Heat and menopause

[Isabella40]

Have managed the heat really well up until the weekend. Yesterday I overheated and nearly fainted, went very light headed and had to sit down for quite awhile with water.

Noticed over the last couple of weeks symptoms of menopause more noticeable - sleep is a big issue go to sleep ok but regularly waking between 2 and 5am struggling to get back to sleep. Hot flushes more noticeable but not sure if down to the heatwaves!!!

I have the mirena coil and have menopace night tablets but need to be more consistent in taking these I forget at night.

Today feel weak and tired keep drinking to make sure I’m not dehydrated.

I have a telephone consultation with gp next week what help can I get from them?

I have looked into HRT however we have breast cancer in the family.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

I think everyone, HRT or not, is finding the heatwave tough on sleep.

I have looked into HRT however we have breast cancer in the family.

Two first degree (mother and sister) relatives are counted if they had BC at an early age. Grannies, aunts, long-distance family don't count really, because much of BC is related to lifestyle factors.

A lot of the info online now is slightly out of date .

some breast specialists suggest having the BRACs gene test rather than just 'family history' because a lot of BC is related to lifestyle- alcohol and being overweight are the two biggest risks.

HRT- The research shows no added risk for at least 5 years with micronised progesterone + estrogen (this is for women without any hereditary risk) but using the Mirena coil does add some risk as it's a synthetic progesterone.

If you think HRT might help you've be advised to see a consultant menopause specialist to discuss it.

I’d get an appt with a meno specialist if you can, and discuss HRT (I was referred through my GP). HRT might not be ok for you, but it might. I think heat is an issue for sleep regardless really. I have a fan in my bedroom and have a bottle of Avene water spray to hand. The Avene spray isn’t cheap and I dare say you could do a do-it-yourself version, but I love it so much. Really cools too.

Thank you - I’m currently on school holidays too so probably different routine could affect my sleep and feeling tired a lot. The fainting feeling yesterday has worried me.

I did request to have a face to face chat with a doctor who specialises in menopause however i have a telephone discussion with a gp next week who reading his bio doesn’t specialise in this area. So will see what he suggests. It’s so difficult getting to see a doctor. Just glad I’ve got the ball rolling will see how it goes.

Magnesium glycinate has helped my sleep enormously. Needs to be taken for a month or two before you start to notice. I buy the nutrition geeks capsules.

Another hack is to throw ice packs in the bed, as you would hot water bottles in winter.

Ooh, I forgot that - I also got a cool mat you keep the fridge and put in your bed. Bliss

To be honest for something complicated like the BC risk you may have to see a private consultant as most GPs are not specialists in this area and will just quote the online guidance, which you can access yourself anyway.

As I said, it's not black and white.
Sadly, the lifetime BC risk for all women in 1:7, so most women will have some family relatives who had it. Depends on how many, who and at what age.

There are even women now who are using HRT after having had BC, which puts it into perspective a little.

Depends how much you're suffering and if it's just sleep issues.
There are new drugs available for hot flushes etc, which are not HRT.