I have been experiencing hot flashes and night sweats for 3 years and 3 months now. They can come and go in frequency and intensity but generally I suffer quite a bit. Much more so than almost anyone I have spoken to in my circle of friends. The most number of flashes I have had in one 24 hour period is over 36 and that went on for months. But here is the really interesting or for me most frustrating part aside from the heat and something I have never really heard anyone else say they experience. When I have a flash it seems to trigger the following feelings or symptoms (not every time but most):
- Instant and crushing fatigue so much so that I feel I need to get off my feet as I am far too tired to continue to stand much less continue any
activity. I feel totally drained and exhausted and often have to lie down.
- Feeling of anxiety and almost a clostrophobic feeling (which I have never suffered from before). I often have to leave the room I am in
particularly if others are present and get away on my own. I literally have a hard time smiling and keep my composure during a flash.
- Anger and mood swings. I have never ever experienced these symptoms before (even during my periods) but I now have times when I would
like to put my fist through a wall for no particular reason other than the feeling of anger.
- A desire to urinate. This does not always happen and the desire is very short lived but wierd. After the flash this feeling is totally gone.
- A feeling of hunger. Again, not always present during each flash but short lived. After the flash this feeling is totally gone.
- Heat and perspiration of course, but as I say this often is the least of my problems.
I feel blessed that I am not working right now as I do not understand how I would function in an office environment with all these symptoms hitting me hourly (sometimes more frequently) 24/7. Is there anyone else out there who experiences some of these other feelings or symptoms that get triggered by their flashes aside from the actual heat and perspiration?

Welcome to PowerSurge!
You're not alone with those weird feelings Gail!
These are my symptoms with a flush -
- before the actual flush comes I start feeling very very anxious,
my heart starts pounding my ears ring, there's a feeling of pressure in my head and I feel I just have to move, get out, go out...run.
I usually go for a big glass of cold water as I feel so thirsty and I hug that very cold bottle of water!
Then the flush itself comes and after that I calm down again.
I have checked and my pulse and blood pressure go up during this time.
This can happen in the middle of the night, I wake up, jump out of bed and go for that water...
I've had this for a year, sometimes up to twice an hour, but things are now calming down and all the symptoms are very light and don't happen very often.
Stress triggers it off also, as you've probably realized.
I read somewhere here that it's all due to an adrenaline surge.
Hope this time of transition isn't too long for you!
Relax and look after yourself and consider it a time of getting to know yourself better.
Cultivate your sense of humour and surround yourself with positive people!
Enjoy PowerSurge and meeting loads of meno-buddies!
Hugs and God bless,
Jonie

[font="Georgia"][/font][size="4"][/size]Whenever I click onto this site I feel that I am not on my own, and realise that there are other women out there going through exactly the same ... but what can we do about it. I too am so glad that I am not working at the moment, I often say how do people manage with these power surges (hot flushes) if they are working in front of the general public. When I have what I call a bad one, I too have to go out of the room I am in, usually end up going to the Bathroom , where I can dry myself down, with my own towel I might add, as I tend always have a towel with me, well so far, how embrassing if I forgot my towel. Actually I did once and had had an appointment in the bank, halfway through the appointment , on it came, and no towel, so I had to use some tissues that luckily I had in my bag, and on leaving the Bank, my Daughter who was waiting downstairs for me said Mum , what have you got all over your face !!!!! yes bits of tissue ....... Also I tend to have wet patches under my bum cheeks when wearing trousers !! Sometimes I just dont even want to go out, but we cant let these power surges beat us can we. I have been trying various herbal remedys for about 10 months now and have not found one that suits.. I also had a remedy from a Homoeopathic Clinic , cost a fortune and needless to say it didnt work. How did my Mother get through this I ask myself, without taking anything ?

I stopped taking my compounded progesterone for about a two week...maybe longer, and I've been having continual hot flashes. I'm back to going from hot to cold at night so it affects my sleep.

I've also noticed more moodiness, feeling blah, low energy along with the hot flashes.

I am trying not to go back on the progesterone so I really need some safe alternatives to help with the hot flashes and all these other symptoms.

Thanks ladies .

Okay, since reading this post I decided to monitor my emotions in relation to these hot flashes; I noticed that right before I had the actual flashing sensation I began to feel a bit anxious. Once that wave of heat subsided so did the anxious feeling.

Thanks Gail for starting this topic.

quote name Simba 2 Date = Oct 23rd 2007

Dear Gail, what a lifesaver this site can be. I can identify with so many of your symptoms regarding the hot flushes. I have been having them for close on three years and am getting desperate. Things hardly seem to be getting any better. One of the hardest feelings is the claustrophobic one. I have been sitting talking in a room and then the heat comes over me and I feel I need to get out - it is horrible and other women who experience this obviously understand. I had to give up a part-time job when all of the symptoms hit because I felt so bad what with nausea and the anxiety. Have tried two types of HRT but side-effects made me stop. Sometimes articles I read in the British press make it sound like a simple choice of taking HRT and getting rid of the sweats and feeling better or not taking it and having the syptoms for how long who knows. In reality that choice is not so simple as some women seem not to be able to find a HRT without suffering bad side effects. Ohter women cannot take HRT because of higher risks that run in their family, blood pressure issues etc. I would love to know why some women suffer so much more than others, I seem not to have friends who are suffering as much as I am and I have always been strong. This is definitely a chemical imbalance brought on by menopause.

Oh my gosh, Gail! I can't tell you how many times I've seen your post but haven't taken the time to read it until today! I'm so glad I did, because you described my hot flashes that I have been having lately to a T ! I also have the instant and crushing fatigue and everything else except the anger/mood swings! The hunger...the need to urinate...the heat and perspiration...the works! I have been scared out of my wits thinking there must be something seriously wrong with me. I even ended up in the ER and 3 days later had an echo etc to make sure it wasn't my heart! I NEVER go the ER, but for as lousy as I felt I scared myself into going. Anyway...everything checked out just fine and the doc can't find anything wrong with me. (Try telling me that at 3 in the morning!). At any rate, just reading your post and seeing the similarities in our symptoms has brought me much needed relief and comfort. I hope you (and me both!) feel better soon and see some relief in sight. Hang in there and thanks again for posting! ~~Ajay

quote name Simba 2 date =12th November 2007

Dear Gail and Ajay,

Your symptoms ragarding the flashes and sweats are very much like mine. I too feel very claustrophobic when they hit. In the summer I spend loads of time out in the garden because I feel penned in inside but now that the dark horrible winter nights are upon us in G.B. I cant sit outside but I still try to get a walk in even though it is pitch black outside. I feel like I have gone barking mad sometimes and I think my husband and son think so too. I was never like this before my last period three years ago. I dont get the hunger with a flash, rather the reverse I can feel pretty nauseous like when you are pregnant but that doesn't last as long as this rubbish.
I cant seem to sit for long in a room because if I am not sweating, I am wondering when I will be and when the panic hits its horrible. I haven't had the urge to urinate but it does affect my bowels. At present have gone on a patch again to see if it helps but dont really know if it is kicking in yet as I have just had a pretty bad flash while going through the message board. I tried HRT about eighteen months ago but came off because of side-effects. At that time the patch seemed to kick in pretty quickly but I know my oestrogen level is continuing on the downward path! Do wish more doctors would read these messages, then perhaps we would get more sense out of them. At present I am not impressed with mine in the U.K. I expect mnay others feel the same.

Love, Simba 2