Hot flashes - How Long?

BethInAz
BethInAz Member Posts: 203 Member
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I'm 6 months out of chemo and have been on tamoxifen for 5 months. Blood tests show that I'm in menopause - but I'm still having killer hot flashes. Can anybody tell me how long the hot flashes lasted with tamoxifen? My onc says they'll go away in "awhile" and I know it's probably pretty individual but it would be nice to have a little bit of an idea. When I'm in a church group setting and my arms begin turning red, the fans begin being waving all around me. It's too funny.
Beth

Comments

  • cahjah75
    cahjah75 Member Posts: 2,631
    #2
    I'm sorry to say
    that at age 50 I went through natural menopause. I'm one of the unfortunate ones who went through horrific mood swings, gained weight around my middle and have constant hot flashes to the point of messing up my life. I resorted to taking a low dose hormone to help. Now that I'm 61 and have bc, waiting for treatment to start I'm having those wonderful hot flashes regularly. I have 2 younger sisters who are bc survivors and one took Tamoxifen for 5 years and she's 8 years out and still gets hot flashes. Of course, everyone is different so for you I wish that the hot flashes will stop soon :-)
    Char
  • smalldoggroomer
    smalldoggroomer Member Posts: 1,184
    #3
    Hi Beth
    I went through menopause after a hysterectomy when I was 33 years old. It lasted 11 years.the last few years were not so bad. Sorry I hope yours don't last that long. MY sister is in menopause now and it has been 10 years. Ours were both bad. Night sweats mood swings, I swear you feel like your cooking on the inside. I hated menopause. I wish you luck and a short menopause..Kay
  • sea60
    sea60 Member Posts: 2,613
    #4
    Hi Beth
    I started having hot flashes in 2006 after I finished Chemo at 46 and am still having them today at 50.

    Yes, it's embarassing because you feel flushed. For some reason, I actually feel chilled right before I get one...so from one extreme to the next.

    I don't know how long my doctor is going to want me on Tamoxifen but as long as I'm taking it...bring on the fans!


    Take care,

    Sylvia
  • Miss Murphy
    Miss Murphy Member Posts: 302
    #5
    I Wish
    Hi!

    I wish I could be more encouraging about hot flashes and I do know that there are many on this board that have no problems with Tamoxifen or with the AI drugs so I hope you'll be one of them. I started off with the AI drugs as I was post menopausal but I had severe bone and joint pain. I took them for over a year. Last fall my onc switched me over to Tamoxifen and while the joint and bone pain has eased, I have more muscle pain and hot flashes, mostly at night. I usually get a hot flash and then get really chilled. This happens at least twice a night - makes for a great night's sleep!!!!!My onc was surprised that I was still having these problems when I saw her at the end of June. Seems to me that a lot of these doctors don't really "get" the side effects of these drugs.

    I hope your hot flashes lessen - they are not fun for sure.

    Hugs, Sally
  • dena brannan
    dena brannan Member Posts: 6
    #6
    hot flashes
    so sorry after 12 months they just keep on coming my doc sais chillo what is that and also the trouble is they said after my chemo i was testing post menopaus but this changed after 9 months so basically ifear they just hang in fortunatly like me you sound like you have support and empathy so just try to relax and feel the love
  • sal314
    sal314 Member Posts: 599 Member
    #7
    Wish I Could Tell You How Long...
    I was premenapausal (even after chemo) and 40 when I started Tamoxifen. I had minor hot flashes that came and went for the first several years. I've just now noticed a drastic change the past several months! They are much worse and more often! Being that I only have 27 more days left on the stuff, I'm gonna just muddle through.

    My doctor told me as well they will get better and eb and flow. He also put me on Effexor, which is an anti-depressant, that has been prescriped for people on Tamoxifen to help with hot flashes. And I do think it helps a little. You may want to ask your doctor about it.

