I posted a message that while on vacation my hot flashes returned after almost stopping with a vengence.
I take black cohosh powder 430mg - extract 20 mg (all in one capsule) twice daily, Vit E 400 IU daily, Evening Primrose 500 mg twice daily and just restarted red clover (I have the liquid right know). The lower tract doesn't like soy that well. I had cut down and eliminated some supplements since my flashes had diminished. I also take a baby aspirin a day so I hate to increase some of the supplements too much since I bleed easily now if cut.
In my past post I mentioned that I was taking some other homeopathic meds also. I have thought of hormones but I don't want to take them.

Any suggestions are welcomed!

Hiding out until Fall,
Pat

I don't know your situation but my gyn told me NOT to take Black Cohosh or Estroven...unless you are a person who has has a hysterectomy...she said it's just like taking Estrogen without Progesterone. The pharmacists aren't even aware of this...and she said that Evening Primrose Oil is safe but not over 500 mg./day...and to take it in the evening as it works on Night sweats...
I did the Evening Oil Primrose for about 3 months...it totally stopped my night sweats for 6-7 weeks, then they returned as yours did...Vitamin E did not help me nor did several other things...I have finally given in to a low dose Femhrt (5 days now)...and am gradually going off the Effexor I was taking (which did help reduce flashes and sweats but irritated my stomach with severe constipation and made me retain so much fluid that I couldn't even get my wedding ring on!...today, day 5 of the Femhrt, I only had about 6 flashes which by this time before today, I had about 20...so maybe it's kicking it...and will get even better...hopefully, I can do this low dose Femhrt for no more than the 'short term' five years and beat osteoperosis as a bonus...CherE

Have just found this site after my Daughters called my hot sweats Power Surges, they had read in somewhere ........ I live in Spain and went to England in August for my Daughters wedding and was really panicing that I would be forever taking my suit jacket on and off !!!!! They couldnt believe the Power Surges, and i do hope i can find a remedy that stops or at least helps these for when they will be going through it, as I have read that you are likely to be the same as your Mother, and incidently my Mother who is now 75 did not have an answer for me, and as you have probably gathered i havent found a suitable remedy as yet !!!

The ONLY therapy that stops hot flashes is HRT. Even with hormone replacement, the therapeutic safe time limit is 5-6 years. By that time flashes are at least either gone, or more easily tolerated. I've been off HRT for awhile and still dress in layers so that I can take off a jacket and sweater and then put it back on HAHAHAHAHA! Herbs and supplements do help a little but often this is short term at best.

Yes you are right. I was on HRT for 6 years and never had a hot flush or night sweat during that time. I have just come off of my HRT and the flashes returned and so did the night sweats. I tried herbal things, but nothing worked. I have however found help in vit E, magnesium and calcium supplements, and evening primrose. I have just started the vit E and things have dramatically improved for me. Best nights sleep I have ever had!!!

chris

I agree - I started HRT in July for frequent flashes, and now they are virtually gone. I still do have an occasion night sweat, but that could be from the exceptionally warm weather we have been having since summer - and continue to have! It is expected to be 94 degrees tomorrow

Chris - do you feel the vitamin E is what is helping your sleep? My sleep patterns have always been erratic at best - I am willing to try about anything for more rest!

Di

Well here we go, wish me luck ladies, I starte Effexor today this time I will give it time to work. I have literally tried every vitamin, herbal preparation and nothing helps. I'm just tired of this since 2002 and the anxiety isn't fun.

Here's for the best!

Pat

My hot flashes have been out of control the last several weeks. I seem to get them in clusters like other symptoms, however each "cluster" of hot flashes and sweats are getting worse! WTH? I can't take HRT due a preexisting condition plus cancer in my family. I really need to find help. I woke up on FIRE last night. I don't think I could tolerate this much longer.

Hi Gia,

I feel for ya and I noticed you have been at this a year longer than I have. I'm tapped out on suggestions as you can tell by my other posts, I have tried everything.

On another question about rating your doctor the ladies begged me not to go on Effexor but my co-worker has had great results.
I was taking so many herbals plus my baby aspirin that if I got cut it would take a long time to stop and that isn't good. So today I stopped all the vitamins related to menopause and will just try the Effexor, it has to help esp. at work with the stress level being high.

Pat

Well I am on Effexor XL and its working! I felt kind of wired the first few days but it will be one week on Monday. My hot flashes are pretty much gone and I am sleeping better plus no more strange feeling in my chest (med sternum) due to anxiety.
We'll see how it goes and since I've been on this roller coster since 2002 hopefully I can get off from it soon.

More relaxed,
Pat

Hi there, I have been taking ......Remefemin.......for about 3 weekd now and my hot flushes and hot sweats have really decreased. I was having 30 plus a day and sweating at night. I was surprised at how fast this worked as with a more natural product it's supposed to take about 6-8 weeks before they work. Maybe give it a try.

