Electrical Shocks to the Skin: Menopause

[ny biker]

Hot flashes are my new pms symptom. But I don't get cramps anymore.

[OakLeaf]

When I quit soy I had a few months of frequent but very brief hot flashes.

It was a nice respite from being freezing all the time.

Now, I might get one every 2-3 weeks.

And now that the weather's starting to turn, I'm freezing again.

I keep getting thicker around the middle. But it could be that's my own d*mn fault ... in perimenopause I was a gym rat with a lot of upper body strength. Lately I can't stand a workout that doesn't involve sunshine, so while I'm three pounds lighter, and running mileage that I couldn't even have imagined three years ago, I've lost a good bit of muscle mass in the arms, shoulders and upper back - it might have been that muscle that was keeping the menopot off.

[Biciclista]

been getting hot flashes for at least 15 years. but they're not earth shattering, there are far worse things.
I have skin hallucinations. I will be riding down the street and it will feel like a drop of water has hit me. I will feel that place and there will be nothing, no dampness.
happens once every month or so...

[stella2]

Personally I'm loving HRT

[azfiddle]

me too. Even with the HRT, I sometimes wake up at night feeling warm, but nothing like the full on, sweating and tingling symptoms I was having.

[KnottedYet]

Most of my hot flashes are at 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning. I've got a routine now, where I rip off my clothes and fire up my iPod to read in the dark until the flash stops. Then I put my clothes back on, get back under the covers, and go right back to sleep.

The problem is the ones I have at work... I have to keep my clothes on.

[malkin]

I have that zappy thing sometimes. I call it "Sparky."

The other symptoms, and maybe that one too, are well accounted for by Dr. Zen's voodoo hypothesis.

[IFjane]

been getting hot flashes for at least 15 years. but they're not earth shattering, there are far worse things.
I have skin hallucinations. I will be riding down the street and it will feel like a drop of water has hit me. I will feel that place and there will be nothing, no dampness.
happens once every month or so...

Me too! I hadn't thought about it until you mentioned it, Mimi.

My hot flashes never last more than 30 seconds or so, so I cannot complain. I am at high risk for breast cancer so I refuse to use HRT. Been going cold turkey since my surgery and it's ok. I can take the heat, even if it lasts until I'm 80!

[Biciclista]

Me too! I hadn't thought about it until you mentioned it, Mimi.

My hot flashes never last more than 30 seconds or so, so I cannot complain. I am at high risk for breast cancer so I refuse to use HRT. Been going cold turkey since my surgery and it's ok. I can take the heat, even if it lasts until I'm 80!

oh wow, i'm not alone!! thanks for letting me know, Jane!

I don't know and I'm not concerned about it yet. By the time I have been on it for several years (currently been on it about 6 months), they may have developed a very long term option. If not, I retire in 9 years and can accommodate my symptoms. Right now I have to work, be able to think straight and concentrate, so for now it's a Godsend

Stella, I'd be very surprised if your doctor lets you use HRT for ten years! at least in the states, the "rule" is 2 years.

[KnottedYet]

Stella, I'd be very surprised if your doctor lets you use HRT for ten years! at least in the states, the "rule" is 2 years.

Yeah, I'm seeing it used in my patients as a temporary bridge, just to get a woman over the hump. Not as a way of life!

[Dogmama]

Yeah, I'm seeing it used in my patients as a temporary bridge, just to get a woman over the hump. Not as a way of life!

I tried HRT & it made me grumpy like PMS. Tried all different formulations, more/less estrogen,progesterone, testosterone, etc. My hot flashes literally make me sweat all over. I didn't know I had sweat glands in my knees. It's embarrassing to suddenly have wet patches on your blouse. I get these ganzo flashes about 3-4 times a day. And let's not even talk about night sweats. You'd think I'd learn how to swim after all of this. In short, I'd gladly trade these for electrical sensations.

OTOH, some gyns will prescribe Effexor, an SNRI that seems to help some women with flashes. But, then you have to try to get off of Effexor - not an easy thing.

I haven't had a period in over three years and sometimes I think the flashes might be very slowly abating. I can hope.

[stella2]

Stella, I'd be very surprised if your doctor lets you use HRT for ten years! at least in the states, the "rule" is 2 years.

it's 5 years in the UK, and things move on all the time with research in this field, so I'll see how it goes.

This is an up to date information paper for women wondering about HRT. Its produced by well respected UK specialists associated with the advice/support website menopausematters. Might be worth a read for anyone wondering abbot the issues. http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/pdf/HRTandYou.pdf

[Bike Chick]

I guess I'm breaking all the rules. I had a complete hysterectomy at age 29 (22 years ago) and have been on HRT ever since. My ob/gyn scaled it back several years ago to a lower dose but I plan to stay on it as long as she will write me a script for it! I still have hot flashes occasionally but the positives outweigh the negatives for me right now. FWIW, I use the FemRing. It's wonderful! No pills to take (or forget). Just a simple ring placed in the vagina and replaced every 3 months. I love it.