot environment. My un-airconditioned classroom in the spring, with a heater that was in overdrive in the winter was really the worst. I just drank my water bottle when it started and that seemed to stop it.
I just remember my mom being in AZ, having hot flashes, and suffering in the 112 degree heat... thankfully, they moved to San Diego when she was in the midst of it and she felt much better.

[Biciclista]

I don't have the flashes while I am riding. I have them the next night.

[five one]

I'm about six year post-menopause. Was on HRT for two years in the "peri" stage of things, when hot flashes and insomnia were at their worst. After I weaned myself off the HRT, I had the occasional hot flash, mainly triggered by stress. Insomnia is still an issue, however.

Now I can't remember the last time I had a hot flash. I don't think they were ever related to cycling or working out. I guess I should count myself among the fortunate.

[malkin]

About the same for me.
Random & sporatic.

The real sweaty ones are pretty unusual--maybe one a month or so. Not as much a problem as the old once a month routine.

[shootingstar]

I very rarely get hot flashes....so far.

And when I do, it's for 5-10 min., early morning after I am awake in bed.

[emily_in_nc]

Very rarely, so far (I'm 50 and still have periods...though they're more irregular than they used to be).

[Over50Newbie]

I find that if I exercise really hard and sweat a lot, then I don't get any night sweats that night. Talk about an incentive to keep exercising hard! :)

[Biciclista]

Oh how very interesting. So far, it's pretty random. Hot flashes for me are not really bad, they've been mostly amusing (which is a good thing because i've been having them for a LONG TIME)

[Sky King]

Maybe it is the added stress as well... I think I have hot flashes more from stress and perhaps not drinking enough water.
Now what I wish for is something that would make my muscles "sleeker" takes me a half an hour in the morning of walking and stretching to just lose the old lady walk, can't imagine what I would be like if I didn't ride my bike.

[OakLeaf]

Now what I wish for is something that would make my muscles "sleeker" takes me a half an hour in the morning of walking and stretching to just lose the old lady walk, can't imagine what I would be like if I didn't ride my bike.

Spend some time with the foam roller, spiky balls, Thera-Cane and other self-myofascial-release tools. Most of the morning stiffness I get is trigger points that knot up the muscles while I'm sleeping.

I'm one of the ones that the more intensely and the longer I work out, the fewer hot flashes I get. I guess I shouldn't have blown off the idea of doing a fall marathon this year. :p So far they're always brief and mild (and I've been having them for a couple of years now, so hopefully they won't get worse) - part of that is that having sweat rolling off me is just a normal thing for me, so if it happens one or two extra times in a day it's NBD. Hot weather is a trigger for me too, but seriously, when the weather is hot I barely notice them, it's hardly any different!

[itself]

Funny you should mention hot flashes after exercise. I rode 35 miles on Saturday. Took a shower. Then, as I was eating on the sofa, it looked like it was raining off my body! Never in my life! I turned 50 and all of a sudden the sweats are unreal....oh yeah, and not to mention getting my period a SECOND time...this is horrible!

[Dogmama]

My doc says stress adds to hot flashes & can actually cause them. So, it would make sense that after exercise when the endorphins are flowing, you'd have less flashes. Not my experience, though.

Mine are head to toe, sweat rolling down my torso flashes. None of this, "Gee, is it hot in here or is it me?" <giggle & bat eyes> I flash during the night & chocolate makes it worse. Not fair! Daytime, my first flash is during my morning coffee, but I'm not giving it up. Then, I'll flash after getting out of the shower which is really irritating. I dress in front of a fan.

The only good thing is if I have a flash while I'm lifting weights, people think I'm working really hard.

HRT does nasty things to my body. Makes my eyeballs dry up so my contacts feel like sandpaper. My hands & joints swell & hurt. My doc and I are still trying to find something that works, but the dosages are so low to avoid the complications that they don't touch my flashes.

So, I've been taking black cohosh and soy isoflavones. Interestingly, they do take the edge off without the nasty side effects. When I run out, I notice the flashes coming back with a vengeance. So, they must be working a little.

[Dr.Doo]

47 here and until recently (for the last year and half) I've had severe hot flashes during exercise and frequently during the day. They, and night sweats, were frequent until I discovered soy isoflavones - plant estrogens. I can't take HRT as I'm at high risk of breast cancer so soy has been my saviour. However I was still experiencing a reduced number of flashes.

Recently I consulted my gynae nurse and she suggested I take a drug called Dixarit (Clonadine - a migraine drug) which has had a profound effect upon the hot flashes/night sweats. In fact I haven't had one for a whole 6 weeks...Result!!

Still mad as a Menopausal Mad Hatter though! ;)