What is a hot flash like?

Alexis F
Alexis F Member Posts: 3,598
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I have never had a hot flash and hopefully won't for many years. But, they sound horrible. Can someone describe them?

Thanks,

Lex
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Comments

  • survivorbc09
    survivorbc09 Member Posts: 4,374 Member
    #2
    Don't know and Don't want
    Don't know and Don't want them

    :-D
  • Akiss4me
    Akiss4me Member Posts: 2,188
    #3
    Hot flashes and Night Sweats
    I am curious too as I will be experiencing them starting in the next couple months. Do they go hand in hand with each other? Is it that one is at night and the other during the day, hence the different names? Inquiring minds want to know!!! >(:-) Pammy
  • tjhay
    tjhay Member Posts: 655
    #4
    Akiss4me said:

    Hot flashes and Night Sweats
    I am curious too as I will be experiencing them starting in the next couple months. Do they go hand in hand with each other? Is it that one is at night and the other during the day, hence the different names? Inquiring minds want to know!!! >(:-) Pammy

    inquriring minds
    Night Sweats, of course as you have figured out this only happens when sleeping, what happens you are woken from a sound sleep drenched in sweat for no reason at all, for me it is like going from a nice cool room to suddenly walking into a steam room, this happens several times a night and disturbs your sleep pattern, some times i will just wake up for no reason, and i just know, and the suddenly i am assulted with the night sweat

    Hot Flashes, this happens any here any place, for me suddenly my face and chest will get very hot, to the point that it even turns bright red, you start to sweat, and is very uncomfortable, it can last a couple of mins to 10 or 15 mins.

    I am sure others will give you even more info on this,
    tjhay
  • tommaseena
    tommaseena Member Posts: 1,769
    #5
    tjhay said:

    inquriring minds
    Night Sweats, of course as you have figured out this only happens when sleeping, what happens you are woken from a sound sleep drenched in sweat for no reason at all, for me it is like going from a nice cool room to suddenly walking into a steam room, this happens several times a night and disturbs your sleep pattern, some times i will just wake up for no reason, and i just know, and the suddenly i am assulted with the night sweat

    Hot Flashes, this happens any here any place, for me suddenly my face and chest will get very hot, to the point that it even turns bright red, you start to sweat, and is very uncomfortable, it can last a couple of mins to 10 or 15 mins.

    I am sure others will give you even more info on this,
    tjhay

    Exactly put
    TJ-explained it correctly.
    I am finding the chemo induced menopause is different than natural menopause. The ladies at work that are going through natural menopause don't have as many night sweats or as powerful hot flashes as I do. It seems like mine is 24/7 and then I get very high power surges where in just a few seconds my head is beaded with sweat and then works it way down to the rest of my body.

    Hense the medical note from my oncologist for an air conditioner for my office at work--which has been approved by one big wig and now has to go through three more and two of them are men--which I might have to explain to them or have them come and see me at work sweating like a stuffed pig.

    Margo
  • mlmjt1
    mlmjt1 Member Posts: 537 Member
    #6
    Hey Lex
    I am 52 and went thru menopause at 49 and I have had hot flashes for years. Its sounds like what I had was not as intense as what these gals go thru related to chemo induced menopause.

    I found for me that they came at the most inopportune times...I am a homecare nurse and I would have one when I was doing a really hard blood draw or when I was gowned and gloved for an infectious patient. I actually several times had to go wipe my face off and walk outside for a few minutes to cool off. Old people seldom run air conditioners. I have a small fan at work and turn it on when I get hot. You never know when they are going to hit you...They usually start at the face, head and neck and work their way down. I have had to take my scarf off at work since my head starts to sweat. Then of course you get cold cuz youve been sweating.

    My family freezes in the house cuz I have to have it cool and I am constantly running the air in the car turning it on and off to suit my temperature which changes all the time.

    Fun huh...
    For what its worth, mine are not any worse or better since I started chemo...

    Best of luck
    Linda T
  • chenheart
    chenheart Member Posts: 5,159 Member
    #7
    I Feel Sweaty, Oh So Sweaty!
    In ruling on pornography some years back, I believe it was a Supreme Court justice who said, "I'm not sure just what pornography is, but I know it when I see it"! That was not a verbatim quote, but you get the idea!

