Hot flushes

Perimenopause – women’s misunderstood, confusing, and long midlife transition.

Dr. Prior presenting at the Fraser Health Wellbeing Guest Speaker Series where she discussed Perimenopause – women’s misunderstood, confusing, and long midlife transition. This presentation was recorded at the Surrey Memorial Hospital, BC in December 2023.
Progesterone for Hot Flashes: NAMS eConsult

Hot flushes/flashes and night sweats have conventionally been considered to be caused by estrogen deficiency and thus their major treatment is estrogen. Dr Jerilynn Prior was invited in November 2013 by the editors of the online blog (eConsult) for the North American Menopause Society to write about progesterone treatment of hot flashes. Here is the article: “Progesterone…
Perimenopause is a time of “Endogenous Ovarian Hyperstimulation”

“Perimenopausal endogenous ovarian hyper-stimulation” is the exact opposite of “The Myth of the Shriveling Ovary”: High estrogen levels during perimenopause, coupled with characteristically intermittent ovulation, can explain much of the misery of perimenopause. My hypothesis is based on the assumption that inhibin production decreases while there are still viable follicles (capable of producing both estrogen…
Natural Help for Hot Flushes

Do you have anything natural that I can take for hot flushes? I’m stilling getting a period but with some skipping now. I have been drinking soya milk, as someone suggested that would help. It has helped so far but I am getting flushes in medium doses quite frequently during the night and day. They will wake me up, as I stick to my partner and he also finds it quite uncomfortable.
Early Menopause

I am 39 and having hot flushes and night sweats. I’ve skipped my period for the last 18 months. Does that mean I am in menopause? Help! I’m too young—what can I do?
Is the use of non-natural medroxyprogesterone what makes HRT bad?

I don’t think there is any problem with use of HRT as long as the natural estrogen (E2) is balanced with natural progesterone. What do you think? My feeling has always been that the “bad” things reported, supposedly because of HRT, even when E2 is used, are caused by the use of progestin. One can obtain progesterone easily enough, so that shouldn’t be a problem.
Perimenopause and night sweats

I am 49 years old, very healthy, and starting to feel better as I’m skipping periods in perimenopause. But I’m just dying with night sweats twice or three times a night—I wake up soaked and barely get back to sleep before the next one hits. What’s odd is that they tend to be very bad for a while and then get better. I’ve never had any during the day. I’m having a bad patch right now. I went to my doctor about it a couple of weeks ago and she told me to take a low dose birth control pill. I don’t even need contraception. But so far I’ve seen no benefit for my night sweats. Do I need to take it longer? The flushes just keep waking me. But now I got a period in the middle of the pack, my breasts are sore and swollen and I’ve had a wicked headache for three days. Help! What can I do?
What is Effective and Safe for Night Sweats in Women with Breast Cancer?

I’m 47 and wringing the sheets every night with hot flushes. I went into menopause early because of chemotherapy for breast cancer and then had surgery to take out my uterus and ovaries because I have the bad gene (BRCA). I’m now taking the new drug that blocks estrogen production but is making my flushes worse. I’ve tried soymilk, tofu and all kinds of plant estrogens. I’m afraid of herbs because I’m told they may increase estrogen and therefore feed my cancer. And I’ve tried acupuncture-it helps about a week and then I need another treatment.

Right now I’m fighting taking the newer anti-depressant my doctor prescribed-I’m not depressed. She says that medicine is what the Cancer Agency recommends for hot flushes. I asked my pharmacist and got a printout of its side effects-it causes sleep problems and loss of appetite. I already have them! And I’ve heard they are only likely to be 60-70% effective.

My question is, can I try something that will help my night sweats without making me at risk my breast cancer will return? Or should I consider stopping the estrogen blocker-I don’t want to because, although it is making my flushes worse, it will prevent another bout of breast cancer. Or am I stuck feeling as wrung out as my sheets for the next dozen years?
What should I expect after early surgical menopause?

I’m 47 and had my ovaries but not my uterus removed. However, following surgery I wasn’t told what to expect, if I needed to take hormones, or what I might experience. My GP was as vague as my gynecologist. I’m having 2-3 night sweats a week, my sleep is very interrupted and have 3-6 daytime hot flushes per week but all of these things are the same as before surgery. I even still have my usual libido and good vaginal lubrication. I thought I’d lose those with my ovaries. . . .
Perimenopause and Thyroid Problems—common and confusing

When a perimenopausal woman feels tired, gains weight and has frozen-cold hands and feet, how can she tell if the cause is a low thyroid or perimenopause?