Hot Flashes
Hot flashes are not only caused by low estrogens of menopause or perimenopause, they may also be caused by non disease or condition reasons such as anti-cancer drugs. Tamozifen and osteoporosis prevention drugs such as raloxifene which act as anti-estrogens can also promote hot flashes and night sweats. If you’re experiencing Hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) or hot flashes more then a few times in a seven day period, it’s a good idea to take measures to lessen them.
Men undergoing prostate cancer treatment by way of anti-testosterone therapy, thermal blankets or other measures can experience menopause like symptoms, commonly referred to as male menopause (male hot flashes).
Estrogen and testosterone are believed to help protect the body against night sweats and hot flashes. When these hormones are no longer provided, the body may have a tendency to dilate blood vessels randomly which causes rapid increases in skin temperature -leading to excessive sweating.
Hot Flash – What is it?
Commonly referred to as blushing (facial blushing for example), a hot flash is the sudden feeling of warmth and a sudden increase in upper body excessive sweating. An intense feeling of heat, especially in the face and neck area, is experienced accompanied with redness.
These hot flashes are commonly mistaken for mild fevers such as those found with a urinary tract infection and sometimes with tuberculosis or cancer. The way you can tell a ‘hot flash’ or ‘night sweat’ is by the fact they come and go lasting only for a few minutes or even seconds.
There is not a definitive answer for the cause of ‘hot flashes’ which is often attributed to ‘male menopause’ or menopause in general, but it is known that our brain regulates our body temperature; if it senses the body temperature rising, the brain will release chemicals to help dilate the blood vessels to help remove the increased heat. The presence of estrogens estrogens and testosterone permit the body to tolerate greater changes in your core body temperature. For example, your body may normally tolerate a change in body temp of say 2 degrees before reacting. Without the estrogens, your body may start reacting at .5 degrees creating a hot flash, hyperhydrosis (excessive sweating), night sweats and more.
Woman who are menopausal, male menopause and others suffering from night sweats commonly forget one of the best kept secrets to reducing night sweating – Temperature! In fact, studies show that a woman in menopause can eliminate between 40 and 55 % of the night sweats by simply lowering the temperature by a few degrees. Other studies point out that because heat escapes from the head and foot region, simply wearing sandals may dramatically reduce the number of day sweats or hot flashes.
Eating the right types of food can also help reduce hot flashes. Most people are aware that hot peppers can contribute to excessive sweating, but did you know that many of the additives in food, not hot at all, can contribute to hot flashes? Health foods can not only help deal with the hot flash, but have profound impacts on all functions of the body.
Hot Flashes causes other than menopausal
Many systemic, but rare conditions can also produce flushing such as carcinoid syndrome, systemic mast cell disease, pheochromocytoma, medullary carcinoma of the thyroid, pancreatic islet-cell tumors, renal cell carcinoma and hyperthyroidism. These conditions are thought to inject chemicals into the blood stream that can agitate nerves and blood vessels within the brain. Make your doctor aware of any symptoms other than hot flashes including rapid or irregular heart rate and blood pressure.
Stress is by far the most common cause of hot flashes causing epinephrine and norepinephrine to be released into the blood stream. The body reacts by increasing blood flow and heat. The hot flash is the body’s way of expelling the excess heat.
Night sweats are commonly mistaken for male menopause when in fact it’s simply the days event triggering sweating at night. Female or male, stressful events that occurred during the day will be processed by the brain at night. Too much stress and the brain will actually start the process of hyperhydrosis during deep REM sleep
Stop Hot Flashes or Night Sweats without Hormonal treatment
If you experience a hot flash and it’s been less then a month, you may want to consider waiting to make sure it’s not a short term problem. They are necessary harmful and at that frequency, they do not usually represent a disease process. For the more frequent hot flash, you may want to try the following:
For daytime hot flashes:
* Try to avoid contributing factors such as strong emotions, caffeine, alcohol, cayenne, heavy clothing, etc.
* Use fans during the day.
* Wear natural material such as cotton.
* Practice deep, slow breathing techniques in the morning and evening, and use this technique when you feel a ‘hot flash’ about to happen.
* Exercise, walk, swim ride your bike every day for at least 30 minutes
If hot flashes and male menopause is still an issue after using these techniques, you should see your doctor for other treatments.
Menopause began in 1987 and hs estrogen eliminated the night sweats and hot flashes. Later on I changed to FS estrogen with no problems. I had stage 1 non invasive breast cancer in 2006 and had to stop all hormones. I had a lumpectomy. I have taken thyroid (synthroid) since 1980 with regular checkups. It was normal in December ‘08.
