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Hot Flash Forum!

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Comments

  • anne67
    anne67 Member Posts: 14
    edited July 2012

    I felt a little dopey during my first few days on the 75 mg of Effexor. After that, I have felt completely like myself-I never feel drowsy or doped up at all. And the additional sleep I'm getting has given me more energy and focus during the day. I wish I could get away with not taking anything, but I would have gone off the Tamoxifen by now if it hadn't been for the Effexor.

  • Gabrielledr
    Gabrielledr Member Posts: 3
    edited July 2012

    I have been on the following medications for hot flashes effexor, paxil and neurontin. None of them helped me... have any one tried bioidentical hormone therapy for hot flashes.

  • bear1206
    bear1206 Member Posts: 2
    edited July 2012

    Hi all - Has anyone ever tried  "The Bedfan"?    I just ordered one today on ebay.   Excited to see if it helps for the nightsweats.

    thanks

  • Joanne_53
    Joanne_53 Member Posts: 714
    edited July 2012

    Have not heard about it until now --- there a small cooling gel mats at Walgreens that you can put on your pillow and Walmart sells a serta pillow that has a cooling gel pad. I don't have night sweats for some reason -- I am hot all day though.

  • omaz
    omaz Member Posts: 4,218
    edited July 2012
    bear - the bedfan looks interesting - please post how well it works!  I have a remote controlled regular fan with a timer that I use every night.
  • Butterfly38
    Butterfly38 Member Posts: 3
    edited July 2012

    Hot Flashes are unbearable to the point of depression, every 30minutes I have to tolerate a hot flush, compliments to tamoxifen and zoladex (lupron) injections. I am almost finished with the 5 year treatment and will not have my ovaries taken out due to this, if I live to the ripe old age of 80, I couldn't bare the thought of having a trillion hot flashes. I sleep with the aircon on at night (summer) fan next to bed in winter. Year end concert for the kids when all the parents are clammed up inside the hall and a hot flush decides to arrive, I take an ice brick with in a small cooler bag and quietly slip it under my shirt. As I'm typing this I'm laughing, but I promise it does help alleviate the larva tempretures when you have nowhere to run, hehehe.

  • Joanne_53
    Joanne_53 Member Posts: 714
    edited July 2012

    I like the ice brick. Maybe I need to find a really fancy isolated lunch bag to carry as a purse. I am fanning myself all the time ... It really is embarrassing when I am hot and clammy and others have sweaters on.

  • Butterfly38
    Butterfly38 Member Posts: 3
    edited July 2012

    Hi Joanne, you are going to have to find that lunch bag and quick, when you are boiling and there is nothing you can do in a tricky situation, no one will even know you have an ice brick saving your life, well trying to anyway.

  • Linda54
    Linda54 Member Posts: 509
    edited July 2012

    I think I saw the bed fan on Dr OZ....it attaches to the foot of the bed and blows air between the top and bottom sheets....I tuck my top sheet (which I think most people do) so don't know how you could do it then...well for $100 I will just stick with my little $10 fan sitting on my nightstand...it does a wonderful job.  I do hope the bed fan gives you good service and relieves you of your night sweats....please give us a review when you try it out.

  • madams
    madams Member Posts: 3
    edited July 2012

    Hello all, 

    Just wondering if anyone has had swelling in both breast and pain while taking tamoxifen? I just started taking the medication about 3 days ago and my breast are swollen and painful.  

  • Joanne_53
    Joanne_53 Member Posts: 714
    edited July 2012

    madams -- I do not believe that I have any swelling ... I do still have pain occassionally but I am sure that is due to the nerve damage at the lymph node incision.

    I do however believe I have puffy ankles (cankles) .... I am going to ask the MO about this when I see him in September.

  • madams
    madams Member Posts: 3
    edited July 2012

    Well last week I had a biopsy then this Tuesday evening I started taking the tamoxifen. By then my right breast had went back down to size from the biopsy. Also, another question. I have had a historectomy 12 years ago, so therefore I have no period's. From what I have read, the lesion I have is estrogen receptive. Am I the only one or is there more of us women who are on tamoxifen and does not have period's anyone? 

