Anyone at the having hot flashes stage?

Parent Cafe
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<p>A $10 battery operated fan from Walgreen’s, Walmart or similar store can be a real life-saver for heat of any kind, including hot flashes. I paid about $10 last summer for my Bonnaroo fan, and it was the best $10 I ever spent. You can also put water in it for a mist, which helps with the cooling. This is the fan I have, and it’s great for football and basketball games since it fits in a medium size bag or the back of my stadium seat. <a href=“http://www.amazon.com/O2Cool-8101-Battery-Operated-Handheld-Water-Misting/dp/B000QUC8N6[/url]”>http://www.amazon.com/O2Cool-8101-Battery-Operated-Handheld-Water-Misting/dp/B000QUC8N6&lt;/a&gt; </p>

<p>I only had mild hot flashes during menopause, but I’ve always been hot. A fan in every room at home and 2 at the office (one for general circulating air and the other pointed directly at my face for emergencies). One great side-effect of getting older is no more migraines or mouth ulcers, both of which plagued me for 50 years.</p>

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<p>^^^^^ tama, yes that is true. Paxil can ease hot flashes considerable. Some people though have trouble coming off of it. Dizziness, headaches, etc. Not fun.</p>

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<p>Not read whole thread but strongly recommend to those in this phase, Estrogen’s Storm Season, by Jerilynn Prior. here is also a great website to her research:</p>

<p>[Estrogen?s</a> Storm Season | CeMCOR](<a href=“http://www.cemcor.ubc.ca/help_yourself/books_videos/estrogens_storm_season]Estrogen?s”>http://www.cemcor.ubc.ca/help_yourself/books_videos/estrogens_storm_season)</p>

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<p>Mine have abated quite a bit; I usually only have them twice a day now. For the after-shower flash, DH set up a fan on the dresser (and named it the “Flash Fan”) so I can get dressed in the breeze. The other one is typically right around 2:00 pm. I make sure I have a glass of cold water at my desk, and use my junior-size writing pad to create a little air movement. They’re gone in a minute or two.</p>

<p>When I was having them more frequently, I used a Japanese fan which I high recommend – cheap, fits in a purse, moves air efficiently, and free of side effects.</p>

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<p>starbright - I have been lurking on this thread, even though I have not had one hot flash yet at age 51. My mother had a hysterectomy in her early 40s, so I have no idea what age she might have naturally gone through menopause.</p>

<p>That all being said, last month I had the timely experience of catching up with an old college friend who is now a P.A. who has been practicing integrative medicine for over seven years now. She gave me a crash course on hormones, and had me sold on seeking out an integrative provider when I returned home. However, when I returned home and happened to be due for my annual gyne exam, I discovered that my gyne has trained with Christiane Northrup’s mentor, Dr. Erika Schwartz since I last saw her and is all on board with the bioidentical hormones. When I mentioned to my friend how my gyne had been taking a different approach, ala Christiane Northrup and Erika Schwartz, my friend told me that all of Northrup’s followers in her city come to her. So I feel like I’m in good hands. I’ve heard such promising stories from women who are now taking bioidentical hormones (one needn’t be going through menopause yet to benefit from them) that I’m now scheduled to start them this next cycle. But this all seems to be the direction that women’s health is heading, although I think these practices won’t be commonplace for many years yet. It’s going to take a new generation of physicians to recognize the dangers of synthetic hormones and demand that information on bioidentical hormones be taught them in med school.</p>

<p>For what it’s worth, though, when I mentioned this all to H, who is a pharma research chemist, he was not impressed. When it comes to drugs, etc., he is of the mindset that unless it’s something that’s developed and manufactured by big pharma, it’s junk science. I hope to prove him wrong!</p>

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<p>Here is her link on bio- identical. She offers such a wealth of medically/empirically substantiated info for those of us perplexed by this phase (hot flashes or not), whilst also being an advocate for women and not just a defender of big pharma and the medical establishment.</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.cemcor.ubc.ca/ask/bewildered_by_bioidentical[/url]”>http://www.cemcor.ubc.ca/ask/bewildered_by_bioidentical&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>This is particularly is noteworthy:</p>

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<p>I have cold flashes. It happens in the middle of the night when I am dead asleep and woof!! the covers are on the floor. My wife is having a hot flash…lol</p>

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<p>^^^lol smile…my husband suffers from the same. :)</p>

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<p>toneranger…i’m glad you are getting relief with the magnet, but a little disheartened to hear about the disruption in the cycle. Don’t think I’m willing to swap the flashes for a return visit from ‘the beast’ …ugh. Thinking of talking to doc about bio-identicals. Would love to hear more feedback about experiences with them.</p>

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<p>I am hypothyroid, so I am always cold…except now when I have hot flashes…so I am either freezing or sweating. I should not be allowed to touch a thermostat.</p>

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<p>missypie, I totally hear you. Although I don’t have the hypothryoid issues as far as I know, my temperature “comfort window” is a very narrow range according to H. So dealing with hot flashes is crazy. Literally hot as He** one minute and freezing the next. It’s ludicrous.</p>