I started experiencing perimenopause a few months ago and hot flashes are definitely one of my worst symptoms – I finally understand what my older sister has been dealing with ? I’m wondering what people have found to be their trigger. For me, it seems that whenever I indulge in a shower that’s a bit too hot or have one too many glasses of wine, there’s a good chance a hot flash will follow. Is it the same for you all?
– Viola, Alabama
Hi Viola,
For me, if I more than 2 glasses of wine, spicy food, caffeine and hot showers give me hot flashes. So, I take lukewarm showers and try to minimize spicy food even though I love it so much. but strangely enough, if drink like a mojito or a fruity cocktail I don’t have any at all. But I I try to drink a lot of water though. To help the frequency of them and also THE REPUBLIC OF TEA makes a sage tea especially for hot flashes and it works wonders.
I haven’t figured out my trigger. I didn’t know that you could have one. My hot flashes seem to come out of nowhere. I will pay closer attention to see if I can figure it out.
I had hot flashes for two months straight, about 25 per day but never noticed a trigger. Mine started all of a sudden and stopped all of a sudden. I’ll keep this in mind in case it starts up again! Perimenopause is wacky.
I don’t drink so I know that isn’t a trigger but I have yet to figure it out as well. I wish I could. Additionally, like yours mine come in waves…. Oh the joy of being a woman.
I started perimenopause at 38. I’m 5 years in. At first I had no idea what was triggering them because they were so random. Now I know that alcohol, particularly whiskey, triggers them, or at least makes them worse. But I have them pretty bad even if I haven’t had a drink. I take a cool shower before bed, and put peppermint oil on my back. I started using phytoestrogen and a supplement called Hot Flashes from our local natural market. It seems like it’s starting to help. I drink Clary Sage tea too, as it cools you internally. Hope that helps. I know it’s been a rough 5 years for me.
I wouldn’t say wine triggers them but the night time hot flushes are definitely worse for me after wine
Same for me KC!
I’m waking up pure soaked, you’d think id been in shower. I’ve been going through this over a year. Cant get anything for menapause due to heart medication
My triggers are chocolate, fizzy drinks, anything with caffeine, spicy foods and alcohol,. I’ve now given up caffeine, spicy food and alcohol. Limiting my chocolate and fizzy drink intake. My hot flushes haven’t been so frequent since giving up on the above. I am trying out the 4-7-8 breathing technique when I have a hot flush. Hopefully this will help but only time will tell.
Showers definitely trigger hot flashes for me!
I had multiple infections of Lyme disease. I went to a doctor thinking I was in peri menopause. Now seeing the long list of odd symptoms of peri menopause, I believe the Lyme triggered it. I told multiple doctors that I had tingly sensations in the back of my head and my extremities at times. Told multiple drs I had weeks where everything I touched I got a static electric shock. I told multiple drs I felt woozy at times, just off.
They never once mentioned menopause and made me feel crazy.
–
My symptoms definitely increase when I eat a lot of carbs or sugar.
When I was keto, I felt much better. I also never have issues with PCOS, cysts popping/cramping when I stay to a lower carb diet.
Hi doctors put me on anti depressants instead of diagnosing me with peri menopause – they are still out of date with everything.
The same thing happened to me. The antidepressants caused all sorts of problems. The one good thing they did was get rid of my hot flashes. I’d rather have those than the side effects of those meds I didn’t need.
Yes for me wine triggers a hot flash.
Anxiety, stress, heat, and alcohol so far. Sometimes there’s nothing I can pinpoint though.
Same for me
I can’t pinpoint either. Stress/anxiety and no coffee so far seemed to be a trigger. Not sure yet.
Stress and anxiety for me too! Three years of hot flashes so far. They went away for a few months then returned worse than before. The night sweats have stopped luckily (touch wood) but the hot flashes leave me drenched
I’m going through exact same just now. It’s horrible. Changing 4/5 times a night
Same for me.
Because it was triggering bad headaches, I’ve had to ditch wine altogether. I think it’s the sulphites as the effect is much less with white spirits (sounds dodgy but I mean gin, vodka, white rum) or lager is fine.