    I think I might have messed up that question as my head is all fuzzy from the tamoxifen. 

  • Joanne_53
    Joanne_53 Member Posts: 714
    edited July 2012

    Madams, you have not had your surgery yet? I am a bit surprised that you have started any hormone treatment before that.

  • ginger48
    ginger48 Member Posts: 1,437
    edited July 2012

    Madams- some post menopausal women take tamoxifen because it has less bone loss than the aromatase inhibitors. My onc said he will switch me to it if my next bone scan shows too much bone loss.

  • madams
    madams Member Posts: 3
    edited July 2012

    I have been dealing with all this for 3 years. I am just glad that something is getting done. I'm sure my dr. will discuss that when I go back Aug. 21st.

  • bear1206
    bear1206 Member Posts: 2
    edited August 2012

    Hi all - well I wasn't thrilled with the bedfan.   It doesn't really get any air to your face (which is where I need it most) You can only have a sheet on and you know how you feel in between the hotflashes.   I sent it back.    I am going to try acupuncture again since the last time I tried that I was on Arimidex and have since stopped taking that.   Going on six years of severe hotflashes every 1/2 hour (not kidding) something has to give.

  • omaz
    omaz Member Posts: 4,218
    edited August 2012
    Sorry to hear the fan didn't help bear.  We gotta find something that will help!!
  • Linda54
    Linda54 Member Posts: 509
    edited August 2012

    bear, so sorry the fan did not help.  I need the air blowing on my upper body and head. I throw the covers off when I am having a flash.  I guess it is the high humidity but I have been sweating more with my flashes.

  • Redroan
    Redroan Member Posts: 111
    edited August 2012

    I sweat like a pig! with my flashes, i also have a fan at the end of my bed with a remote. Love it, but DH does not. I have recently started taking effexor 75mg and I do believe my moments of spontaneous combustion are shorter and less frequent. Good luck to you all. I have sweat mor this summer then ever before in my life. 

  • sas-schatzi
    sas-schatzi Member Posts: 15,894
    edited August 2012

    NOVENA NOTIFICATION

    We will be starting a novena Tuesday Aug.14th . I have asked Frank to pick the novena. Please, keep him in your prayers daily as he is being chemo challenged at present. The herceptin has stopped working. We have many members that are having condition changes on the Catholic thread and throughout BCO right now. Please , join us on the 14th.

    A Novena is prayers said daily for 9 days with stating the intention of your prayer. An intention can be for a person , group, or a thought. You don't need to be Catholic. Prayer is Prayer. If something in the prayer doesn't fit your belief system, substitute or omit that portion. We are an Ecumenical group which means inclusive of all.

    Everyone on my Favorite member list gets this notification, as I have added those that have been involed in the past, UNLESS they are there for a different reason. Frankly, my memory is getting worse. So, if you have receive this and scratching your head as to why, please forgive me.

    Send your intentions to me by Pm or post on Catholic thread on sunday (preferrably) or monday and I will combine them into a one list. It takes awhile to do the composite list, thats why I ask that intentions be sent on Sunday, Pax Sheila(sassy)

    community.breastcancer.org/for...

  • sas-schatzi
    sas-schatzi Member Posts: 15,894
    edited August 2012

    Novena notification update:I unintentionally made it sound as if the novena was just for Frank. Franks change of condition triggered us to want to do a novena. The novena is for all of us on BCO and others that are added by members. The link below goes to the working copy of the combined list of intentions,If those unfamilar with a novena would like to take a look and see how it's being put together. The next paragraph is the first intention.

    Dear God---May all, of many Faiths, come together in prayer and support of each other. Jesus Christ,Mother Mary , and the Holy Court of Heaven, hear our prayers for all the sisters and brothers of BCO in this there time of need. Strengthen them and their families and let them not despair. Heal them if you will, or guide them to understanding and acceptance of your plan.

    community.breastcancer.org/for...

    So, if you want an intention added for you , or someonelse please PM me any time now. Probably should put this link in your favorites to refer to on Aug 14th. At this point we are leaning towards ST Peregrine Patron saint of Cancer as two members are willing to take the intentions to ST Peregrines shrine near Pheonix Az.

