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Hot Flash Forum!

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  • uds17
    uds17 Member Posts: 100
    edited April 2015
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    So I'm having a hysterectomy + oophorectomy on Thursday. My surgeon wanted me to stop tamoxifen and all supplements (evening primrose oil, vit E, magnesium, calcium , and vit D) 2 weeks before surgery. My question is this: do you think stopping these could have made my hot flashes worse?? The past few nights I have been drenched and am barely sleeping.

    Thanks!


  • sas-schatzi
    sas-schatzi Member Posts: 15,879
    edited April 2015
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    Hey FLucy, Ohh the oophs out, I had 'em out at 46 when dear twin was dx'd with ER+ BC in 1996. Not excepted tx at the time. But talked everyone into it--even insurance. LOL......... I didn't notice much different.........BUT with the AI's eewhh....... I was here allot in the first 30 pages. We did some good deductive science. OH MY.......We learned some stuff by listening to each other that was not in the literature. It was pretty cool.

    Uds---I'd blame tamox before any other supplement. How long have you been on Tamox? There's a thread you need to look at. I'll link it. Hate to create concern where concern is a distress. But the ladies on this thread raised concerns I hadn't heard before last week. Better to know now then later.

    I found the link.

    https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/150/topic/826426?page=1#post_4285805


     

  • glennie19
    glennie19 Member Posts: 4,831
    edited April 2015
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    I switched from Lyrica to gabapentin for my carpal tunnel nerve pain,, and it just *might* be helping my hot flashes. If it would just take care of the night sweats so I could sleep, I'd be happy.

  • Chrisrenee77
    Chrisrenee77 Member Posts: 693
    edited April 2015
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    glennie- I've been on the gabapentin 300 mg for just over a year. I no longer have hot flashes at night. I also take Paxil 10mg in the morning been on that for just over 5months. I have been HF free. I get warm but that's because I live in Texas and it's hotter than hell here. I think you will find you love gabapentin. I know I do. Good luck on it.

  • sas-schatzi
    sas-schatzi Member Posts: 15,879
    edited April 2015
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    Farmerlucy and Uds I found the link and added it to my post above.

  • Scottiemom11
    Scottiemom11 Member Posts: 1,072
    edited April 2015
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    Glennie19 I'm on Gabapentin and it definitely helps. I have dry hot flashes and nerve pain from lower back as well as BMx so it's a 2-Fer med for me.

    Scottie

  • glennie19
    glennie19 Member Posts: 4,831
    edited April 2015
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    Glad to hear others have had success with gabapentin !!

  • kittysister
    kittysister Member Posts: 88
    edited April 2015
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    I was having 6-8 hot flashes during the day and at least 3 at night. EVERY night. They were the drenching kind and then I just couldn't go back to sleep after that. I was on 100 mg. 2 x a day and they weren't doing anything. My doctor upped my gabapentin to 300 mg. 2 x a day. What a difference! I might get a mild flash a couple of times a day now, if that, and none at night. Blessed sleep! They don't help my pain much, though.

  • Nomatterwhat
    Nomatterwhat Member Posts: 210
    edited May 2015
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    I have traveled 8 1/2 hours today south and drank and drank and drank water and have had 2 hot flashes. Had to stop and go to the bathroom more often, but could it be possible that water will help with hot flashes?  I am going to San Antonio tomorrow and certainly hope drinking more water helps with the flashes again tomorrow.  I already take 900 mg of gabapentin for my neuropathy and that doesn't slow them down. 

  • glennie19
    glennie19 Member Posts: 4,831
    edited May 2015
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    hope so too, nomatterwhat,,, keep us posted!

  • farmerlucy
    farmerlucy Member Posts: 596
    edited May 2015
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    HI my flasher friends! Now that I don't have the tamoxifen constraints re: anti-depressants for HF does anyone know which ones work best on HFs? I'm on Effexor 37.5 now but hesitant to increase it. What about Prozac? Thoughts on it's effectiveness ?

    We've been watching flashes (power flashes) on the TV for two hours now as tornadoes move through central OK.

  • Chrisrenee77
    Chrisrenee77 Member Posts: 693
    edited May 2015
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    Farmerlucy- I was on Effexor until Nov 2014 I liked it, but I think I became immune to it.  I have been on Paxil since dec 2014, I LOVE it!

  • farmerlucy
    farmerlucy Member Posts: 596
    edited May 2015
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    Good to know chrisrenee! I'll ask about it

  • uds17
    uds17 Member Posts: 100
    edited May 2015
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    The generic of Paxil is paroxetine, which is the generic for Brisdelle as well. Brisdelle is FDA approved for the treatment of hot flashes. Unfortunately, you can't take this with tamoxifen.

  • Blownaway
    Blownaway Member Posts: 662
    edited May 2015
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    farmerlucy - I have never taken any kind of antidepressant until recently and it's only due to hot flashes. I started out at the lowest dosage of Effexor and am now up to 225 mg (for the last 3 days) . You have to titrate up gradually. My hot flashes are better. I don't get as many and i don't get as hot. Still waiting for the most recent bump up in dosage to take effect.

  • lala1
    lala1 Member Posts: 974
    edited May 2015
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    I've now been on Peridin-C for 4 days and last night I had one hot flash!! Granted, I don't flash too bad....maybe 4 a night and a couple during the day. But none yesterday during the day and one last night was awesome! I actually slept almost a straight 8 hours for the first time in a few weeks! I'll keep ya'll posted....


