ainfante

Hi there. I have not had a hysterectomy, but I can comment on the hot flashes. I am 45 also and have been going through perimenopause probably for the past 4 years. I use to have nightsweats only but now I have the hot flashes and my period has been totally irregular for the past 4 months now and was irregular before that but not as dramatic.

I was having hot flashes like almost everyday a few months ago. I did get those to calm down a bit by taking my vitamins, mag/calcium and just riding the tide. I'm also taking Prozac 10mg. which I want to say is probably helping me the most. Since these are SSRI drugs, the serotonin that is being produced by these meds in our brain and body is helping greatly to deal with what we call the power surges. The power surges, also known as adrenaline surges bring on anxiety, nervousness, irritability which are all part of anxiety, the urge to cry with depression and feel as if we are losing it. These are symptoms that people experience also with PD (Panic Disorder) GAD (General Anxiety Disorder) etc. When a women has a hysterectomy, and I don't know if you have had your ovaries removed also, either way will experience the dramatic drop in hormones. The adrenaline glands also produce hormones. so when you are not getting enough from the ovaries and uterus, then the adrenaline glands kick in and begin to produce the estrogen and progesterone, etc. your body is looking for. Also, we have estrogen and progesterone stored in our bodies, a natural process the body goes through to help the body adjust to perimenopause and menopause. We store estrogen in our fat, central nervous system, stomachs, bladder, breasts, thyroid and brain. So when you this drop happens, these receptors are being pulled on in a dramatic way to help the body to compensate for the hysterectomy as well as the ones who just are no longer ovulating.
The hot flashes are normal, some women get them, others do not. Heat, eating spicey or hot foods, being ina room that is not well circulated or his warm or hot, etc. will cause you to have hot flashes. The body temperature in your drops to meet the outside temperature and therefore you have hot flashes. The best thing I can tell you here, is to take deep navel belly breathes and tell yourself to relax, this is only a power surge and it will pass, it's just my hormones and this is the bodies natural way to process menopause. Now, get a cold rag and place it behind your neck, this will cool you down or run cold water on your wrists and then splash your face with it. These are points that I'm discussing with you that will help you deal with the hot flashes. Try drinking soy or flaxseed oil if you can. I'm not good at that so I use the above process when I'm having major hot flashes or even body flushes, where you feel parts of your body burning. Continue with the anti-depressants cause they are good for menopause by supplying the serotonin you are missing. If you are surging too much and find that you need a benzo drug too, speak to your doctor about Xanax or Klonopin or one of the benzo's drugs to take just a pinch to help you relieve some of the power surge. I do not like to push meds, but I have tried everything natural for the power surge process and for some, this includes me, it just wasn't enough. It also depends on what's happening in your life at the time of power surges. If you are under alot of stress, I suggest hypnosis or listening to hyponotic relaxation tapes, this has helped me alot and to learn how to not let stress bother you. This is not easy, especially when the mind is tired and has taken on to many what if's or why didn't I, etc. Understand? My brother passed away that put me into shock 4 months ago and made my dealing with my already flippy hormones all the more worse. I hope all this helps you. We are here for you, so please don't hesitate to contact any of us here on the board. We are not experts and we do not have the "I know all attitude" but have already either climbed the walls, punched the walls and have figured out some methods that have worked for us.

God Bless,

Andrea