I’ve noticed that nearly all of mine occur at night. I’m woken by them all night getting no sleep. They’re so bad they even wake my partner up… I’m so hot and sweaty, tossing and turning so he then wakes up.
Same for me!!
Definitely wine will trigger hot flashes for me. But they can also be random. I keep a water bottle handy, that usually helps calm the hot flash, it at least reduces the amount of time.
Yes. I drink ice water if I can. That calms it for me. Sometimes I drink a pint a night.
Hi, I would say my triggers are stress then anxiety hits me then I get the flushes. Warm weather is another trigger as well.
Most alcoholic drinks bring on hot flashes for me. I can manage maybe 1 gin but any more than that and I’ll pay for it, especially overnight. Shame really as I used it love a glass of wine not an evening. Not any more!
Alcohol of any kind will trigger my hot flashes and also I find increases my other symptoms aches and pains and mood swings. I stick to a glass or two now no more for that reason.
Definitely wine is my trigger. Have had no wine this week and have not had one hot flush in the evening or night sweat.
Yes, the wine was a trigger, so was stress. The strangest was when when I first wake up I would immediately have a hot flash.
Yes I wake up feeling cool and suddenly I get a hot flush I don’t know if I anticipated the flush which wakes me up or once I’m awake it triggers it v odd
I’m the same. Why does waking up act as a trigger?
I do a waking pulse from my alarm sleep app and sometimes it is up by 15 beats a minute!
I find anytime I wake up I have one immediately. It’s so odd
I have exactly the same. Waking up at night is a trigger.
One of my many had been stress.
Definitely triggered by stress. But I find hot flushes in the day are much less in both frequency or intensity if I am outside or with someone else – I know it’s happening but I can almost distract myself out of it. What I can’t work out is what is normal – I am four weeks into surgical menapause and when I complete the Caria log I have no idea what is low/ severe is.
I’m 7 months in to surgical menopause and my symptoms seem to have almost passed, joints still ache more than before but hot flashes have subsided and my moods are levelling off (those three were the worst bits for me) my consultant said the symptoms would likely last about 12 months post surgery so I’m hopeful they won’t return ?? I hadn’t had any symptoms before surgery so it all came as a great big unwelcome shock. I took menopace plus for about 4 months really helped with the hot flashes x
I’m nearly 9 years in. Wine definitely causes my hot flushes to be more intense especially the next day. If I know it’s going to be very warm the next day I will not have a drink of wine. Stress and anxiety play a big part also but not as intense now as in the first 2-3 years.
This is not a joke. If I start house cleaning I get a hot flash/night sweat and I smell so bad. My body only heats up from the chest/ under arms up. I have found giving up all alcohol does help all my symptoms almost are elevated.
This stuff is mean☹️I am at 501 days since my last period.
I went through terrible heavy heavy periods and they’d last that way for a good full 7-8 Days.
Then a couple years later, I thought I was in the clear…nope?the hot flashes started a few months ago.
Pandemic, Arizona heat and menopause not nice to me at all!
I also get the cold chills often, it seems it’s worse close to bed time.
I pray that this doesn’t last forever?
It gets worse for me too at bed time. Also by evening I am so exhausted I just cry. During the day I am trying to work and sweat is rolling down my face, my whole body is drenched and my ears feel like they are in fire. Then I am freezing cold right after. I had up to 13 a day and at least 4 or 5 times in the night. It’s rough for sure
The shower, regardless of temperature, always sends me into another hot flash. I have them before I even get out if bed. I sleep on a towel because I get so drenched. I wake at least four times a night from these. I am very sleep deprived. This is apart from getting up frequently to use the bathroom. I work full time. I need to leave extra time to get dressed in the morning so the hot flash stops. Who can get dressed with all that sweat? At work I have them a couple if times an hour. Colleagues ask if I need them to turn the air conditioning on/up. I always say no bc of the next thing to come, the freezing cold after the sweat. Breaking out in all that sweat is obvious and embarrassing. For my own comfort I now wear a cotton cami and a light top-usually sleeveless regardless of the season. No more turtlenecks or anything close to the body or neck. I carry a wrap for the cold chills after the flashes. Often the flashes happen just as I am picking up my coat in winter. I just cannot put it on and instead I walk out into the freezing cold and cannot feel it. The only trigger I really believe I have identified is alcohol. On having a drink or two the flashes are even more Intense. The rest? They don’t seem to be explainable bc they are so frequent. Oh joy, I am just having another as I sit relaxed and tranquil writing this. I am resigned and hopeful there is light at the end if the tunnel. It’s been 8 years.
