Menopause Hot Flashes Aka Spontaneous Combustion!

What are menopause hot flashes?

Hot flashes are sudden sensations of flushing and heat that some women feel when they are going through this transition. They are one of the most common and earliest signs of menopause.

Brenda is not in the mood to hear or read much information on the subject of hot flashes. It's not that the data are inaccurate, it's just that it is not very helpful.

Recently she and her sister Samantha (Sam) were looking forward to painting Sam's laundry room. Brenda and Sam are in their late fifties, three years apart and both are in a different stage of menoopause.

The room was small but large enough to contain the furnace, hot water heater, washer/dryer, cabinets and a built-in desk. Sam does not care for bold, vivid color's but decided to make a change and chose a bright green color.

The two sister's laughed and joked about the project and paint color. Unfortunately it was a 95 degree day and the central air conditioning did not provide much cool air in that particular room.

Brenda wore a bandana around her forehead to absorb the perspiration and began painting. After about 5 minutes, Sam was cool and comfortable, but Brenda's face was dripping perspiration, her heart was racing, her tee-shirt was damp. She was miserable but did not complain. After all, she has tried so hard to acclimate to her condition and not succumb.

When the room was 99% completed, Sam suggested a break because she could not longer watch her sister suffer in silence. Brenda did not argue and quit working. She tried to maintain hydration to remain cool, but to no avail.

When Brenda sat down, she was soaking wet from head to toe. Usually she gets a chill but not this time.

Brenda has been suffering terribly with "hot flashes" that she describes as being more like spontaneous combustion. It affects her ability to think clearly and beginning to affect her performance at work. She worries that perhaps she may require short or long-term disability.

She describes the internal fire she feels as being mentally, physically and emotionally debilitaing at times, draining her energy causing fatigue.

When she got home and showered, she relaxed in bed with plenty of nice cool air conditioning and she felt fine. Thank goodness she lives alone, as her visitors always complain about how cold her home is year round.

Hormone replacement therapy and all the other possible solutions to Brenda's problem are loaded with side effects or not guaranteed to work. She has decided to just "ride it out" because it won't last forever.

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