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[Dandelion]

Hi

How do you ladies get around dealing with hot flushes when you excercise.
They make it almost impossible for me to excercise, even though I desperatelly need to.
It is just too uncomfortable.
See below for hrt details.

Thank you

[CLKD]

What exercise do you want to do?  Do your flushes come randomly or at particular times of day/night?

Housework is good all round exercise.  That way one can shut all the curtains and if necessary, hoover/iron naked  with plenty of towels to hand.  A cool shower/bath after housework ……. ?

[Suzyq]

I just power through and drink lots of cold water. Gradually they happen less as I exercise more

[Sarah2]

How does the flush affect you?

I exercise by walking fast uphill over fields and public footpaths- so the only people I see are other walkers, joggers, cyclists and dog walkers. No one cares what they look like- I wear really old clothes - and although my HRT is controlling my flushes, I probably look as hot and sweaty as anyone having a hot flush! My T shirt or thermal vest is wet down the back when I come home- I wouldn't feel I'd done much exercise if I didn't 'glow'!

Unless the flush makes you feel really ill then maybe you need to ignore it and press on? There is some evidence that exercise does reduce hot flushes, so maybe that's something to aim for?

[Dandelion]

How does the flush affect you?

I exercise by walking fast uphill over fields and public footpaths- so the only people I see are other walkers, joggers, cyclists and dog walkers. No one cares what they look like- I wear really old clothes - and although my HRT is controlling my flushes, I probably look as hot and sweaty as anyone having a hot flush! My T shirt or thermal vest is wet down the back when I come home- I wouldn't feel I'd done much exercise if I didn't 'glow'!

Unless the flush makes you feel really ill then maybe you need to ignore it and press on? There is some evidence that exercise does reduce hot flushes, so maybe that's something to aim for?

Hi Ladies, thanks

What HRT are you on.

I wonder why mine still isn't controlling the flushes

They went away for a week cos I have been taking magnesium every day.

I don't mind how I look, I just feel so uncomfortable.
When they happen I cant think straight and am clumsy and housework just becomes so much of a drag that I dont want to do it.

Also, I am ruining clothes with the sweating scuffing the armpits, no matter if I wait for my deodorant to dry before putting tops on and also soaking the armpits of clothes before i wash them.

I'm running out of tops.

[CLKD]

I haven't used an antiperspirant or deodorant for years unless I am going somewhere really special  …… lots of light weight tops or long sleeves that don't cling under the arms helps.

If these flushes are making you feel ill then maybe it's a drop in blood sugar at the same time?

[honeybun]

I don't have many flushes anymore but when they were at their worse I just got on with it. I walk a lot and as others have mentioned got hot and sweaty anyway. Primark is great for cheap T shirts and I have picked some up in charity shops. That way I really don't care if they don't last long.
Sometimes you just have to make the best of what you have got and get on with life and what you want to do.

Exercise improves the feel good hormones so if you just do it then the chances are you will feel better generally.

Few of us have perfect symptom control but I have no intentions of letting it control my life.


Honeyb
x

[Sarah2]

I keep a few old T shirts-very cheap ones- long and short sleeves- for walking which I wear under a fleece or other layers. The armpits are a bit stained on some of them, but no one sees them and I pop them in the wash after wearing.

They are not the sorts of clothes I'd go out in if I was meeting anyone!

Dandelion - how often are you having a hot flush? Pre HRT mine were hourly almost on the hour. I thought this was quite a lot compared to other women who said they had 4-5 a day, and for me it was very difficult in a work setting where I was working closely 1:1 with people. But out of a work setting they were bearable.

I think if you push through this then you will see things improve- but it might take a few months so you need to be patient.

[Dandelion]

I keep a few old T shirts-very cheap ones- long and short sleeves- for walking which I wear under a fleece or other layers. The armpits are a bit stained on some of them, but no one sees them and I pop them in the wash after wearing.

They are not the sorts of clothes I'd go out in if I was meeting anyone!

Dandelion - how often are you having a hot flush? Pre HRT mine were hourly almost on the hour. I thought this was quite a lot compared to other women who said they had 4-5 a day, and for me it was very difficult in a work setting where I was working closely 1:1 with people. But out of a work setting they were bearable.

I think if you push through this then you will see things improve- but it might take a few months so you need to be patient.

Hi Sarah

I get hot flushes and night sweats in bed.
I also get them anytime I get slightly stressed.
I also get them when I walk anywhere.

I have been really patient.  I am in my tenth week of Femoston 2/10 and no difference.

I am pleased for other women when their hrt stopps their flushes but I really resent the fact that mine doesn't seem to work.
I've been reading in various places online and cannot find one woman who's hrt took over ten weeks to work.
Most of them get results within two weeks.
Mine worked at the beginning but the flushes came back after a few days.

Oh and this apathy, it's so strong that Princess Diana and Michael Jackson could be having sex in my living room and I wouldn't bash an eyelid.
I can't be arsed doing anything.

I shouldnt have to use the fan or worry about flushes anymore, but I do.
They stopped totally for a week when I started taking magnesium and it was heaven.
Dunno if my body has got used to the magnesium.

