Hot flushes so severe they make you feel faint

[TinaWright]

I had a massive operation last year - a complete hysterectomy and part of my bowel + apendix and omentrum removed. I am 53 years of age and nothing has been perscribed for the sudden menopause symptoms.

The hot swaets are making me misearable. They were horrid in the summer but I thought I would feel better once the weather cooled down. I can`t stand the heating on in the house, I am changing the bed clothes daily, I constantly feel wet all over. I have never sweat this much even when I useto do a long work out at the local gym. My whole body is soaked, even the back of my knees and ankles sweat. I feel disgisting but none of the doctors have offered me anything to help with this. The wigs became unbearably hot to wear in the summer and now I have my own hair back its always wet, I make up my face and there are beeds of perspiration on my top lip and forehead before I have finished applying the eye make up. Its really starting to get me down.

I also feel sooooo poorly when it happens, I feel incredibly weak and ill and sometimes faint and I have to sit or lay down. It feels like the flue.

One doctor told me this could take 5 years before it subsides - arghhhh, I may not live that long!!!! I can`t have HRT but not sure why.

Just need a little support - thanks in advance

Tina

[LouiseOvacome My Ovacome Team]

Hi Tina,

I'm so sorry to hear you are having such an awful time of it. I think its sometimes difficult for people to understand that hot flushes are far more than a short burst of feeling too warm!

Many women do have HRT after OC, but about 20% have a tumour which feeds on the oestrogens in the HRT. Its definitely worth asking your doctor if your tumour has been tested for this, and also make sure that your Gynae Onc nurse specialist knows how much you are suffering with it.

I for one didn't experience any alleviation with natural remedies such as Red Clover, and certainly some of the Chinese herbal treatments (Don Quosh or something like that!) don't work as your ovaries have been removed rather than stopped working. Its just a personal feeling but I would rather deal with the known quantities of HRT that anything else.

Have you asked your GP to refer you to a menopause clinic or specialist endocrinologist/gynaecologist? There are doctors out there who specialise in HRT matters, so a second opinion given your experiences seems totally in order.

Although you have been told it can take up to 5 years, I know it does get better as time passes, so please don't think it will be like this for a long time. It will get better.

Keep smiling!

Louise x