Neurontin for hot flashes

MichelleHM
MichelleHM Member Posts: 13
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hello: I am on femara which causes wicked hot flashes. I was on Spastrin for it and it worked well. Now this medication is no longer available and my doctor put me on Neurontin. Does this work well? I am worried for I have several hot flashes a day. I also worry about weight gain. Does anybody have experience with this?

Comments

  • cruf
    cruf Member Posts: 908
    #2
    Hi! I've had hot flashes for 7 years and they get bad then slow down then get bad again. I tried Effexor which caused blurred vision then Neurontin which caused me headaches so I decided the hot flashes would have to continue. I also tried but didn't find any relief from Vitamin E so I stopped all that stuff. I also gained wt. from the aromasin as well as joint/muscle/bone pain, high cholesterol, dry eyes, hair thinning etc... I've finally stopped all meds but I was on Tamoxifen for 5 years then Femara for 8 mos then Aromasin for 1 1/4 years. Have been lucky with no more Cancer so I guess all the side effects were worth it. Not everyone has all these problems but I think a majority of us have a few. I have been walking alot and exercising so Can't blame inactivity. Looking foward to some relief of symptoms soon. Good luck. Let the MD know if things are bothering you. There are several different things you can try and maybe 1 will be better. HUGS!! Cathy
  • 3cbrca
    3cbrca Member Posts: 206
    #3
    hi michelle - I was premenopausal and had horrible hot flashes during chemo. I took Neurontin for 3 weeks - no side effects but no help either. I switched to 75mg/day of the extended release effexor and it has worked incredibly well. I have been on Aromasin for 5 months with the same amount of Effexor and the hot flashes are mild and infrequent. Weight gain - definitely fighting it on Aromasin and not necessarily winning.
    Hope this helps
  • MichelleHM
    MichelleHM Member Posts: 13
    #4
    3cbrca said:

    hi michelle - I was premenopausal and had horrible hot flashes during chemo. I took Neurontin for 3 weeks - no side effects but no help either. I switched to 75mg/day of the extended release effexor and it has worked incredibly well. I have been on Aromasin for 5 months with the same amount of Effexor and the hot flashes are mild and infrequent. Weight gain - definitely fighting it on Aromasin and not necessarily winning.
    Hope this helps

    Thank you both for your input. I do hope Neurtontin works. I hate the hot flashes and I wonder why on earth Spastrin is not available to us poor cancer survivors? One would think developing a non-estrogen based medication for hot flashes would be a money maker for a drug company...So we have to stoop to taking anticonvulsants or antidepressants!!! Hmmmmm.....

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