    It is much the same with a hot-flash. It is a different hot from any you have had ever! It is a hot from the inside out~ and is instant, uncomfortable, sadly sweaty ( lovely if you are at a nice dinner,or sitting having a conversation and wham! Your face is suddenly "glowing" with not perspiration, but honest-to-god SWEAT!) These flashes leave as suddenly as they arrived; which is why they are called Flashes! You will see women looking for magazines to fan with, or drinking copious amounts of water, and just feeling embarrassed and HOT! This can happen when you are least expecting them, but more often at night, making sleep near impossible! But with everything else, they don't last forever either...and with the right attitude, you can pretend you are getting mini-facials regularly, and know it is contributing to supple, healthy-looking skin!! LOL

    Hugs,
    Claudia
  • cats_toy
    cats_toy Member Posts: 1,462 Member
    #8
    my hot flashes
    Sadly are not flashes, they last a good long time, and the best way I can describe them is that "fear" heat. When something scares you suddenly and hard, the heat starts inside and bursts out. The worst is obviously when you are trying to sleep, just as one starts fading, another comes up, doesn't make for a good nights rest. My doc prescribed Effexor. I told her I'm not depressed, I'm tired!! She said they have had a lot of good results with it for hot flashes, and I have only had about 6-10 a day since I've been on it as opposed to all day, all night. So it does work fairly well.
    Hope you don't have it as intensely as some!
    Cat
  • outdoorgirl
    outdoorgirl Member Posts: 1,565
    #9
    You get one
    and then you look around the room and say"Is it really hot in here,or is it just me?".
  • faithandprayer
    faithandprayer Member Posts: 177
    #10
    tjhay said:

    inquriring minds
    Night Sweats, of course as you have figured out this only happens when sleeping, what happens you are woken from a sound sleep drenched in sweat for no reason at all, for me it is like going from a nice cool room to suddenly walking into a steam room, this happens several times a night and disturbs your sleep pattern, some times i will just wake up for no reason, and i just know, and the suddenly i am assulted with the night sweat

    Hot Flashes, this happens any here any place, for me suddenly my face and chest will get very hot, to the point that it even turns bright red, you start to sweat, and is very uncomfortable, it can last a couple of mins to 10 or 15 mins.

    I am sure others will give you even more info on this,
    tjhay

    Perfect
    TJ has offered an absolutely perfect description of these two less than desirable experiences!

    On the night sweats, I would add that you might want to keep tons of pillowcases on hand, because your pillowcases get soaked - and keep a fan on hand, you'll want to blast it in your face...then, 5 minutes later, you'll be freezing. If you have a mate, you will drive them crazy.

    On the hot flashes, I would add that your bald my bald head gets gross & clammy. If I'm wearing the wig, it gets torn off and tossed immediately.

    Ugh!
    KC
  • rjjj
    rjjj Member Posts: 1,822 Member
    #11
    outdoorgirl said:

    You get one
    and then you look around the room and say"Is it really hot in here,or is it just me?".

    Just me?
    I can't count the imes i've said this LOL!
  • EveningStar2
    EveningStar2 Member Posts: 491 Member
    #12
    rjjj said:

    Just me?
    I can't count the imes i've said this LOL!

    Yes!
    I have tamoxifen induced hot flashes and the other nurse I usually work with has "natural" hot flashes. So we tend to look at one of the aides that is in her 20's and ask "is it hot in here? And when she gets cold in the middle of the night, I invite her to stand between the two of us and bask in out glow.

    Maureen
  • outdoorgirl
    outdoorgirl Member Posts: 1,565
    #13
    EveningStar2 said:

    Yes!
    I have tamoxifen induced hot flashes and the other nurse I usually work with has "natural" hot flashes. So we tend to look at one of the aides that is in her 20's and ask "is it hot in here? And when she gets cold in the middle of the night, I invite her to stand between the two of us and bask in out glow.

    Maureen

    Yes
    what a heater I'm sure you both make! Could cut down on heating costs!
  • Alexis F
    Alexis F Member Posts: 3,598
    #14
    outdoorgirl said:

    Yes
    what a heater I'm sure you both make! Could cut down on heating costs!

    Yikes! Hope I don't ever get
    Yikes! Hope I don't ever get them! Sorry that you have to go thru that!