Cheers choco

Pat01- I'm so happy that your found relief with effexor. Unfortunately I went the AD route for a long time and landed up with a 45 lb weight gain which took 4 years to take off In addition to the weight gain, I drank like a fish, had high cholestorol and high BP. I've stopped the AD's, drinking and lost all of the weight and BP and cholestorol are back to normal. Geesh, the trade offs we have to endure!!

My hot flahses and night sweats have reached a new level of hell that I've haven't experienced since this "journey" started. Funny thing is I was so "normal" for quite while and now this. Wow.

Thanks Gia about the weight thing! I'm already overweight, I sure hope the Effexor doesn't have that effect on me since I can gain weight just by looking at it! I was feeling pretty good since I was tolerating the medication but I will have to watch out for things like that. I actually pulled the covers up at night which is a first in years!!!!!!!!!!

Pat

Sorry to remind you about the AD weight thing. It's a crap shoot with ADs and weight. You may not even gain a pound with effexor. Everyone is so different.

I cracked up at your last sentence! OMG, I want to keep my covers on my all night. I forgot how that feels!

Sorry to remind you about the AD weight thing. It's a crap shoot with ADs and weight. You may not even gain a pound with effexor. Everyone is so different.

I cracked up at your last sentence! OMG, I want to keep my covers on my all night. I forgot how that feels!

I have been taking bio-identical hormones for one year now. They do help with the hot flashes, but I still have them daily and nightly, but they are not as severe. With out the hormones I would go NUTS. I had the hot flashes about every 1/2 to one hour.

Hello everyone,

I'm one year post menopause and I thought I'd reached the end of all this misery I've endured over the years. But no, the hot flashes are worse than ever. I take nothing for them but will start with the Vitamin E as I read in an earlier post. I am unable to take HRT due to breast cancer on my mother's side of the family. I don't know how much longer I can take this.

I cannot take a lot of supplements because I get kidney stones and have to really watch what I put into my body. I don't even take a multi-vitamin so I try to eat right and get my vitamins from good foods.

I should change my screen name to "Sweaty all the time". Even as I sit here, I'm sweating with the A/C on.

How many of you ladies are experiencing the same thing post-menopause?

Thanks in advance for your advice -- I really need it.

XOXO,
-Tina

Hi all...I have been 'absent' from here as I have also been dealing with awful IBS-C which was complicated by the Effexor and then the HRT (Femhrt) that I 'tried' for hot flash and night sweat reduction. First of all, the Effexor did NOT make me actually gain weight but slowly but surely messed with my digestive system totally locking me up (constipated beyond control to the point that I had to return to a gastroenterologist for help). The Effexor actually started to work about 2 weeks in to it (37.5 mg was my initial dosage)....then it completely worked and I was relieved of all these perimenopause/menopause (I don't know 'where' I am in this cycle anymore) symptoms for about 3 weeks...then slowly, the hot stuff started back, not to the every half hour point but about 4 or 5 in the day and 4 or so at night, so it was better but not good enough, so my gyn increased my Effexor to 75 mg....and after about 10 days, there was no improvement in the hot stuff, just totally constipated to where even 2 exlax/day wasn't helping...so I went back down to 37.5 for another few weeks...got fed up with HOT and gave in to HRT...I came off the Effexor SLOWLY (every other day for 2 weeks) while adding the FemHRT low dose....after about a week, the flashes in the day WERE GONE...I thought 'yippee'...and at night there were about 3 nightsweats....then those were GONE, BUT my screwed up intestinal track was worse than ever as my stomach BALLOONED...I gained 5 lbs that 2nd week on FemHRT...now I am a 'small' woman...normally only weigh 107 or 108, 110 tops ...but my Belly looked like I was 6 months pregnant and I got SO Nauseas...felt like I did years ago when I tried Birth Control (never could take that due to the nausea)...so I came off the FemHRT...the nausea went away immediately but I could not get my stomach straigntened out...after a few visits to the gastroenterologist, i am improving there...NOW...6 weeks after coming off the FEMHRT, the night sweats are just returning...almost constant...last night didn't sleep more than an hour...but I did have 6 weeks of freedom from it totally...but NOW what...I am also still taking Evening Primrose but I'm afraid that's not helping..(initially...before Effexor...I had relief from night sweats totally for 7 weeks with Evening Primrose...so I have continued it in fear of worse sweats without it)

My GYN told me not to take any 'estrogen-like' herbs as they are NOT SAFE if you have a uterus....like Estroven, Black Cohash...etc...

I will try the vitamin E...how much do I need to take to start for it to possibly be effective?
ANY other suggestions will be much appreciated...Cher

Have you tried Melatonin for restful sleep...? it is safe, non-addicting and helps! (but a night sweat will wake you...sorry)

CherE-
Yes, I have tried Melatonin - it works for a little while, maybe a week, then just stops being effective for me! THen maybe if I wait a few more months, I can use it again short term before it stops being effective - very frustrating!
Di

Hey...did you see my update (above) regarding Effexor and then the Femhrt...how are you doing other than sleep now?