Are your hot flushes normal? - Hot Flush Month

Read the full video transcript below

Today's topic

Hello. Welcome to my weekly video blog. And today on A.Vogel Talks Menopause, I'm going to be talking about Week 3 of our hot flush month. Lots of women are asking me if their hot flushes are normal. Now, the thing to remember here, every single one of you is going to have a unique menopause.  

So what's normal for one woman is going to seem possibly quite strange for another woman. And this is the one time when sometimes it's not a good idea to compare your symptoms to any of your friends who are going through the menopause as well, because they can be completely different and also feel completely different as well.

How long do hot flushes last for?

Now, one of the questions I get asked a lot is, "How long do hot flushes last, both in terms of each episode, and also how long in terms of right through the menopause?"  

I covered that last week, so if any of you missed it, there is a link on the page, and you can just double-check when you have time.

How many hot flushes per day is normal?

A lot of women are asking me, "How many flushes is normal?" It's a difficult one again. On average, I would say between 5 and 10 flushes a day would be classed as the average.  

Now, I know there are probably many of you out there going, "But I only have two." And some of you out there going, "I have up to 20." So, again, it's a very unique situation, and the difference between 1 and 2 a day, and 10 and 20 a day can be due to hormonal changes, but can also be due to other changes as well which I'll tell you about in a minute.

Do hot flushes change over time?

I'm also asked, "Can hot flushes change over time?" And the answer is yes. You may find that you start to get very mild flushes for maybe the first year or two of going through the menopause, then you may start to get more. You may start to get them more severely.  

For some women, it can be the other way around. They can start getting hot flushes very, very quickly, very suddenly, and they can be quite severe, and then over time, they tend to decrease or completely disappear as well. And that's another thing that can happen is your menopause is not a static state. Once your hormones fall, it's just not that way for the next four or five years. 

Can hot flushes go away and come back?

There can be ups and downs in the menopause. There can be times when you will get flushes on a regular basis. You might find that after a little while, you're thinking, "Oh, that's a bit strange. I haven't had a hot flush for a few days or a week or so." So they can come and go. Some women, again, find that they will get the hot flushes maybe for the first year of the menopause and then they stop.  

They might then go on to get other symptoms, but they might not experience hot flushes again. So I know it's a very frustrating time because really, none of us know what's around the next corner as far as symptoms go.

What factors can make them worse?

Now, there can be factors that will make your hot flushes worse. I've been through them before, but for those of you that are new, I'll just whiz through them again. 

Stress

Stress is a huge issue with hot flushes, and we know that a lot of menopausal flushes today can be caused more by a stressed nervous system than by hormonal changes. So this is a really important one to keep your eye on.

Dehydration

It can be dehydration, so remember the water, everybody, on a very regular basis.  

Low blood sugar

It can be low blood sugar levels, so it's very important during the menopause to eat well, to eat little and often, and please don't go on any starvation diet because that will make your hot flushes an awful lot worse.

Food & drink

It can also be foods and drink. We know that things like caffeine, and alcohol, and sugary foods, and high-salt foods can trigger hot flushes.  

Keep a hot flush diary

So it's a really good idea, if you're getting flushes and you're not quite sure what is triggering them, to have a little hot flush diary. I love diaries because sometimes, they can really point you in the right direction, whereas before, you might not have had any idea at all of what's doing it. So you write down every day all the foods and drinks that you're having, be honest, also how you're feeling.  

If some days you're more up than down, then just write a little bit about how your mood is, because that can be a big factor, too. And you may find over a week or two, that there are specific foods that are triggering the flushes, or even a particular mood. You might feel very irritated, or very angry, and those types of feelings can trigger your hot flushes as well.  

So as you can see, there's a huge list of what's involved with hot flushes, and for everyone, as I said at the beginning, you're going to be unique. So what you experience is possibly going to be normal for you, but remember that there are lots of things you can do to make your symptoms better. 

When to consult your doctor

Just one thing to bear in mind, there are times when we would advise that you go and see your doctor if your hot flushes become too much, if you're getting them constantly, all during the day. I mean, I've had some women that have been getting them every half hour.

If you're getting very frequent hot flushes, if you're getting very severe hot flushes, where you're feeling really ill with them, if you're getting night sweats and you're being drenched, and you're having to get up maybe two or three times in the night to change your bedding or your clothes, this is the point when you go and see your doctor. 

Other health issues, such as low vitamin D, possibly thyroid issues, maybe iron issues, and maybe even a predisposition to diabetes, could be a factor here, so please get these checked out just to rule them out.

What I will be talking about next week

Next week, I'm going to be talking about, "Can flushes make you feel nauseous?'' And the answer is yes.  

So I'll be going into that. Until then, have a good week. And I will see you next week on A.Vogel Talks Menopause.