Main »
Mammology
» Methods of dealing with hot flashes during menopause
18:22
Methods of dealing with hot flashes during menopause
Methods of dealing with hot flashes during menopause
Especially in women receiving anti-cancer treatment
Mammology - Breast surgery
Confuse this symptom of menopause with some other almost impossible: a sudden sharp feeling of heat inflow to the face and upper body, possibly in conjunction with heart palpitations, sweating, nausea, dizziness, anxiety, headache, weakness or feeling of suffocation. Some women have hot flushes before the attack there "aura" - signs of a premonition of the coming tide. After the hot flushes and sweating usually appears red skin. At the same pot can be quite intense, and only in the upper lip. At the end of the attack can also be a chill. 65% of women experience hot flashes of varying intensity at the approach of menopause, and during the first two years after the end of the menstrual cycle. From 20 to 50 percent of women experience them for many years. Over time, the severity of hot flushes decreased.
Reasons for hot flushes
For the most part the cause of hot flashes is a natural change in hormonal status. But in addition, cause hot flashes can sometimes be a way of life and taking certain medications. Reduced estrogen levels in the blood directly affects the hypothalamus, a part of the brain that regulates appetite status, sleep, production of sex hormones and body temperature. Reduced estrogen levels somehow affect the regulation of body temperature of the hypothalamus (the mechanism of this phenomenon is not yet fully open). The hypothalamus begins to perceive the current level as the temperature increased. This leads to the fact that it increases heart rate, while expanding the capillaries of the skin, and all this have to "get rid of excess heat." All of this carries the hypothalamus through the nervous system, its special chemicals - neurotransmitters: epinephrine, norepinephrine, prostaglandin, and serotonin. These mediators are a carrier of the signal directly to the tissues of the hypothalamus and delivered to them immediately. As a result, as a result of heart beats stronger, skin blood vessels (capillaries) dilate, which allows the body to give more heat and sweat glands begin to secrete sweat heavily. All this shows a sense of hot flushes.
This mechanism of release of heat helps protect the body from overheating in hot weather, for example, in the summer, but in this case it is caused by reduced estrogen levels in the blood. The most annoying thing is that hot flashes occur in the most unexpected moments - during your work, meeting friends and colleagues or in the middle of the night.
In women treated for breast cancer may be exactly the same hot flashes or more intense, and their duration may be longer, particularly in premature onset of menopause, or if the woman is taking tamoxifen and your body is not acclimated to it.
Less commonly, the tides, women may not be apparent until the end of tamoxifen, which can be an unpleasant surprise. In such patients estrogen tamoxifen has an unusual property that prevents the occurrence of hot flushes.
No matter, whether hot flashes are associated with the treatment of breast cancer or not, they can be of varying severity, duration and frequency. Episode attack may last a few seconds and several minutes up to an hour. But to the patient regained consciousness after the high tide, you need the same amount of time.
The most frequent hot flushes observed between 7 and 7 am and between 6 and 10 pm. In most cases, the severity of hot flushes is moderate, but 10 - 15% of their intensity is so high that the patient requires medical intervention. The frequency of debilitating hot flashes are much higher in women treated for breast cancer.
Randomized studies have shown that hot flushes have been reported in 50-75% of patients treated with tamoxifen compared with 25-50% receiving placebo (dummy). Note that the sooner a patient is undergoing a period of menopause - the period from the date of the gradual extinction of the menstrual cycle until its termination - the greater the severity of hot flashes. The most pronounced of these flushes after surgical removal of the ovaries, as well as after chemotherapy. If the patient is not informed beforehand of the possibility of hot flushes, it can sometimes take them for a heart attack.
The intensity of hot flashes while taking tamoxifen decreases gradually over 3 - 6 months. Note that muscular women and women with severe adipose tissue, in which the conversion of androgens to estrogens, the severity of hot flushes is not as intense. Women who smoke stated a violation of the microcirculation in the capillaries, which leads to more severe manifestations of the intensity of hot flashes.
The natural method of dealing with hot flashes
The best method to reduce the manifestation of hot flushes is natural. Recent studies have shown that the drug therapy of hot flushes is not always effective. Before starting estrogen therapy drugs should first try less drastic methods of treatment as women who have had breast cancer, estrogen drugs may be unsafe in terms of tumor recurrence.
