Hot Flash Forum!
Comments
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Chrisrenee: Brisdelle and Paxil are exactly the same chemical, paroxetine. The reason why Brisdelle is so expensive, is because the drug company made it as a 7.5 mg cap,,, so there is no generic equivalent that is exactly the same thing. Paxil's smallest size is a 10 mg tablet. It is generally available. Don't let anyone push the Brisdelle on you and tell you that it is better than generic Paxil. They are both the same drug, just different mg. No need to pay the expensive copay. (disclaimer: I am a pharmacist in real life)
Drug companies make these "new" versions so that they are "branded" and there isn't a generic available for a certain number of years, the length of the "new" patent. They do this to make money. Period. Pharmacists can't give you the generic unless it is the exact same med, and same strength. So since there is no generic 7.5mg,,, you are stuck with the brand Brisdelle. Getting generic 10 mg tabs will work just as well, and save you money.
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glennie19---I bought some GasX cause everyone said that's what I would need. Sounds like it might not work. Oh well, have it just in case. Did you take anything before surgery for either gas or constipation? Someone suggested taking Colace or Dulcolas for a couple of days before surgery. Would that help prevent the problem you had?
Also, my gyn said if I had hot flash issues after my hysterectomy, he would probably put me on Brisdelle. My MO said No Way! He said the Brisdelle pamplet even says to not use it if you've had breast cancer or use Tamoxifen. Know anything about this? As of right now, my MO says suck up the menopause and deal with it and don't get anywhere near hormones, estrogens, soy, Vit E and anything remotely like any of these. My gyn says it's not that important and I can probably take something. God, I hate disagreeing doctors!
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lala: I had to do a bowel prep before surgery to clean out. My GYN said this was just a precaution in case she nicked the bowel. So I was already cleaned out before surgery! After surgery, taking Colace is a good idea. Warm prune juice mixed with apple juice, or just plain prune juice is also helpful. But not everyone has bowel issues,,, I was just sharing mine!! I did buy Gas-x just in case,, even tho my GYN said not to bother. I figure it was worth a try. But I only had the gas pain the first night when I got home and that was it.Disagreeing doctors are fun. Not. Brisdelle is the same thing as Paxil (paroxetine). Brisdelle is a BRAND name product with no exact generic, so you will pay top dollar for it. If you needed to be on paroxetine, use the generic 10 mg tablet instead. However, if you are on tamoxifen, you cannot take it. There is a drug interaction. Effexor is also used for hot flashes and that is ok with tamoxifen. A lot of women here have used Effexor and found it to be very effective.
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Casa, if you've read these pages from the beginning. Effexor can be trouble for the patient. Big time. It's not the innocuous drug the medical community makes it out to be. Please, read and be careful
Glennie I guess we have had opposite experiences with Effexor. I find the drug very rough on people. Particularly trying to get off of it. It's probably the most discussed drug on these pages from the beginning.0 -
Sas, the drug is very rough to get off of. But it works for some, and if you can't take the hot flashes, it could be worth trying. Up to the individual. I refuse to even consider it for myself.0 -
I was very involved here in the first 30 pages, faded off when I had to deal with the brain tumor. I was on AI's then and soooooooooo remember the HF's and pain. Learned allot here. Then I dc'd use of AI's. That reduced the pain which was at the pain scale 10 level and hot flashes were doable, but a life interference problem. I quit the AI's b/c of system wide uncontrolled pain and inability to function day to day b/c of pain. Even with a very involved pain mgt plan. The pain wasn't worth the Q of L interruption.
Maybe I can get to doing an updated research on HF's. There are the two researchers mentioned here earlier. Freedman and Freeman that have made hot flashes their life research area.
Glad you feel about Effexor the way I do. Wish I could say I have an alternative. Haven't looked at the subject research wise since I faded away.
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Some people tolerate effexor quite well and get great relief from it.
Pas moi! I took it for one day, felt terrible immediately, and decided the hot flashes weren't as bad as the way that effexor was making me feel. I never took it again. But I'm glad to hear that others don't always have the same bad experience that I did.
