shivering then hot discomforts

[oldval]

As well as hot flushes I get shivers like someone has walked over my grave, these can last up to about 30sec then I get another one just after, my feet go very cold and I dont feel very well, then I can go hot, it has been doing this for along time.

when Im cold I take my blood pressure it can be 190 over 103... if I take it when Im hot it could be 120 over 82.... does anyone

have the same problem. Feel silly going to Doc's and trying to explain this.

[Machelle Seibel, MD]

A. There are two things to discuss with your doctor.  The first is treating your hot flashes.  What you are describing is very typical for hot flashes: first the blood vessels dilate and give off heat and sweat, and after the heat goes away, the person feels cool.  This is all very common.  That’s why it is important to discuss treatment options such as a short course of estrogen (if that is a safe and reasonable choice for you), exercise, relaxation techniques, other prescription drugs, and alternative treatments such as soy or flaxseed.



The second thing to discuss is your blood pressure. If your blood pressure is going up to 190/103 tell this to your doctor.  Be sure you don’t have high blood pressure because that can lead to a stroke.  Perhaps it is worth talking with a cardiologist and see if you should have a cardiac stress test or other investigations to be sure that there isn’t a cardiac or blood pressure problem.



Don’t feel silly.  Go to your doctor and talk about these two things.

Machelle M. Seibel, MD