Is It Hot In Here, Or Is It Just Me?

A middle-aged woman in the middle of a hot flash is the perfect setup for a joke.  Until you're the butt of the joke.

For the past six months I've been having occasional problem with hot flashes, but the last two weeks they've kicked into high gear and I'm miserable!  If you're a woman of a certain age, you know the drill. You're minding your own business, and suddenly there's a wave of heat rushing through you.  Your face feels like it's on fire, and the sweating causes your clothes to stick to your body. As quickly as it comes, the feeling passes. Until the next time.

I know the flashes will eventually go away, but that could be months or years from now.  In  the meantime, I researched what I could do to help alleviate them.  Some suggestions:

• Cut back on coffee.  I only drink one with breakfast, and very occasionally a second in the afternoon. Don't know if I want to decrease that.

• Get more exercise-- Doing it.

• Make dietary changes.  My diet already has lots of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. The only thing I might want to do is add soy-rich foods; some Websites said that's helpful.

• Make wardrobe changes.  Friends who have been through this have told me that clothes that don't constrict are good, and loose cotton clothes are the best because they absorb moisture. I can't do much about my work uniform (long sleeved white shirt, black pants, and closed-toe shoes), but at home I'm all about the t-shirts, shorts, and flip-flops.

• Avoid "heated” situations.  I keep the temperature comfortably cool in the house, and run the ceiling fan in the bedroom at night.  At home, I could take a cool shower for instant relief. If I'm not at home, I should try to avoid hot places. (This made me laugh.  That would be impossible during a normal St. Louis summer, let alone the record-breaking hot one we've been having!  I guess it could be a goal, though.)

• Use vitamins and herbal remedies.  There are multiple suggestions on the Internet, all saying they're the "best". When I was at the grocery store this morning I perused their pharmacy section. They had several products on the shelf, but they weren't cheap.  If I could find the right remedy I wouldn't  mind spending the money, but I don't want to buy something that isn't going to work

That's where you, dear reader, come in.  If you've been through hot flashes and lived to tell (or know someone who has and have an idea) please leave me a comment and let me know what worked for you.  PLEASE?