hot flushes...help!

cathg
cathg Member Posts: 21
in Breast Cancer #1
I am on 7th treatment of Taxol and Herceptin and I have begun to have hot flushes during the day, but worse at night. I have very small kids, so when they wake me, I have a hot flush immediatley, sweating...terrible. Has anyone experienced this with chemo? Do they go away......?

Comments

  • Marcia527
    Marcia527 Member Posts: 2,729
    #2
    I don't remember having them
    I don't remember having them on chemo but did after treatment while on medication. I found it helped to sleep with a fan blowing on me. I couldn't sleep without it.
  • PrettyBald49
    PrettyBald49 Member Posts: 21
    #3
    I have had hot flashes
    I have had hot flashes during chemo and now I am finished chemo but still have the hot flashes. Just as you mentioned they are worst at night. They are chemically induced so I am expecting them to eventually go away. My problem is that I am at the age where I could just go into menopause. My oncologist recommended somthing from the health food store to help with the flashes. Talk with your doc.
  • BMS
    BMS Member Posts: 127
    #4
    PrettyBald49 said:

    I have had hot flashes
    I have had hot flashes during chemo and now I am finished chemo but still have the hot flashes. Just as you mentioned they are worst at night. They are chemically induced so I am expecting them to eventually go away. My problem is that I am at the age where I could just go into menopause. My oncologist recommended somthing from the health food store to help with the flashes. Talk with your doc.

    Hot Flashes
    I started getting them before chemo, but was told that chemo can thrhust you into menopause. It did. Stopped getting my period and the hot flashes are worse. We'll see what happens when I finish chemo in 10 days!
  • BMS
    BMS Member Posts: 127
    #5
    PrettyBald49 said:

    I have had hot flashes
    I have had hot flashes during chemo and now I am finished chemo but still have the hot flashes. Just as you mentioned they are worst at night. They are chemically induced so I am expecting them to eventually go away. My problem is that I am at the age where I could just go into menopause. My oncologist recommended somthing from the health food store to help with the flashes. Talk with your doc.

    Hot Flashes
    I started getting them before chemo, but was told that chemo can thrhust you into menopause. It did. Stopped getting my period and the hot flashes are worse. We'll see what happens when I finish chemo in 10 days!
  • BMS
    BMS Member Posts: 127
    #6
    PrettyBald49 said:

    I have had hot flashes
    I have had hot flashes during chemo and now I am finished chemo but still have the hot flashes. Just as you mentioned they are worst at night. They are chemically induced so I am expecting them to eventually go away. My problem is that I am at the age where I could just go into menopause. My oncologist recommended somthing from the health food store to help with the flashes. Talk with your doc.

    Hot Flashes
    I started getting them before chemo, but was told that chemo can thrhust you into menopause. It did. Stopped getting my period and the hot flashes are worse. We'll see what happens when I finish chemo in 10 days!
  • NJMom10
    NJMom10 Member Posts: 176
    #7
    Got them before, during and after chemo
    I was having hot flashes before, during and now, after chemo. The best thing to do is try to keep away from triggers...coffee, excessive heat, whatever you find triggers it for you. I know this is easier said than done, because all I had to do was turn over in my sleep and that was enough to trigger it! When you start to feel better, try to exercise each day. I've started back on the treadmill, just 30 minutes per day and that's helped a lot! I haven't noticed any flashes at all since I started exercising again. Good Luck!
  • pinkkari09
    pinkkari09 Member Posts: 877
    #8
    The Heat Is On Me All The Time
    I feel your pain. I have had hot flashes through chemo and after. My night sweats are HORRIBLE, I wake up soaked and have to change clothes. My Onc. put me on Gabepentin and this really helps. I take 600mg before I go to bed, makes a huge difference. Hope you get relief soon.
    Miles of Love,
    ~Kari
  • sandogger
    sandogger Member Posts: 2
    #9
    Hot Flashes
    I was thrust into menopause during chemo and I also take tamoxifen. I have been having severe hot flashes for 18 months. I am taking neurontin, prescribed by my oncologist, and it is helping with the hot flashes. Always wear layers and drink a lot of water.
  • tommaseena
    tommaseena Member Posts: 1,769
    #10
    sandogger said:

    Hot Flashes
    I was thrust into menopause during chemo and I also take tamoxifen. I have been having severe hot flashes for 18 months. I am taking neurontin, prescribed by my oncologist, and it is helping with the hot flashes. Always wear layers and drink a lot of water.

    Hot flashes
    I started hot flashes with chemo and they were worse at night but also found that if I had caffeine or chocolate--YES chocolate they were worse.

    I hadn't had any chocolate since Christmas and had a very small package of the fun size of M&M one day last week and boy did I suffer the rest of the day and night--the hot flashes came on as they say 'hot and heavy'.

    When I drink more water than usual it seems to help a great deal--I have been off treatment for 1 year and the flashes are not as bad now and I don't know if it is because I am not on treatment anymore or if it because I don't eat chocolate.

    I have not had my period in 2 years - chemo induced menopause - and I am hoping and praying that it doesn't come back.

    I do have the heat in my house set at 62-64 at all times--my son and I are use to it but others freeze when they come over. Jake(my son) and I can be in short sleeve shirts most of the time because we have adjusted to it.

    At the beginning of treatment it was in the winter and I would have to close my bedroom door and open up the window because of the flashes--fans would not help me.

    Margo
  • helen e
    helen e Member Posts: 223
    #11
    hot flashes
    I had a mastectomy but did not have to have chemo. I am on Tamoxifen and that has caused the hot flashes. Dr. put me on Effexor but it didn't seem to help. I stopped taking Tamoxifen for 2 months due to migraines but kept taking Effexor. When I went back on Tamoxifen I didn't get any more hot flashes. Take care.

    Helen
  • joannstar
    joannstar Member Posts: 403 Member
    #12
    Just replied on another
    thread that perhaps a chillow would help for night sweats. If you google "chillow" their website will have information about it. I haven't bought one, but my girlfriend did for her son (obviously not for menopausal symptoms) and liked it.
    I slept nude and wore layers during the worst of my hot flashes when I went through menopause about 5 years ago. Chemo brought them back, but now, 10 weeks out of chemo, they don't seem as bad (I'm triple negative so when I complete my last 6 rads, I won't be taking any hormones).
    Good luck,
    JoAnn
  • cahjah75
    cahjah75 Member Posts: 2,631
    #13
    cathg
    I went through natural menopause at age 50 and have had hot flashes since before to the present. Mine were so interrupting my every day life I went on low dose hormone replacement knowing that I had 2 sisters with bc. Now, here I am post bilateral mastectomy with raging hot flashes. I get soaked! I have a cool pillow and pillow case. I do drink a lot of water but as Tommasina said I forgot about caffeine especially the chocolate kind! My gyn is going to help me lose the weight I gained and more and I believe it will be cutting out all sugar. He started me on medication called Savella (for fibromyalgia and hot flashes). I'm still waiting for it to work. Wish you well.
    {{hugs}} Char

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