The night sweats returned during cancer treatment and gradually reduced to mild flare ups. For the past 6 months, a wild change has attacked my body. I have had to change clothes 2 or 3 times a night and often that much during the day. Any exertion during the day leaves me drenched with perspiration. I wake up every hour. I have eliminated medications with night sweat side effects. I have taken 600 mg of lithium for 14 years. I take Ativan (1mg) for 8 years. I have taken Altace for blood pressure for about 10 years. I have gained 40 pounds since completing radiation. I walk, swim, or bike most every day.
My gynecologist told me to try prozac, then cohash. My family doctor patted me on the head and told me to learn to live with it. My oncologist said there was nothing to be done. I am an emotional wreck and nearly suicidal. If the estrogen helps….I took it from ‘87 to 2006 before cancer was detected.
Can I risk some hormones now and have a few good years left with my family? This is living hell and I really would like some help.
Thank you.
Carolyn
Hello Carolyn,
I started this site as an information resource and a place where people could share their experiences.
What you are asking for is medical advice, which I can’t provide. I’m nowhere near the medical field and far over on the technology side.
I can however, provide you with a place to share your story so that others experiencing what you’re going through can benefit from your comments.
Your situation sounds most complicated and my heart goes out to you; life can be difficult enough without all these complications. You sound like a strong person, stay strong and trust that there is a reason for everything!
Best Regards,
Jim
Sufro de Hiperhidrosis secundaria,ya que sudo muchisimo la cabeza, la frente, las piernas y todo el cuerpo,me siento toda mojada,ya no se que hacer, vivo, duermo, trabajo con 2 ventiladores,constantemente tengo calor,odio el verano ya que paso muchisimo calor y no se que hacer, no se si tiene solucion. Tengo diabetes porque tengo El Sindrome de Cushing,me operaron de la suprarrenal, tenia un Adenoma,creo que me lo sacaron, digo creo, no soy gorda,pero tengo mucho abdomen y puede ser que el tumor este creciendo. No se si sera esto lo que me produce tanto calor,hace 18 años que no tengo menstruacion o sea que estoy con la menopausia desde los 44 años en que se me retiro y ahora tengo 62. Gracias por lo que puedan hacer por mi. Susana
Tengo Hiperhidrosis secundaria,nadie me lo dijo, pero por lo que lei en este articulo,esesto lo que tengo
I have hot flashes all day and night. Mood swings and often headaches too. This is all because I had a hysterectomy!
I have had a hysterectomy and I have had non-invasive breast cancer and I had a mastectomy. They will not put me on hormones because of the breast cancer and I am dying with night sweats and hot flashes. I have about 20 occurrences at night and I am so tired.
I have been looking into natural herbs to help my problem but so far nothing has helped.
I also have migraines and a loss of sexual desire. Is there any help out there?
my hot flash started at age 45 after my periods stopped, since then i have very bad sweating in the day time, I should say very very bad sweating! I do not want to take hormone replacements, I was trying other pills my doctor gave to me, but it doesn’t work. How do I naturally put a stop to this miserable sweating?
I am 47 years old with a back injury which has cause me to live a pretty non active life. Last year I was forced onto disability by my doctors and the severe pain I was experiencing. I got hurt in 2000 since then have taken a regiment of medications for pain control. I started having day and night sweats recently I am currently on Lexapro for anxiety and depression and Oxycodone for pain and Soma for spasm or pain.
My question is can one of these medications cause my sweats or could it be male menopause / male hot flashes? They are becoming more frequent and I really sweat, they were only happening at night now I’m having them occur 2 to 3 times a day.
Rusty,
Sounds like your sweats could be medication related. The pain medications often do this. Hope you find relief.
Carolyn….sorry for your suffering. I was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma in 2003. The whole year of 2002 I was plagued with night sweats. Then came chills, then finally, fevers over the period of 1 or more years.
If they had done an x-ray of my chest, chances are they would have seen the cancer. It was finally diagnosed by the sudden arrival of a lump under my arm. Swollen lymph gland.
I was told I had Stage 2B Hodgkins. The B was significant because it described all my symptoms that no one related to cancer.
I am sure you don’t have cancer but as a fellow sufferer and survivor, I wanted you to know.
Chris
Hey guys,
I have a 10,000 btu air conditioner that I use. It works wonders {;~) I crank that baby up and keep my bedroom very cool at night. I’m not trying to make light of everything I have read here but I highly recommend air conditioners for keeping cooler; even if it seems inappropriate to others temperature wise. I’ve had a hot temperature since I went through menopause and I use my air conditioner freely.