  • CidneyI
    CidneyI Member Posts: 32
    edited May 2015
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    I am on Effexor too for flashes. Started out at 37.5mg and just had to bump it up to 70mg this week. It has improved the flashes but not as good as I hoped. I am wondering how long it will be until I have to increase the dosage again. I am so tired of being sweaty all the time. I live in TX and I do not know how I am going to make it through our hot and humid summers. I have to wear suits for work and the lining of my suits stick to me all over - even when I am sitting at my desk with a fan on. I am also tired of my face breaking out from being sweaty so much. I wished I could take a Tamoxifen vacation.

  • farmerlucy
    farmerlucy Member Posts: 596
    edited May 2015
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    I decided to pump up to 75 mg of Effexor as well. Here's hoping it works!
  • nancybel
    nancybel Member Posts: 39
    edited May 2015
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    I started on 37.5 of Effexor then bumped up to 75 now at 150. Each time it has worked for about a month or so then the HF start up again. I tried taking time off from all meds with MO permission and the HF were worse so I'm back on and thinking about upping one more time.

  • farmerlucy
    farmerlucy Member Posts: 596
    edited May 2015
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    I talked to my gyn about magnesium and she thought it was a good idea. Something is working and either the extra Effexor or the magnesium is cooling me down. My friend gave me a battery operated personal fan that hangs around my neck. I used it on a plane trip recently and it was a life saver.

  • claireinaz
    claireinaz Member Posts: 679
    edited May 2015
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    A little warning about effexor and taking it for hot flashes.

    I took effexor XR 37.5 mg (not a "depressive" rx, just enough to allieviate hot flashes) thinking it would be fine. Unfortunately after two years, between the arimidex and the the effexor, I have deduced that the two together are contributing to my slow and steady weight gain, and are making it impossible to lose weight no matter what I do. So I'm eliminating the effexor.

    It does relieve hot flashes although I still had them, but it is a horrible drug to try to stop. The side effects from w/d can last for weeks or even months at times--I've weaned off by opening the capsules and taking out two or three little pellets at a time and have no been off it completely for 10 days. Side effects ? Head whirlies so bad my husband had to drive me everywhere, which make me nauseated at times. A feeling of depersonalization--I'm not in my body, and so disoriented from my life that I feel horrible; sweats at night; awful, awful nightmares; headaches; mood swings; tearful episodes for NO reason; anger; a feeling of doom. Fuzzy-headedness like I'm on an overdose of cold meds. All this on only 37.5 mg.

    So re-consider if you've been offered this drug....and try to find other ways to relieve your flashes.

    Claire in AZ
  • glennie19
    glennie19 Member Posts: 4,831
    edited May 2015
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    A lot of people experience that really rough withdrawal symptoms. My ex-hubby was on it, and he would miss one dose and by afternoon, was sure he was sick with the flu,,, then he would realize that he forgot his dose. That personal experience is why I didn't want to try it.  Hope you are feeling better now.

  • lifelover
    lifelover Member Posts: 263
    edited May 2015
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    I stopped Effexor a few weeks ago because it was making my heart rate high (for the past few years). I'm still having horrible withdrawal symptoms. I took Valium for about 10 days to help but then decided to tough it out. It is a nasty drug to go off of. It didn't even help that much with my hot flushes - or maybe it did and I just don't appreciate how much it did.

    I still have hot flushes 4 years post-chemo. I wish they would stop. Night sweats have worsened recently. Don't know why that is. I did start Femara a few weeks ago but I don't feel any particular changes since starting it.

  • Blownaway
    Blownaway Member Posts: 662
    edited June 2015
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    My onco just bumped up my Effexor to 225 mg to help control the hot flashes.  I have to take one 150 mg + one 75mg.  I am sleeping much better now (not waking up 10 times a night with heart pounding/hot flashes) and I am having only a few very mild hot flashes during the day.  I'll worry about withdrawal when the time comes but that's way down the road....

  • farmerlucy
    farmerlucy Member Posts: 596
    edited June 2015
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    I think slooow weaning is the key. I dropped from 75 to 37 by taking out five extra little balls a week over about six weeks. Then again to none. But the HF were just too much - oh and I wanted to pinch everyone's head off. Effexor makes me a nicer person!SillyHeart

  • peggy_j
    peggy_j Member Posts: 89
    edited July 2015
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    I just wanted to thank everyone for posting here. I'm one of the lucky few who never had HF due to tamox, but now, post-meno, I do. The ones during the day are annoying but not horrible. But lately they've been disrupting my sleep: I've been waking a couple times at night (covers off, covers on, repeat) but...compared to what others are going through, it's not that bad. I'm taking melatonin; not sure if that is helping me stay asleep through some of the symptoms. Thanks for the perspective (and giving me a heads up on options to discuss w/ my doc, in case it gets worse). I don't know about you, but I'm sick of doctor's appointments .... sigh ... ;)

  • lala1
    lala1 Member Posts: 974
    edited July 2015
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    I am now at a month on iCool and I have to say it's the bomb! I've gone from half a dozen HF a night to one or two. And one or two during the day as well. And the flashes are much milder than before and much shorter. My MO was the one who recommended iCool (can't do anything with hormones) and I honestly thought he was full of s**t! I'm a believer now!

  • farmerlucy
    farmerlucy Member Posts: 596
    edited July 2015
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    DH bought me one for my birthday. Trying it as we speak. It is making my nips salute. Oh wait . . . I don't have any nips. :)

    Thanks for the great tip.

  • rleepac
    rleepac Member Posts: 193
    edited July 2015
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    What is iCool?

  • lala1
    lala1 Member Posts: 974
    edited July 2015
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    It's a hormone free supplement that acts like soy without the bad stuff that increases your chance of BC recurrence. I buy it at Walmart. I buy the plain version that are little white pills that you take once a day. They also come with added Vit D or added Omega 3. I prefer the plain one without added dyes. Give it a month to work. Cost about $15 for a month's supply.


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