My doctor is no use becasue she says if these hrt dosesnt work I will just have to go through menopause naturally. I think that would make me suicidal literally. I know many women in meno who have felt suicidal. I am not suicidal at the moment, but the thought of living the rest of  my life like this just makes me not want to get out of bed as I cannot be arsed with another day.

[Sarah2]

When I said you might have to be patient, I meant with walking helping the flushes- you might have to keep exercising for a few weeks or more to see any difference.

[honeybun]

You do need to be patient. Sometimes HRT completely works and sometimes it just doesn't. I have been on HRT for four years now and have never totally got rid of my symptoms. I have cut down on my patch now because I want to be on the least amount I possibly can to minimize risks. I am 53 but have been peri since 45.
I still have hot moments and sweats at night and have had for years.

You really need to ask yourself if you feel better taking HRT or not despite your flushes. If things are a bit better then this might be as good as it gets. You have to try and make the most of what you have as you don't get these years back.
Have you thought about counselling to help with your low moods.

Being resentful that things are not perfect is really not going to help. Sometimes you just have to accept nothing in life is perfect and stop striving for perfection and make the most of what you have.

Honeyb
x

[Dandelion]

Hi

I just don't know why my body is screaming for more oestrogen or some other thing, when I am already on 2mg per day.

That's the thing, it's impossible trying to push myself to do things when I am this depressed. I'm not crying or emotional, i am just low and apathetic. I cant smile.

I'm sure other meno women must have felt the same way when their meno related apathy means they just don't have the oomph! in them to push themselves.
Pushing myself requires energy i haven't got.

In the past I have tried all treatments for anxiety and depression and got some very useful psychological tools which I use all  the time, but, this is physical, it's not psychological.

My diet is great, plenty fruit, various seeds, salads, veg.

My body is telling me loud and clear that it is not getting enough of something, and I am worried that it's oestrogen.
I am worried I am not absorbing it for some reason, I am the only woman that I have read about who's hrt has not made them feel like a new woman.
It has partially helped but not enough for me to have quality of life.
This life is not worth living, and that disincentivises me to do anything.
I feel like I am walking in treacle and that it's always going to be like this.
I just cannot pretend that I am happy and all is well because it isn't.

I don't know how I can get it across, I just don't have the energy to do excercises. It's just not there.
It's more than just pushing myself.
I'm sure there are other meno women out there who identify with this.
It's one reason, and the flushes, why many have gone onto hrt.
With psychological depression its easier to push yourself but when your hormones are out of balance to the extent mine are, pushing myself just isn't enough.

[Sarah2]

Dandelion
It's great if you have made changes to your diet recently-because it's only a couple of weeks since you said you were finding it hard to eat healthily due to the costs, so the benefits will not have kicked in yet. This can take many weeks and months. Don't expect miracles overnight as they aren't going to happen!
You might find it useful to google foods that are high in magnesium if you think that helps you- so you can increase your intake through fruit and veg too.
Also- and I'm only going on what you have already told us- you did say you were overweight, so when you do exercise you will sweat more quickly than people who are not overweight and feel hotter generally.

You are in a vicious circle- exercise will help with weight loss and low mood - but only you can make it happen- no one else can. Exercise gives people energy so maybe try just a 20 minute brisk walk every day? That's something you ought to be able to manage, then increase it to 30 minutes etc.

On the other hand, you don't have to be crying and emotional to be diagnosed as depressed: I think you should also go back to your GP and ask to be assessed again for depression because you sound as if you are.

[CLKD]

When did you have a thyroid function test?  This may be an under-lying cause and even if the results come back 'within normal limits' the thyroid can still be malfunctioning.

It could be nothing to do with oestrogen, in actual fact you won't know if your body is 'asking' for hormones ……. you will feel less than well but this can be part of 'the change'.  Lack of energy can be for many reasons and is not always menopausal though being at this stage makes us aware of the smallest change!

You could be anaemic.  Depressed.  Magnesium etc. can help initially but is this something that needs another mineral in order to absorb properly?  I can't remember  ……...

If the HRT isn't working by now it might be that your body is 'un-well' elsewhere  ……. particularly your lack of energy, interest, the constant feeling of being hot ………

[Suzyq]

Dandelion

You are not the only one for whom hrt has not made them feel like a new women - that is certainly not the case for me, and I think for many women on here! What hrt has done for me is reduce my symptoms! I have good days/weeks and bad weeks/days but I am definitely better than I was without hrt. I am still peri so my own hormones are still kicking in too. I can only actually think of one woman on here who has consistently said she feels fab (ellie66) so I think hb is right - ask yourself if you feel better, and maybe for now accept that's as good as it is right now!

Your only other option is to change gp if you are determined to get a different type of hrt but again, do not pin all of your hopes on something else working. I just had blood tests this week as I also was not convinced I was absorbing well given my ongoing symptoms. Estrogen was 673 up from 18 originally and 230 6 weeks ago! I am absorbing it! For me, I need a little bit of progesterone every day to feel ok.

Hope this helps