    Lex
  • outdoorgirl
    outdoorgirl Member Posts: 1,565
    #15
    Alexis F said:

    Yikes! Hope I don't ever get
    Yikes! Hope I don't ever get them! Sorry that you have to go thru that!

    Lex

    Ah
    you know Lex,at least speaking for myself it's really not that bad. Not something I would want for a birthday present-that's for sure,but so far I am able to live with them.
  • CR1954
    CR1954 Member Posts: 1,390 Member
    #16
    cats_toy said:

    my hot flashes
    Sadly are not flashes, they last a good long time, and the best way I can describe them is that "fear" heat. When something scares you suddenly and hard, the heat starts inside and bursts out. The worst is obviously when you are trying to sleep, just as one starts fading, another comes up, doesn't make for a good nights rest. My doc prescribed Effexor. I told her I'm not depressed, I'm tired!! She said they have had a lot of good results with it for hot flashes, and I have only had about 6-10 a day since I've been on it as opposed to all day, all night. So it does work fairly well.
    Hope you don't have it as intensely as some!
    Cat

    Cat.......
    That's how mine are too. Mine are not caused by chemo, but from having ovaries removed.

    I also get an almost nauseous feeling during a hot flash.

    They are oh, so unpleasant!

    CR
  • Akiss4me
    Akiss4me Member Posts: 2,188
    #17
    Thanks everyone!!!
    I'm not sure there is any "preparing" myself for this, but at least I'll know now that what is happening is normal and won't have my hubby rush me to the ER!!
    Thanks everyone for educating us on this. I really appreciate the sharing!! (:-) Pammy
  • Alexis F
    Alexis F Member Posts: 3,598
    #18
    Akiss4me said:

    Thanks everyone!!!
    I'm not sure there is any "preparing" myself for this, but at least I'll know now that what is happening is normal and won't have my hubby rush me to the ER!!
    Thanks everyone for educating us on this. I really appreciate the sharing!! (:-) Pammy

    I appreciate all of you
    I appreciate all of you replying to my question. I have heard so much about them, that I just wanted to know for sure what to expect.

    Thanks again!

    Hugs,

    Lex
  • survivorbc09
    survivorbc09 Member Posts: 4,374 Member
    #19
    Alexis F said:

    I appreciate all of you
    I appreciate all of you replying to my question. I have heard so much about them, that I just wanted to know for sure what to expect.

    Thanks again!

    Hugs,

    Lex

    Guess I will just see when I
    Guess I will just see when I have one, if, I do. Thanks for all of the info ladies!
  • bfbear
    bfbear Member Posts: 380
    #20
    survivorbc09 said:

    Guess I will just see when I
    Guess I will just see when I have one, if, I do. Thanks for all of the info ladies!

    That's the best attitude!
    Yeah...it's got to be kind of an individual thing, when all is said and done.

    I had my ovaries removed 7 years ago, and took phyto-estrogens that really helped a lot. Then, with the bi-mast. and no more estrogen, natural or not, the hot flashes are back. I think you just learn to live with them. I don't seem to get the night sweats anymore(waking up soaking wet, changing pjs, etc.) I just get the garden variety, suddenly hot (usually face first) and progressively hotter and sweatier for awhile...and later it goes.

    You'll survive them...we all do!! It's just another "perk" you get for joining this club!!

    Hugs,
    Debi
  • jnl
    jnl Member Posts: 3,869 Member
    #21
    bfbear said:

    That's the best attitude!
    Yeah...it's got to be kind of an individual thing, when all is said and done.

    I had my ovaries removed 7 years ago, and took phyto-estrogens that really helped a lot. Then, with the bi-mast. and no more estrogen, natural or not, the hot flashes are back. I think you just learn to live with them. I don't seem to get the night sweats anymore(waking up soaking wet, changing pjs, etc.) I just get the garden variety, suddenly hot (usually face first) and progressively hotter and sweatier for awhile...and later it goes.

    You'll survive them...we all do!! It's just another "perk" you get for joining this club!!

    Hugs,
    Debi

    Some of you don't seem to
    Some of you don't seem to have them so bad, so, that is encouraging to those of us that haven't experienced them yet.

    Thanks for the post!

    Leeza

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