    Hang in there. Eventually they should even out, for a time anyway! If not, you can always strip naked or dive in a lake!!:)

    Blessings,
    Sally
  • BethInAz
    BethInAz Member Posts: 203 Member
    #8
    sal314 said:

    Wish I Could Tell You How Long...
    I was premenapausal (even after chemo) and 40 when I started Tamoxifen. I had minor hot flashes that came and went for the first several years. I've just now noticed a drastic change the past several months! They are much worse and more often! Being that I only have 27 more days left on the stuff, I'm gonna just muddle through.

    My doctor told me as well they will get better and eb and flow. He also put me on Effexor, which is an anti-depressant, that has been prescriped for people on Tamoxifen to help with hot flashes. And I do think it helps a little. You may want to ask your doctor about it.

    Hang in there. Eventually they should even out, for a time anyway! If not, you can always strip naked or dive in a lake!!:)

    Blessings,
    Sally

    Diving in a lake is a good idea
    Sally,
    I actually swim every morning and have hot flashes in the pool!!! The pool is heated to about 85 deg. and when the hot flash hits I have to lift my arms out of the water for a bit. Then when I go back under, my head feels nice and cool so my head temp is way above the water temp. Oh well, hot flashes are nothing compared to the joy we've been given at having been put into remission - and be able to live a normal, love-filled life.
    Thanks for your post - and the rest of those who responded.
    Much love,
    Beth
  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    #9
    BethInAz said:

    Diving in a lake is a good idea
    Sally,
    I actually swim every morning and have hot flashes in the pool!!! The pool is heated to about 85 deg. and when the hot flash hits I have to lift my arms out of the water for a bit. Then when I go back under, my head feels nice and cool so my head temp is way above the water temp. Oh well, hot flashes are nothing compared to the joy we've been given at having been put into remission - and be able to live a normal, love-filled life.
    Thanks for your post - and the rest of those who responded.
    Much love,
    Beth

    Hot Flashes will be with me for a long time .. due to the
    extensive chemo, and year long herceptin .. did I mention that we are all in menopause - chemically induced.

    I too am on Effexor, Sally - but still find I am having hot flashes daily. Now with the summer heat, I am going crazy ... but will survive.

    Beth in Arizona ..you are correct in stating that hot flashes are a minor side effort we have to put up with, compared to living a full life ..


    Stay cool & dry

    Vicki Sam
  • Betsy13
    Betsy13 Member Posts: 185
    #10
    Effexor
    Hi Beth,

    Before I was diagnosed, I was using a low dose estrogen patch to help with hot flashes. I have been in "perimenopause" since I was 38. I am now 50. When I was diagnosed, my tumor was the type that liked estrogen, so my doc immediately took me off of the estrogen patch and put me on Effexor. I take 75 mg at night. It has helped immensely!

    I am done with my treatment and suffering from depression. My doc has upped my Effexor to an additional 37.5 mg in the morning. If I don't feel relief in 1-2 weeks, I can take another 37.5 mg in the morning for a total of 75 mg in the am and 75 mg in the pm.

    I no longer have any type of hot flash AND my depression seems to be lifting.

    Double whammy...double good!
    Betsy
  • sal314
    sal314 Member Posts: 599 Member
    #11
    BethInAz said:

    Diving in a lake is a good idea
    Sally,
    I actually swim every morning and have hot flashes in the pool!!! The pool is heated to about 85 deg. and when the hot flash hits I have to lift my arms out of the water for a bit. Then when I go back under, my head feels nice and cool so my head temp is way above the water temp. Oh well, hot flashes are nothing compared to the joy we've been given at having been put into remission - and be able to live a normal, love-filled life.
    Thanks for your post - and the rest of those who responded.
    Much love,
    Beth

    No way!!
    Oh my gosh Beth! Never heard of such a nutty thing before! Maybe you can tell (or bribe) the pool people to lower the temperature?? Sorry you have to deal with THAT! LOL.

    Blessings,
    Sally

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