I’m getting hot flashes, I sweat for no reason. As soon as I do something physical or get upset, they come hard. I’ve been using Larazopam for a long time .05 mg. I started with 2 a month to one a day and now 2 day, am I addicted to Adivan?
I also just started Martial Arts class and they have intense workouts, I’m 55 years old, but in good shape, would it be my muscles flaring up??? I don’t know! I also sweat at night.
I also have the “most severe form” of hot flashes and night and daytime sweating and at 54. I am well past the menopause but it just hasn’t stopped.
I am more than ever convinced that these flashes are actually a blessing in disguise and that taking hormone replacements of any kind actually make it worse in the longer term. I have no evidence but I think these sweats are the body’s effort to remove toxins and the body’s physiological wastes and actually serve to protect us against things like cancer, and that by trying to suppress the sweating we actually make our physical condition more vulnerable to cancer and other diseases like osteoporosis.
I am of Irish stock and I notice that I have least problem with my sweats when I am working outdoors in my garden or biking or doing anything which involves physical effort outdoors. My ancestors (the ones who survived) did so because they were built for hard physical labor working in the fields growing potatoes – but what do we do? We sit in offices and in our cars and wonder why we feel so bad!
I too have a desk job and I have a fan on my desk summer and winter to deal with the discomfort of the sweats but it is when I am outdoors that I have the least trouble with it. I even thought of getting a job where I could be outdoors all day.
My biggest tip to all sufferers is – drink more water… not coffee or tea or soda, but honest to goodness plain (filtered) water. Also only eat natural food (nothing processed), i.e. meat, fish, eggs, fresh vegetables and fruit but no bread, pasta, cookies, cakes, buns, sauces, milk (which is only intended for baby cows), yogurt (which has sugar or sweeteners added). In short, nothing which is processed before or during cooking or with any kind of additive.
All you need is vegetable oil for cooking, salt and pepper and garden herbs for flavor. Reduce sugar and sweeteners and try to get off them completely (difficult in our sugar-addicted society but it does have great health benefits). No thickening or sweetening of any kind and no hot spices or stimulants.
Eating out can be a problem, but I pretend that I am diabetic and on a strict diet and then they are more than willing to accommodate you. These are the things which work best for me. Good luck everyone and try to see your “curse” as a blessing in disguise. Perhaps you will live longer if you can learn to live with the momentary discomfort…
I’m a 20 year old woman, I’ve been having hot flashes since I was about 15 years old. I get them every time I’m in a stressful situation or when I get mad or cry. I don’t know what to do anymore, I’m starting to think there’s something wrong with me. Should I consider seeing a psychologist? Please help!!!
I finally found some other men who were experiencing the same constant day and night sweating.I wear short sleeve shirts 365 days a year when I go out.I go bare chested and wear shorts while in the house which I keep cool.I also have a fan right at my head for when I slip into one of my many attacks daily.I sleep with a fan operating every night and the window is open even during the winter.
I have noticed recently that when I have to go to medical appointments,that I sweat with the flashed even more and towards the end of the day I can smell a moldy body odor..I know I am getting old at 68 and partially disabled but I am not in the ground yet so I shouldn’t smell like that.
I take caution to launder my clothing and bedding daily and I disinfect the wash with bleach.This gets old fast but thanks to everybody for some ideas to present to my VA doctor the next time I go for an appointment.
I started to feel hot flashes and anxiety attacks lately. I am a Male age 45 diagnosed with Mild CAD. I take medicines for my High BP and Diabetes. Do I need to take more medicines for my hot flashes and anxiety as they are becoming very uncomfortable.
Thanks
My husband had a radical prostectomy and has also had medical castration for prostate cancer. He is really suffering with hot flushes both day and night continually and mood swings big time. What can he do. I have suggested that he contact his Urologist but will not. Can you give any natural remedy advice.
Thanks.
I am a 48-year-old female who underwent a total thyoidectomy a few months ago. Because papillary and follicular cancer was found in my thyroid gland after it was removed, I underwent a radioactive iodine treatment, and my endocrinologist has put me on and intentionally high dose of Synthroid for the purpose of suppressing any thyroid cancer cells that might still be lurking in my body. I have been experiencing side effects of frequent hot flashes (about every 20 minutes, day and night), rapid heartbeat, and a lot of trouble getting to sleep and staying asleep (the hot flashes keep waking me up). These are known side-effects of Synthroid-induced hyperthyroidism; however, my doctor doesn’t want to reduce my Synthroid dose. Is there anyone out there who has experienced this and found a safe, effective way to reduce the intensity and/or frequency of the hot flashes? They’ve become quite disruptive to my life.