    Sorry for muddling up the first communication. It all seemed logical at the time. It was only after multiple messages received that I realized the problem Thanks for your involvement. SAS

    The prayer that will be added is said once a day and the intentions are said once a day

  • Joanne_53
    Joanne_53 Member Posts: 714
    edited August 2012

    I sweat terribly but have realized that the sweating started before I started taking Tamoxifen. I had to switch anti-depressants however and started to take Effexor. I think that my sweats might be a side effect of the Effexor. Is anyone else experiencing this?

  • sas-schatzi
    sas-schatzi Member Posts: 15,894
    edited August 2012

    Joanne--effexor can have that s.e., can be noticed if dose is late, if a dose is missed, and when trying to wean off of it. Not sure about what the experience is when it's taken at a really regular time every day. sassy

  • fluffqueen01
    fluffqueen01 Member Posts: 1,801
    edited August 2012

    I take the low dose Effexor . It was a great help for the first three months. Now I am having serious sweating again when I flash. I am not going to up my dose however. I weaned myself off Pristiq when it did nothing for hot flashes, after taking it for about 6 months. The worst was the brain zaps. It took about three weeks to get past those and it was not pleasant, but not unbearable. From what I can tell, the Effexor is pretty similar.



    My husband brought home a fan from Lowes I thing. It is a stand fan that is narrow, and about four feet tall. Also has a remote and oscillates. Best thing ever. I have it at the end of the bed off to the side. It cruises across my whole body as it turns with a nice gentle breeze on the lowest setting. While I don't have bad night sweats, mine are really bad day sweats, this an is wonderful!

  • Joanne_53
    Joanne_53 Member Posts: 714
    edited August 2012

    Thanks fluffqueen ... I am worried about going off Effexor but will speak to my PCP about it. The sweats are terrible and embarrassing. I have fans and they help. Funny I do not have night sweats at all.

  • marejo
    marejo Member Posts: 655
    edited August 2012

    I just started on Estrodoil.  An estrogen pill.  My breast cancer was not fueled by either estrogen or progesteron and after 7 years of severe flashing, I've had enough.  I started 1 mg. of Estrodiol on Thursday evening.  It is Monday and I haven't noticed much improvement yet.  My GYN told me to give it until the beginning of Sept. before I made a judgement call.  I am praying this does it.  Enough is enough.  I'll keep you posted.

    Mary Jo

  • SillyMama
    SillyMama Member Posts: 49
    edited August 2012

    I thought I'd be finished with hot flashes since I already did my five years of Tamoxifin and Arimidex. They were nuclear back then. I'd be sitting in an airconditioned business meeting, and could feel the sweat roll down my arm and drip off my elbow.

    One thing that I do think at least shortens the duration of a hot flash, is to chug a bottle of ice water as quickly as possible. My feeling is that it acts like a "heat sink" but works from the inside out.

    I had a chance to take Arimidex for free in a clinical trial to see if another 5 years benefits bc survival rates. I always thought I'd want to be part of a clinical trial, but I couldn't imagine the SEs for another 5 years, so I turned it down. My husband said that when I got out of bed hunched over in the morning, that I looked like a moving version of all the stages of Darwin's evolution by the time I reached the coffeepot standing upright. 

  • kas851
    kas851 Member Posts: 2
    edited August 2012

    AWFUL!  At least one an hour.  Have kept my hair short after treatment because they are so bad.  My family thinks I'm nuts when I drive to work with the window down in the dead of winter.  You would think for as much as I sweat I would be a size 2. 

  • marejo
    marejo Member Posts: 655
    edited August 2012
    LOL @ kas.  I know, right?  I always said that too...."for as much as I sweat you'd think I'm be skinny."  Sadly, with all the hormone changes usually that means WEIGHT GAIN.... Ugh!Cry
  • Linda54
    Linda54 Member Posts: 509
    edited August 2012

    has anyone taken Neurontin (Gabapentin) for hot flashes?

    My gyno gave me a script for this today.  I read all the info about it and I just don't know if I want to take it.

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