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I've been taking Effexor for a few weeks now and haven't had any significant side effects. It has helped with the hot flashes so for that I'm happy.
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I tried Effexor, and had a horrible headache and nausea the entire day, so I put it away. About a month later, after being up all night long with night sweats, I gave it a try again...same thing. Not worth it to feel so bad all day long.
Night sweats were the worst on Tamoxifen - much better since I've been switched to Femara, although they have not totally disappeared.
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Is it common to have hot flashes after bc surgery even though didn't have chemotherapy or radiation.
I am 47 yr old.
Anyone having same symptoms.
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Hi abrown,
Are you taking either Tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor? Both are associated with hot flashes.
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Hi hot flash friends! These things are extremely annoying! I'm up every few hours with them drenched! Ty for your experiences on what helps. I might say something to my dr next appointment. Just not fond of yet another pill to my stash and other side effects to manage...hmmm but seriously can't handle the up all night either.
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To those of you who had an oophrectomy...I've read that the menopause symptoms (primarily hot flashes) hit around post-op day 4. How long until your body comes to some sort of normalcy? Or does it?Also, do they ever do a hysterectomy as well since the Tamoxifen is supposed to have some negative uterine effects? I'm thinking I might just ask them to take the uterus too since I'm not planning on using it anymore!
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I had a total HX,,, mainly due to uterine fibroids. Can't remember exactly when the hot flashes started, but by week 3, my estrogen levels were down to zero, and I was hot flashing by then. Over 4 months later,, still flashing. But everyone is different,,, just like with natural menopause,,, some have no problems at all and others have hot flashes for a long time.0 -
This is my weird story. I started with the arimadex. Got the hot flashes, at night was the worst. Problem, I'm diabetic, on insulin. I can crash into the low 30s. Primary symptom, profuse sweating. Can't really tell the difference.
Started effexor. Everything settled down nicely. Stopped taking it.
Hot flashes are starting to return. Got new rx for effexor. Took for 2 days. Haven't felt that sick since chemo. Stopped it, pitched it.
Don't know what I had last night, hf or low. Could NOT get out of bed for finger stick. Decided that DH would just find me dead if it was a low. Could have bee, am stick was a bit lower than usual.
This can't go on. Too scarey!
What else could I take to combat the hfs
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rleepac---I'm 17 days PO from total laparoscopic hysterectomy plus ovaries removed. Haven't had hot flashes yet, just some warm flushes every once in a while, mostly in the early am hours around 5am. I am 51 with a sporadic period so my gyn felt that I was already perimenopausal so that might be why it hasn't really hit yet. If you are thinking of removing ovaries, my opinion is to go full hysterectomy. Tamoxifen is most commonly associated with endometrial cancer. You should at the very least be having TVUS at every gyn appointment. For me, Tamoxifen cause thickened lining, ovarian cysts, fibroids and enlarged uterus. All of those together along with a slowly increase in these things over a 6 month period, told me I needed the surgery. So far so good! Did have to have an "emergency" doc visit yesterday due to low back pain. Turns out I pulled a muscle! Probably from when I first drove after 2 weeks and went a little crazy running errands!
Otherwise I feel great!0 -
I've been having terrible HAs since about a week after starting tamox. Wake up feeling like I have a very high temp w/o sweats also very thirsty. Get up and a few minutes later I'm freezing cold. Had to switch dose to morning because they happen only at night and are worse when I take dose in the evening. Saw MO yesterday and described SEs especially since she wanted to start me on lupron shots which will make SEs worse. She recommended either Effexor or Neurontin. We settled on Neurontin b/c I also have a lot of nerve pain and it can help with that as well as HFs.
Anyone else on Tamox and lupron? I had a better night last night, so keeping my fingers crossed.
Scottie
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Thank you ladies! I kinda figured it would be all over the map and very individual. I'm just looking for someone who has a crystal ball LoL! If I'm given the option, I will chose to have a total hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophrectomy. Just take it all out and be done with it! Don't know if the Onc Gyn will be on board with that or if the insurance will cover it but I'm game.
