Hot flashes, cycling and running

[Dogmama]

"They" say that caffeine also increases hot flashes. It's true for me - I'll be sweatin' & drinkin' my mornin' cup 'o' Joe...

[Bike Chick]

I'm on hrt so the hot flashes and night sweats are at bay right now....I have issues with ummmmm, uhhhhh, how do I say it but "incontinence" when I run. I can't finish a 5k without finding a bush just past 2.5 miles! I don't know what I'm gonna do when they harvest all the corn along my running route!

[Crankin]

I tried black cohosh years ago, when I was in peri. It didn't do a thing. I just deal with the flashes. Usually keep a big bottle of water by me and drink a bunch when I feel one starting. I mostly have one big one when I wake up.
My worst symptom has been the "dryness" issue, which put a severe crimp in my love life. I got an E-string about 5 years ago and it has made a nice improvement, but the issue is still there. The nurse practitioner I went to at my last doctor said that this is also an issue of "use it or lose it," so i guess I need to "use it" more. But, getting the E-string, definitely eliminated some of the pain I had cycling, which were not really saddle issues.
My gyn. is a tri-athlete, but when I first went to her, she had not started this and she was kind of clueless when I tried to describe the issue I was having. Now, she always asks.

[Biciclista]

I made a comment to my doctor after she prescribed a tube of estrace for all of the above tissue complaints; "what did women my age do before Estrace?" She said women of a certain age didn't ride bikes or have sex much once upon a time.
Bike Chick, there are exercises and programs for people in your situation. you might send a message to Knotted Yet she can tell you the name of it.

[arielmoon]

No chemicals in my body thank you. I take Chinese herb blends that I get from my acupuncturist. My hot flashes are mild and the night sweats are gone.

I dont know that exercise has any effect on them one way or another.

[Dogmama]

No chemicals in my body thank you. I take Chinese herb blends that I get from my acupuncturist. My hot flashes are mild and the night sweats are gone.

I dont know that exercise has any effect on them one way or another.

I'm glad that you can do minimal things for your hot flashes. I was that way for years - a few herbs, some acupuncture, a nice massage and I could handle them. Then I spent one solid year sweating at least 5-7 times a day so badly that rivers ran down my torso and my calves even sweated. I'd be damned if I was going to "cave." Then, the memory and the sleep started suffering and I couldn't stand to be in my own skin. So, I take a dusting of estrogen & progesterone. Much better.

My point - be careful about being supercilious. You never know what the future holds.

The "chemicals" are bioidentical, not horse urine, btw. So, I don't consider them foreign chemicals.

[Crankin]

Dogmama, the E-string is the same thing as the tablets, except you just insert a new one every 3 months. It's about 2mg of estrogen over that period. Very low dose. It's a ring that is just like the ones that are used for birth control.
As for the natural remedies, +1. I tried everything, and while my symptoms were mild, none of the natural remedies helped. So, I just lived with the flashes and got the help for the dryness.
Sherrylouz, early forties is not too young for perimenopause. I was around 42-43 when my periods started becoming irregular, heavy, and annoying. They stopped when I was 48, but for two years before that, I went 9-11 months without a period. So, while some people are having kids at age 42, I was definitely in perimenopause. My mom and aunt both were the same way.

[arielmoon]

indi- cool weather does seem to help me too!

I'm glad that you can do minimal things for your hot flashes. I was that way for years - a few herbs, some acupuncture, a nice massage and I could handle them. Then I spent one solid year sweating at least 5-7 times a day so badly that rivers ran down my torso and my calves even sweated. I'd be damned if I was going to "cave." Then, the memory and the sleep started suffering and I couldn't stand to be in my own skin. So, I take a dusting of estrogen & progesterone. Much better.

My point - be careful about being supercilious. You never know what the future holds.

The "chemicals" are bioidentical, not horse urine, btw. So, I don't consider them foreign chemicals.

I hear you. Loosing sleep is not worth it! I am very grateful that I am able to manage it this way even if it is only temporary. The idea with the Chinese herbs is to encourage my body to make the hormones instead of replacing them with something foreign. The only time I have taken hormones was after the ovomectomy to keep me from cycling for a few months and I really didnt like it. I will never say never but for now the herbs and acupuncture are working!

[Seajay]

The "chemicals" are bioidentical, not horse urine, btw. So, I don't consider them foreign chemicals.

I just finished reading Mia Lundin's book. She is a huge proponent of bioidentical hormones. Problem is that its proving impossible to find anything by an M.D. on the subject.
Comments on bioidenticals? success or issues with them? and can anyone quote medical studies or refer an M.D.
Thanks!