I had my first hot flash at 32. Full on menopause courtesy of chemo. I was feeling a hell of a lot older than I was. I was feeling like a dried up old lady! Thanks to cancer treatments my ovaries went on strike. For about a year. Then Flo was back. I have to admit what I didn't miss was the mind numbing cramps, the runs, and lets not forget how many undies I would mess up. Month after month since like the age of 12. But the hot flashes! The hot flashes SUCK! And now they are back with a vengence baby. After the past few years of pretty regular cycles.
Now this is something that I can't discuss with my friends since they still get cramps to bitch
about. They don't know what it is like to be in your thirties and have a plumeting sex drive, and
be hot flashing and sweating all the time. My husband knows all too well how often I get them. The nite sweats have me trading in spooning for furiously fanning myself. Really romantic huh?!
Now this is something that I can't discuss with my friends since they still get cramps to bitch
about. They don't know what it is like to be in your thirties and have a plumeting sex drive, and
be hot flashing and sweating all the time. My husband knows all too well how often I get them. The nite sweats have me trading in spooning for furiously fanning myself. Really romantic huh?!
I have lost count of how many I get each day. And as the summer approaches the warmer weather triggers them. I have found that a paper plate makes quite a good fan. All of a sudden the heat will start in my chest and travel up to my neck and face like I am on fire. I am instantly dripping wet not to mention the pounding heart. I think that is my fave part.
It is hard to feel girly when you are sweating like a man and looking like you just ran 10 miles after not doing a dam thing.
Can any of you youngins out there relate? Did cancer throw you hormones into an uproar. Have you experienced chemopause?
Anyone have any good tips for controlling these buggers?!
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5 comments:
It's rare that I find myself at a loss for words. But I'm that way now. Just followed your comment over from Stephanie Klein's blog - your blog is even more touching and inspiring than the comment you left. Thanks for writing it.
B.
Hi Buffy!
Thanks so much for your comment. It makes me so glad to know that I have inspired you. I hope you will stop by again sometime!
I checked out your blog....great writing!
Nice to meet you here in cyberspace!
Cathy :)
Hi Cathy!!!
Thanks so much for the book and beautiful card. I am about halfway through the book and your experiences are bringing back so many memories of my own! It's so good to know I'm not alone. Now 30 with a recurrence, I have my ovaries turned off with a drug called zoladex. Hot flashes are a major part of my day!! It's funny how creative we can get with turning just about item in our vicinity into a fan. I love the cartoon you posted. I am so going to use that!
Thanks Shiela! Glad you like the cartoon! Thought it was pretty funny. Sometimes you just gotta laugh right?!
Hot flashes are the absolute worst. I woke up with mine after the ooph. I have had fewer flashes since my MD started me on effexor. An off label use of the drug is for hot flashes for women who can't take hormones. Good luck.
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