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Just found this topic! I am newly on Lupron. First month, I had a 1 mo. shot. Some hot flashes, but tolerable. Month 2, they gave me a 3 mo. shot. Holy hot flashes!!!!
Questions - do hot flashes build while on Lupron? Do they eventually go away and if so, when?! Anyone else notice a difference with varied doses of Lupron? How about for those who have had OO surgery - any pattern?
Thank you in advance for Intel!
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I was pre-menopausal when diagnosed. My first Lupron shot was a little under a year ago. That evening, I remember sitting in my recliner being over-come by waves of hot flashes followed by cold sweats and then more hot flashes. I have always had monthly shots (I insisted). For me, the hot flashes mellowed significantly after the first few months. I do not notice an increase in intensity or number in the days after my shot anymore. I still have swelling in my legs and ALND side following the shot. I exercise daily and try to drink more water after the shot. I tell myself that this helps
Some of my friends who have gone through natural menopause no longer have hot flashes (notably one who has never exercised) and some have just as many or more than I do... My BIL has very intense hot flashes - he gets the 3 month dosage/shot for Prostate Cancer... I definitely feel like putting that much more of the chemical in my blood at once would be difficult for me!0 -
bumping for jamiebeth0 -
I tried Effexor soon after B/C diagnosis since I was told to discontinue Premarin and the hot flashes started up. After 2 days, I threw it in the trash. It made me feel jittery and nauseated. Now that I'm further down the road (past surgery/chemo/rads) and am now taking Tamoxifen, I decided to give Effexor another try and stick it out longer this time. It's been about 2 weeks and the nausea subsided; I still feel slightly jittery but my sleep is not interrupted and the hot flashes are now very minimal. But the main reason for this post is.....I think the Effexor is making me lose weight!!!! Has anyone bumped up the dosage from 37.5 and had complete hot flash relief? I am considering asking for an increase to be completely free of hot flashes.
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blown away - no Effexor experience, but interested in answer.
I have another question for everyone. Might be s silly Q, but I've seen SEs described for some drugs as "hot flushes." Isthis the same thing as hot flashes or something different?
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hot flush for me means just getting warmer, no sweating.
I went on effexor 37.5, stool had a few sweats. Bumped it up, felt horrible. Stopped all sizes, no hot flashes till recently. About 8 month time span. Went back on 37.5, felt lousy. Stopped it again.
Will see MO in 3 months, in mean time I just have to deal with them.
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spookies - did you try gabapentin/neurotonin as an alternative to Effexor?
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I did the 75 and had virtually no HF but didn't like the thought that missing a dose might be bad so I dropped down to 37.5, then laterweaned off it. I was a bit dizzy when weaning off but it was no big deal. The HF came back w a vengeance wo the Effexor so I'm back to 37.5. Personally I really like it. When I was off it I was quite irritable and I'm not quite so bad on it!
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Spookiesmom - What were your side effects while taking Effexor?
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Blownaway,, typical dose of effexor for HF's is 37.5 mg - 75 mg. It is worth going up to try for no hot flashes. Some have withdrawal type symptoms when they go off of it. My ex-hubby could miss one dose and feel like he had the flu, but he was on higher dose for depression.0 -
I had been on Neurontin a few years prior to dx. Felt like a zombie.
The 2nd time on effexor, nausea, dizzy, extreme fatigue. Almost as bad as chemo.
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Since there are 54 pages of posts already, I might be asking a question that's already been addressed so I apologize in advance. I'm not on hormonal therapy yet but I will be after chemo and surgery. However, in the past few months, I've gotten what I assume are hot flashes. I get this prickly hot sensation all over my body, my heart feels like it's racing, I start sweating, and I get very lightheaded - almost feel like I'm going to pass out. Then it's followed by the chills. All of that sounds like what I've heard countless women describe as hot flashes except the part about getting really lightheaded. So I guess my question is if lightheadedness and almost passing out can be typical hot flash symptoms?
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