If you know what you are used to cause the appearance of hot flushes, you should avoid it. Pay attention to what you're doing or what you eat at a time when there was a rush of heat, or what you feel. Many women say that the tide was the cause of a stressful situation. In this case it is highly recommended to avoid such situations. Try to plan your day ahead, to try to avoid stress, since stress can be caused by some unexpected turn of events.
Among other "shocks" of hot flushes are: alcohol, caffeine, diet pills, spicy food, hot food, hot showers, saunas, warm bed, hot temperature in the room, hot weather, smoking.
The fight against hot flashes
Avoid wearing clothing multiple "layers" so that if necessary, could be something with a lift. Do not wear woolen clothes, and clothes made of synthetic fabric, and be careful with silk. It is recommended to wear clothes made of cotton, linen or viscose. Avoid wearing clothes with tight tight high collar.
Try to always carry a bottle of cold (ice) water. If possible, try to stay indoors where air conditioning or fan, or in a well ventilated area. Use a fan.
Use only cotton linens. Try to sleep on a larger-sized bed if you sleep with a partner. Before bed, take a cool shower.
You can also try light painkillers such as Tylenol. Try to come to the meeting in advance, so you can avoid the rush and take a cool place.
Changes in lifestyle
Physical exercise: increased physical activity (for example, try not to use the elevator and walk up the stairs) can reduce the appearance of hot flushes and other symptoms associated with menopause: insomnia, fatigue, mood changes, increased cholesterol, decreased libido, state heart of the system, bone and muscle tissue. In addition, exercise increases levels of endorphins - the "internal pain" of the human body. Reducing the impact of stress and relaxation: Of course, with such a disease, like cancer, it is difficult to avoid stress. To do this, try to use the following: relaxation exercises, breathing exercises, meditation, relaxing massage.
Changing the diet: over time, a diet low in fat can help reduce the severity of hot flushes. However, this can not be "too far" - too rapid weight loss can have on the contrary, a negative impact. Nor should we assume that the positive - it means safe.
Vitamin therapy, some patients say that taking vitamin E every day helps to cope with the tides. Note that the same can be successfully used a placebo. If the vitamin helps you, then, of course, this should not be neglected, but should not forget that you can not take too many vitamins to avoid hypervitaminosis. Furthermore, if the vitamins are ineffective, you should take more effective measures.
Drug treatment of hot flushes
In the case where the above measures do not help reduce the severity of hot flashes, there is need for more drastic measures - drug therapy. Antihypertensive drugs. These drugs lower blood pressure. These include clonidine (clonidine). The principle of their action in regulating the severity of hot flashes is that they affect the ability of blood vessels to expand. Taking these drugs on their own or change the dose without a doctor's not.
Antidepressants. Low doses of antidepressants lungs may also help regulate the nervous system, which is responsible for the appearance of the tides.
Mild sedatives. These drugs have a calming and inhibitory effect on the nervous system, thus helping reduce the frequency of hot flushes. Preparations based on progesterone. Megestrol acetate may help reduce the frequency of symptoms of hot flushes by 80%. In addition, higher chronic administration, and it is used to treat breast cancer.
Estrogen therapy. This type of medication manifestations of menopause is the most effective. However, its use in women undergoing breast cancer is debatable. Most doctors do not recommend to assign estrogen tamoxifen in the treatment of patients who have had breast cancer. This is due, firstly, the fact that estrogens reduce the effectiveness of tamoxifen. Second, estrogens are not safe in the event of suffering a breast cancer, since you already know that estrogen stimulates the growth of breast cells and cancerous cells, which in turn increases the risk of tumor recurrence. Moreover, estrogen therapy, and not without side effects, such as blood clots in the veins of the lower extremities and an increase in risk (albeit small) of developing cancer of the endometrium (the inner layer of the uterus). However, in the case of pronounced hot flushes that are not eliminated by changes in lifestyle or non-hormonal therapy, the doctor may prescribe a short course of estrogen in low doses in order to facilitate the patient's condition. The course of this hormone therapy may last for as few months, gradually reducing the dose in the last month.
