Hot flushes!

[Liverette]

Hello PBC ladies,

I have been worried about my hot flushes not going away...I just turned 50, and I've had them for 5 years now, right after early menopause at 45. I am afraid of taking hormones for two reasons: PBC and also my platelets are little higher than normal and hormone therapy is not recommended, fearing for blood clot.

I am always hot, especially during summer and feel alone in this, since everyone I know is comfortable, while I'm complaining of heat and fanning myself...

I have Hashimoto's and I'm always monitored by my GP.

Please share with me your experiences of hot flushes and if you found any help or remedies. It is frustrating.

Thank you for reading my post!

[LindyRich]

Have you had your vitamin D levels checked?

A deficiency can make some people hot all the time. Especially the scalp.

[Skypony]

Hi Liverette, I also avoided HRT. If this is normal menopausal flushes I'm afraid they can go on for longer than 5 years (in my experience) but with declining intensity. Now I'm never woken in the night by a flush, and I've realised they're on the way out.

Coping strategies;

1) If you're near a tap but can't splash water all over you, just run your hands under cold water and it helps.

2) A small plant water spray or spritzer is refereshing.

3) Carry a small fan in your handbag (paper or battery) or improvise - if in a restaurant, use a menu. My favourite 'fan' to carry around is a cardboard Amazon envelope - works a treat!

4) If you can't do any of the above, imagine you're having a cooling shower, because the mind is a powerful tool.

Best wishes

[GrittyReads]

I agree with Skypony. Hot flushes can go on for years - longest I've heard of was 14 years.

I still have them at 61, although they are pretty infrequent now. I'm otherwise pretty much post-menopause, with my oestrogen levels definitely suggesting it, [NB that was before my mirena coil was removed 18 months ago - I had that, for 6 years, for 'endometriosis' which got very bad post-pill, but pre-menopause]. My flushes started about 5-6 years ago, and were mainly at night, causing dreadful sleeplessness and then awful migraines from lack of sleep. Tiny doses of Amitriptylene helped me to sleep, but otherwise it was cold water and tissues ... so as to be able to surreptitiously (eg in posh restaurants) soak tissues and then swab myself. Fishing ice out of drinks and rubbing them on myself was not unheard of !

However, I imagine mine were not so bad, as I am always cold.

I hope you get some more useful advice.

Gritty

[Liverette]

Thank you all for replying to my post and for your useful advice.

[dollydaydreams]

sorry I cant help as i went for the HRT option