Hot flashes!?

[Tuckervill]

My Aunt Linda said it felt like you were burning up from the inside out.

I'm pretty sure now that I'm getting hot flashes, if they can be described to last less than a minute. I'm only 45. My parents and everyone all say I'm too young to be having symptoms of peri-menopause, but I've been sure of it for about 3 years now. I'm not too young. It's why I'm trying so hard to get this weight off, while I still have the hormones on my side.

Karen

[ridebikeme]

Well, I have to agree with everyone that mentioned Black Cohosh, it has definitely helped me! I do know that caffiene seems to make things a bit worse, but not exactly sure why. I have also used the over the counter medication"Estroven" and that has definitely helped as well. I have a couple of friends that actually use that and black cohosh.

As for being too young, I definitely do NOT believe that. I started having symptons right before I turned 40. No one in my family had gone through menopause that early, but nonetheless I was... quess that's why we are all different. Currently, I am 49, and still having hot flashes, but the above has definitely helped me.

Good luck!

[Crankin]

I started having hot flashes at around age 49, but I had been in peri meno. since my early forties. I would go 8-9 months without a period and then have one on and off for years. I have been in menopause for five years, started really having the flashes after the first year of no periods. Black Cohash did nothing. I just kept a water bottle nearby and took a long drink. I find if I am in a warm room, it brings one on. I don't have too many now, but have one every morning when I wake up. I don't know, I just dealt with it.

[annie]

I started having hot flashes at around age 49, but I had been in peri meno. since my early forties. I would go 8-9 months without a period and then have one on and off for years. I have been in menopause for five years, started really having the flashes after the first year of no periods. Black Cohash did nothing. I just kept a water bottle nearby and took a long drink. I find if I am in a warm room, it brings one on. I don't have too many now, but have one every morning when I wake up. I don't know, I just dealt with it.

Thanks, Robin. That's about where I feel I am now. I know we're all different, but it helps to hear from someone who's gone through a similar experience.

Annie

[surgtech1956]

annie - your story sounds familar. I started around 47, I'm now 51. I didn't have a period for a few months, then I had 2 in one month, then they just stopped. After this I had some hot flashes they weren't that bad. THEN I started the real hot flashes and the night sweats - not sleeping well. I didn't want HRT, I tried some of the herbal - over the counter stuff --- nothing really worked for me. About a year ago I started sleeping again and no more night sweats. And the hot flashes are just little warm surges. One thing I did do is reduce my caffeine - especially coffee intake and this really helped with the hot flashes. After all this, now comes the dryness. I still trying to adapt.

[mimitabby]

I'm 55 and have been having hot flashes for at least 10 years.

They're not as bad as menstruation, cramps, and mess.

It used to strike me as kinda funny; now it's just part of what I am.

[Zen]

My Aunt Linda said it felt like you were burning up from the inside out.

I had one hot flash and it was exactly like that.
I thought someone had a voodoo doll of me and set it on fire.

[margo49]

I've had "heat waves" a lot; some medially "inspired" and some natural.
Like Robin I just got on with it and thanked Who-ever/ What-ever that I was still alive to *have* them.
That said every now and again it would drive me nuts . But I go nuts about something every couple of months anyway.
Solutions - there are lots around but the problem is finding what works for you. I never tried anything too technical anyway (history of estrogen-related breast cancer)
Basically, I think the struggle to fix, avoid, treat and control is sometimes more than trouble than its worth; especially with something that is going to sort itself out eventually (unless you get run over by a bus first )

[DDH]

I am only 43 and still have regular periods but I woudl swear I am having hot flashes. I will be sitting here and just out of no where my back and shoulders and the back of my neck will feel like I am about to internally combust.

My DH is always complaining because I am so hot all the time, but if I don't have cool air blowing on my, I will start having these incidents. We go back and forth with the air conditioner. Mine may be because of my weight and I am sure that doesn't help, but that heat wave that hits me on my back is not just weight. That flows through me, my mood changes quickly, and I feel like if I don't get cooled off, I will explode. Makes a person very iritable, or at least it does me.

My doctor tells me, I am too young and since I am still having regular periods that I am not going into menopause, but I would swear I am, periods or not.

I just wish if that is what it is I could get rid of the periods. I'm ready for those to go away.

[KnottedYet]

DDH - sounds like hot flashes to me. I've got 'em in just the same patterns as my mom and her mom, but I'm still having periods. From what my ancestresses say, it goes on for about 10 years.... (oh, crud!)

BTW: I'm younger than you, but older than my ancestresses when they started this stuff.

[RoadRaven]

In NZ we call'em hot flushes...

[deedolce]

DHH - I think they're considered pre-menopausal when you get hot flashes and still have your period. I still have mine, and have had hot flashes of and on for years. I had them seriously, then lost 20 pounds (yay cycling!) then I'm getting them again. And I've always had a regular period, haven't missed one yet.

I'm going to try the Black Cohash though. Thanks for this thread!