My sofa had a kind of woolly fabric that triggers my hot flush. What for me is worse is when I turn in my sleep a massive hot flushes comes and it takes me ages to cool down. I sleep on my side so my arms get sore so I change sides and that’s it for me. I hardly drink so I can’t say alcohol triggers. I have a few hot flashes during the day but not as bad as during the night.
Stress
Well I am still exploring what actually trigger my flash. Having said that, my flashes seems to follow the weather. The warmer the temperature the more frequent my flashes. I don’t drink alcohol and my coffee intake has been reduced to 1 shot of espresso with almond milk -1 a day before 12 noon. Spicy foods don’t seem to bother me either.
For the past year the hot flashes have been really bad, stress and anxiety seem to play a huge part.
Coffe and spicy foods
noticed get them more right after I have eaten a meal maybe more thyroid related unsure but in remission with my autoimmune disease atm
So glad to find this app and happen on this conversation. Had a rare glass of wine with dinner tonight and whomp! I was sweating like crazy. I will watch this for the future. I had no idea it was a trigger.
Any big emotion, anger, anxiety, fear, if I have to do something I really don’t want to do, I get them. I don’t drink so That’s not doing anything, it’s if I think of something frustrating or confusing, or maybe I have a lot to do, it all sets them off.
Alcohol is 100% a trigger for me. Haven’t noticed any other triggers but it’s interesting to hear what are other triggers for women. I did start taking Estroven about a month and a half ago and haven’t had one since. Coincidence?
Not sure what triggers my hot flashes. They don’t happen all the time, only sometimes. It seems to happen usually about 3 am when it does and thenI have a hard time going back to sleep and stay awake for hours or don’t sleep at all. I do not eat spicy food or drink so unsure what it could be.
I have been having them almost every hour when I go to bed, sleep deprived and exhausted! I have been stressed with work so sure that hasn’t helped. However, for the past 5 days I have been drinking a lot more water (usually just drink coffee in the morning and then cups of tea) now I have more water than tea, although I still have tea in between. My hot flashes have reduced to about 2-3 times a night Instead of 8 -12 a night, so wondering if it’s just a coincidence or if we all need to drink lots more water to help. Give it a try x
I don’t drink alcohol, have had to give up fizzy drinks and caffeine due to incontinence caused by the menopause and have also given up chocolate. Now into my sixth year of hot flushes …. at one point they were so bad I was only getting about 3 hours sleep a night as it was hot flush after hot flush. The doctor said they didn’t think HRT was suitable for me so I tried herbal supplements. Menopace plus really seemed to help but then I got liver problems ….. despite never being a drinker I was getting readings that only a heavy drinker gets apparently…. I gave up the herbal supplements and the liver settled down but the hot flushes are back. I am trying sage drops which are vile and I seem to be having less. But there doesn’t seem to be a trigger for my flushes …. although every morning I have a really bad one when I wake up and I have one when I go to bed…. the others are just random.
Hi oh peri menopause has a lot to answer for – you can get herbal remedies which here in England we have Holland and Barrett and they have great hot flush relievers.
Definitely the wine, almost on the first sip a hot flush is building
I’m pretty sure hot flashes occur because the body’s thermostat is right next to the pituitary gland in the brain. So in peri, when hormone regulation gets a bit disregulated, and the pituitary has to work a bit harder, it sets off the thermostat which triggers a hot flash. So for me at 52, even though my cycle is slowing, hot flashes still occur when my estrogen or progesterone levels are trying to ramp up.
