If you have hot flushes, are they triggered by sugary food/alcohol?

[LoveforPGTipsMonkey]

I don't have hot flushes 'all over' but have this issue (as in title) with my hands getting hot and red/slightly swollen. I wonder if this is a form of a hot flush?
This also happens after doing physical work with my hands - been told it's circulation issues but blood tests ok so far. So I thought maybe it's one of those hormonal symptoms? I'm nearing that kind of age.

[Custardo]

i dunno re hands but yes. i am a mighty low carber which means i dont have sugar a lot - when i do i get flushes - not like you

[LoveforPGTipsMonkey]

thanks Custardo, I don't have much sugar either - never in hot drinks, but I do eat something sewet. The flushed hands are also the case after sweet fruit though - grapes mainly as they aer more intensely sweet.

Any other experiences?

[LostInSpaces]

They don't sound anything like hot flushes to do with menopause. No. Hot flushes usually start on your neck and spread to your head, chest and sometimes your whole body. Hot and sore hands after doing work could be arthritic. It's definitely not how meno hot flushes behave.

If you are perimenopause then most of us find booze causes flushing (but it does in anyone, even men.) I think you are barking up the wrong tree with your diagnosis :)

[Talith]

Drink has lots of carbs in it and so if you've had a skinful you might get blood sugar crash overnight which can include palpitations and sweats.

I drink a lot less than I used to and noticed night sweats far more infrequent these days.

What you have sounds rather more specific to your hands so unsure if it's remotely related to that.

[BrownTurkey]

Sugar makes my general meno symptoms worse, including aching joints, bloating and fingers swelling.

[marlingspike]

I think I'm veering into peri stage. Coffee seems to be a big one for me but like a pp said it's a whole body thing, even my arms turn visibly pink and my face and back starts sweating it goes that hot.

[lljkk]

Could be a mild allergic response. There are lots of chemicals in grapes (all foods, really)

[LoveforPGTipsMonkey]

LostinSpaces, it's not so much barking up the wrong tree but clutching a straws! GP suspected something like rheumatoid arthritis but tests show normal (been to the specialist too, rheumatologist) - of course it could be that tests are normal SO FAR.
I'm just fed up with a fact that doctors can't give me any explanation or advice on how to improve this. I have some more typical peri symptoms parallel to this so I thought maybe it's a variation.
I don't drink much at all, I only need a half-glass of wine for this to flare up, though does come down if I stick hands in cold water.

The worst thing is, I can't exercise anymore (bar walking) , or do housework as this happens, have to do in bursts then 'cool down. I thoght at leats this aspect is familiar to those who get hot flushes proper, so interesting how they deal with it.
*marling" strangely coffee really agrees with me, as I've also lost concentration recently and memory lapses happen, coffee really helps with that! But if I drink any hot drinks meaning few in a row, this happens to an extent.
It may be thyroid, but tests seem 'acceptable' too.

[LoveforPGTipsMonkey]

sorry for typos!

[Destinysdaughter]

I've been doing low carb since Jan ang my hot flushes have noticeably decreased. I don't know why tho. May be worth a try?

[LoveforPGTipsMonkey]

is it mainly low sugar, Destiny? or carbs as in pasta, less sugary cakes?