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Hot Flashes Heat Up Relationships |
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Recently I spoke at a conference in St. Louis where a woman approached me and described the “battle of the thermostat” that was occurring in her office. One of the secretaries was going through menopause and having frequent hot flashes. Her solution to her internal inferno was to keep the room chilled to sub-arctic temperatures. Although this kept her perfectly comfortable, the rest of the staff was freezing. Something as seemingly innocuous as room temperature was setting the stage for an intra-office war.
Whether at work or at home, hot flashes affect more than just the person having them. People living or working with “red-hot menopausal women” vacillate between empathy and frustration as they struggle to achieve mutual comfort.
On the heels of the announcement about the less than stellar results of the Women’s Health Initiative, which examined the use of hormone replacement therapy and found that it didn’t meet the anticipated expectations, have come the return of hot flashes and night sweats in the women who discontinued their hormones. Add to this the number of menopausal women who elected not to use hormones in the first place and the term global warming takes on an entirely new meaning.
When a woman’s estrogen and progesterone levels fluctuate during natural menopause or plummet after a total hysterectomy or cancer treatments, it can trigger a host of menopausal symptoms including hot flashes and night sweats. While some women report them as mild and infrequent, others experience them as severe and numerous. They can range from a feeling of mild warmth to one of intense heat. The feeling can be limited to the upper body, face and neck or it can be felt throughout the entire body. Hot flashes can be accompanied by a flushed appearance to the skin, sweating or heart palpitations.
There are many ways of effectively managing hot flashes and night sweats. Keep in mind that every woman’s pattern is different and what works for one woman may not work for another. However, most will find the following tips, excerpted from my book Sudden Menopause, to be beneficial.
· Keep a hot flash diary. Hot flashes may be triggered by a variety of situations or substances, so keeping track of them may allow a pattern to emerge. Sugar, caffeine, alcohol, spicy foods, warm beverages and stress are common triggers.
· Try to control the room temperature. A hot, stuffy room is a sure fire way to increase body temperature. Whenever possible, keep the room temperature slightly cool or ventilate the environment at work and at home with a small fan.
· Adjust your body temperature. Dress in layers, so that you can shed outer garments when a hot flash comes on. Wear natural fibers like cotton, as many synthetics don’t breathe easily. If you sweat excessively, garments made of the moisture management fabric will help to “wick” the perspiration away from your skin. If night sweats keep you awake, wear lightweight pajamas, avoid flannel sheets and electric blankets and sleep with your feet outside of the covers (this actually works).
· Practice relaxation techniques. Many women notice that hot flashes abound when they are in an anxiety- provoking situation. Regularly practicing relaxation strategies such as guided imagery or yoga can temper the stress that drives hot flashes and night sweats.
· Use soy and flax. One of the innumerable benefits of these foods is that they can alleviate menopausal symptoms. Try incorporating a serving of each in your daily diet. Women with a history of estrogen dependent tumors should discuss this option with their doctor. The general consensus on this issue seems to be that in moderation, soy foods can be used. However soy supplements should be avoided because the natural balance of nutrients found in the foods is not duplicated in the supplements. You are also more likely to consume too high of a quantity of soy via supplements versus foods.
· Experiment with supplements. When used responsibly, many supplements are safe and effective. Here is a sample regimen that may work for you: 800 IU vitamin e (mixed d-tocopherols); 500-600 mg. calcium citrate with 400 IU vitamin d, twice daily; 400 mg. magnesium twice daily; 1,000 mg. evening primrose oil capsules, one to three times daily; and 500 mg. vitamin c, twice daily. Herbal preparations containing black cohosh and chaste tree are also effective. Some women find over-the-counter progesterone cream helpful too. Be sure to consult a credible book and a reputable naturopathic practitioner before using them.
If you are taking medication, undergoing cancer treatments or are scheduled for surgery, be sure to discuss your supplements with your doctor and pharmacist.
· Consider medication. If despite your best efforts you still can’t achieve good control over your hot flashes and night sweats, consider using one of the medications that has been shown to alleviate these symptoms. Options to discuss with your doctor include blood pressure medicine, like the Clonidine patch and low dose anti-depressants, like Effexor or Paxil.
Episodic heat waves that accompany menopause need not be a problem that sparks a heated debate amongst co-workers, friends and family. Implementing a few lifestyle changes can transform your body temperature from sizzle to fizzle.
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