I HAD A PARTIAL HYSTERECTOMY AT 24,AM NOW 52 AND GOING THRU THE ,YOU KNOW-"THE CHANGE".I HAVE BEEN HAVING SEVERE HOT FLASHES SINCE AGE 50.I HAVE MY HOT FLASHES DURING THE DAY AND A FEW AT NIGHT.I GET EMBARRASSED EVERYWHERE I GO,BECAUSE MY EARS TURN BLOOD RED.I HIDE IN STORES UNTIL THEY ARE OVER AND AT WORK.THIS IS A TERRIBLE THING TO HAPPEN TO WOMEN.WE ALREADY HAVE TO GO THRU PERIODS AND CHILDBIRTH.I JUST WANT TO HIDE UNTIL ALL THIS IS OVER.PLEASE SOMEONE GIVE ME SOME HOPE THAT HOT FLASHES WONT LAST TILL I DIE. I ALSO GET COLD FLASHES,I COULD PUT A QUILT OVER ME ON A 100 DEGREE DAY.

Don't be embarrassed! It happens to too many women for you to feel bad about yourself. One woman I know had terrible hot flashes that made her sweat like mad - she worked in a fabric store and sprayed sweat all over some poor customers fabric. She just laughed about it - can't be helped. Lots of women consider their surges badges of honor of sorts and carry little fans with them everywhere and announce their "private summer". I am looking for relief from mine because some of them involve bad vertigo and I am terrified it will happen while I'm driving and I'll perish in a fiery crash.

Every time I have my period I hope it is the last one but I think I have a couple years to go. It will be over eventually, and there are things out there that can help.

Tama

flashin: I know how you feel! About 4 months ago hubby and I went out to a really fancy restaurant with my daughter's godparents. Well I had probably the worst hot flash EVER that night, and the sweat was literally pouring down my face...and my neck and chest got beet red. The server kept asking me if I was 'okay'---I must have looked like I was having a heart attack!