Chemical menopause - when do you start feeling better?

[PollyCreo]

I've been on Letrozole and Zoladex for 18 months now (BC treatment), the joint pain has subsided but the hot flushes persist 😐

Brain fog has cleared and the rages have lessened (I still use the occasional rage in a constructive way 😉) ....but the hot flushes 😡🥵 I have a sympathetic GP who prescribed acupuncture sessions last year, they helped a little but I had to halt them due to complications with my ongoing reconstruction surgery. Another GP recommended anti depressants for hot flushes but didn't want to go down that road.

Can anyone recommend a natural remedy for hot flushes? (Obviously can't take HRT) I eat healthily and run 8km every day before anyone suggests losing weight 😅

There is a new non hormonal drug available for women who can't use estrogen.

Has your GP heard of it?

What is it?

https://thebms.org.uk/2023/12/new-treatment-for-vasomotor-symptoms-hot-flushes-and-night-sweats-licensed-by-the-mhra/

https://www.drlouisenewson.co.uk/knowledge/fezolinetant-explained

It gives the brand name in the 2nd link. It's worth reading about the risks and maybe talking to an expert on the benefits/risks.

Ideally your GP should refer you to a meno gynaecologist who knows more about the options.

You could also explore herbal things like sage, red clover, black cohosh but check they are not contraindicated.

Am watching this thread as in same situation 👍

I was on tamoxifen for 5 years and started Anastrozole about a year ago (after they’d done bloods to make sure I’d gone through the menopause aged 48 then) the flushes came back for a bit but seem to have really calmed down. I am quite active and do loads of yoga, not sure if that helps but feel that I miss it when not practising. I’ve also just started taking magnesium on a night as well.

Try Twinings menopause tea bags, they helped me. Also a small but powerful hand held fan from Amazon (there are many similar cheap ones). I found food of any sort set them off but particularly anything sugary, hot drinks or caffeine. At night when I woke up with them I would take all my clothes off and run my wrists under cold water. I also have a big fan pointing directly at my face/upper body all night. For me I found that at the night the worst (heart racing panic feel like you're going to combust) bit lasted about a minute, so I would count to 60 while getting up and running my wrists under water and by the time I got back into bed the worst had subsided

Thank you for all your advice and sorry there are so many of us in the same situation. Many women don't fully understand and just say 'Try HRT, it's life-changing!!!!' 🤬🙃

I intend to start acupuncture again, I have my final breast reconstruction surgery on Wednesday so hopefully after a month I'll be good to go. I had six sessions last year and he totally eradicated my joint pain, he also picked up on and treated several minor things I've had over the years 😅

Absolutely - I've had women say 'Oh, but you must INSIST on HRT!' when my oncologist, surgeon and the nursing team have all declared it a medically rotten idea, drawing on their decades of training and experience and knowledge of my particular case (very oestrogen positive), rather than something Davina said in the Daily Mail... 😆

I totally agree it should be available to women who want and need it and can take it safely, but I hate the narrative that my bones will snap and I will get dementia without it...

Cutting out booze worked well for me, and I quit for over five years, but now I will have the occasional drink, accepting that I will have a sweaty night in consequence... Cutting down sugar helps too, but cutting it completely was too miserable and punitive when I'd already been through a lot... I hadn't thought of acupuncture, so thanks for that...

And good luck with your reconstruction and ongoing recovery! 😄

Oh, and a hot water bottle, but cold - keep it in the freezer - wrap it in a towel and take it to bed - a lovely big block of ice to hug in the night, or lay your wrists on.

But don't reuse that bottle for hot then, it's not safe, degrades the rubber or something. (I have a blue one for cold and a red one for hot. Genius, pure genius... 😂)