OT: hot flashes?

I turned 49 this year, and had a hysterectomy (the surgeon left the ovaries) when I was 32.  I lost one of the ovaries 7 years ago.  For the past month or so (just since I had the open surgery to find the cause of my belly pain), I have been having what I think are mild hot flashes.  Just a 30-45 second sensation of my entire body feeling warm... but no sweating or increased heart rate (and only slight flushing of my face).

Because of my history of multiple DVTs, hormones are completely out of the question.  I have read about all sorts of non-hormone treatments, but am wondering if anyone used anything that helped.  Right now they are not problematic (they pass quickly and just feel very weird), but I wanted to start looking into it now in case they increase in severity (one woman at work used to sweat profusely!).

Lora

everyone reacts differently. A friend of mine claimed she felt like she was dying (but then she is a bit theatrical about any kind of pain or discomfort). I haven't had that problem--yes I got them, but I didn't feel that they were so bad.

BTW, we have power surges, not hot flashes... ;-D

I am an expert on hot flashes!  (well, at least on mine--unfortunately everyone's different)  In 2004 I had chemotherapy which shut down my ovaries and shot me into sudden menopause.  Severe hot flashes ranging from just feeling flushed to feeling as if my head would pop like a grape to "sick" flashes where I'd get nauseated, to complete meltdowns where I sweated more than profusely.  My hormones settled and they stopped after about 3 years.  Then last year I had a hysterectomy, complete with ovary removal.  Here came the flashes again.  No HRT due to my breast cancer history, and I was also advised against anything with soy due to the phytoestrogens.

So, unfortunately I have no help to offer you.  I just had to "sweat" it out with no treatments.  It can be uncomfortable, but at least it isn't fatal.  I know some people have successfully used natural, bioidentical hormones...even with a medical history where they wouldn't normally take hormone therapy.  Unfortunately, you have to be really careful where you get them, you need frequent saliva testing to monitor your hormone levels, and it gets expensive.

Good luck!

I refer to them as "tropical visits".

Edited because my touch screen is too touchy!!

They are called power surges at our house, although I have more of the night sweats and not hot flashes. The hubby likes it because he says it's better than an electric blanket and cuddles close. I am already so warm, all I can think about is getting away from him to cool off.

I haven't found anything that really helps. Good luck!

Summer of '10 (50 yrs old), I wouldn't really get the hot flashes but just moving would make me sweat. Sweeping the floor, cleaning the kitchen, taking out the trash, I would be dripping in sweat. I kept my AC on 74, sometime 72. When it turned cold outside, I felt much better. I had my RNY on 5/6. I was cold ALL the time. About 3 months after surgery, back to feeling hot but only getting quick hot flashes. No sweating, thank goodness !