Any Relief For Hot Flashes?

[cindymhi]

Hi,

Thanks so much for this forum!!  My hot flashes have subsided some over the past 2 years but still hit with them occasionally.  Is there any relief for hot flashes and will they ever go away? I asked a neighbor (75 yrs. old) when her hot flashes went away and she replied "I'll let you know"!  This was not the answer I was hoping for!

Pam

[layla]

I forgot to mention I am 46 years old. I do eat well and run 4 days a week and do some floor execises on the off days. My only health condition is hypothyroidism. Could the hot flashes be only from that condition. My internal med doc and endo doc seem to think it is premenopause even though all test taken have come back normal (and they took a lot).

[layla]

I see you often suggest soy for hot flashes. I am having a lot of hot flashes but I am hypothyroid and was told to avoid soy as it increases your symptoms and can cause your condition to worsen. I am also having a lot of trouble sleeping because of the hot flashes. What can I do? I already excersise and eat very healthy. My endocrinologist also specialzes in womans studies so when they started she also tested me for many other things related to menopause but all test came back normallevels. She said it could still be premenopause. I have had periods stop but my TSH was also off, after an increase in meds they started again. I am fustrated as to what exactly is the causee of these hot flashes and what to safely do about them given my hypothyroidism. Any suggestion or comments would be appreciated.

[Machelle Seibel, MD]

A. Your neighbor is a real exception to the rule.  Hot flashes last on average for 3 years with most going away by 5 years.  There are the exceptions where they last for 10 years or more, but this is uncommon.  The fact that yours are only occasional suggests that they are going to stop in the usual time frame.

Try doing some simple things like exercise 30 minutes at least 5 times per week, drink lots of water (8+ glasses daily), and avoid hot/spicy foods.  Yoga and meditation are also excellent for reducing hot flashes.

You can also try soy.  The ideal dose is 25 to 40 grams of soy protein daily.  Try mixing a scoop in the blender with some soy milk and fruit for a smoothie.  You can also try capsules of soy 25 to 100 milligrams (not grams) daily, or try