At 51, I’ve missed three months of periods now. For what seemed like ten years, at least five, I had only night sweats. These are awful. I’m glad I didn’t have a bedmate, because I would be drenched after an amazing dream. Always dreams. Not had daytime symptoms as of yet. I took black cohosh at the very beginning and that did seem to help for a while. I stopped taking it because I would still have them from time to time. Still do. Was tense there for a while but now they are more seldom. Sleep on top of a towel and be ready to wash off and change your clothes while you ride it out. Love the dreams though. Like a visit to another world. Just amazing!
I have them so frequently I barely concern myself with what triggers them. I get one when I notice I’m hungry, I also get them while I eat. Kind of a danger if I do and dammed if I don’t deal. I get them when I need to relieve my bladder. Basically anytime I have the slightest fluctuations in body temperature. So if I go from inactivity to activity… whammo hot flash, if I change my clothes from house costume to outdoor attire… whammo hot flash. Or… I could be just still… doing nothing at all and I get hit with one. They weren’t this bad for years. The last nine months or so have been unbearable.
Yes, I also have same triggers , alcohol, high carb diet, spicy foods, hot showers, all hot beverages
Mine hot flash is in my face wakes me up in the night and then bad anxiety feeling is this part of menapause I’m still having periods
I don’t sweat, but my ears and arms will feel like they are aflame.
After reading this I’m not sure if my low blood sugar episodes are low blood sugar episodes? If I drink alcohol or eat too much sugar a couple hours later I get weak, I start to sweat so much that I’m drenched. If I eat a Chobani yogurt when I feel the heat starting to rise I’m fine and it nips it in the bud. Always comes on fairly late at night or while I’m sleeping. The sleeping ones are the worst because I don’t catch it in time and I’m drenched.
Sugar is 100% my trigger for hot flashes & night sweats.
I went 3 weeks with zero sugar & had no hot flashes or night sweats at all.
Then I had a total of 14mg of sugar over a 24 hour period & they started right back up again & lasted for 3 days.
Hi ladies anyone with hot flashes use the St John’s Wort or red ginsing stuff???
Yup. Doesn’t work.
Coffee. Every time.
My Trigger is Weather in Alabama. First week of March, 80 Degrees using Air Conditioner and Cold at Night. Also Men. Lol ?
Alcohol the day after definitely triggers hot flashes for me ..
Yup wine for me – within minutes of that first sip which has definitely ruined my Friday evening. I don’t drink a lot as it is due to medication but I did have a G&T the other night and no flush….. maybe you need to find a drink to suit.
I wake up soaked most nights except the nights where I drink at least 4 glasses wine. Must dehydrate me as I NEVER get night sweats when drinking. sometimes after a few nights of soaking sheets I’m so tired from constantly waking & changing nighties I sewed me some towel nighties. GAME CHANGER!
Towel absorbs sweats & I don’t wake up…hooray!!’ I started peri at 45, im now 52. Will it ever end??!!!!!!!
I love my Hot Showers but it is definitely a Trigger for me. Also after a couple of Cocktails ?.
I soak a few walnuts overnight and eat them the next morning. It has helped with the flashes.
I don’t tend to have them during the day. Mine wake me up at night in a literal pool of sweat. They seem to happen mostly the week before my period. Yes, still getting it, just all over the place time wise.
Does anyone get them with any movement like just walking or washing dishes I get the sweats
Hi ladies
I have found something that has changed my hot sweating red face I got it today it’s a summer wind neck fan. I’ve had it on all day My hair is still straight usually reversed back to natural curls by 11am no red face no sweat dripping from my face just thought I’d share incase it helps anyone else like it has me shame it has to charge during the night or it would never be off. First time in over 2 years I have been able to wear makeup without it running down my face.
My weather seems to be a trigger for me and definitely any kind of alcohol sparks them up for me.
Any high emotional situation which makes me anxious or stresses me I’m immediately triggered with hot flashes. I noticed the time of day matters. Like I’m more active in the morning rushing around before work so I often attribute the flashes to stress. It’s tough when self control is more difficult all around.
How frequently do you all get hot flashes? I feel like I’m getting 1 every 2 hours! That’s 12 times/day! Sometimes more than that! Triggers are definitely caffeine, heat, wine, and stress for me…but sometimes I can’t really tell what triggered one. I’m 46 and it’s been about 5 months since they started.
I’ve noticed that caffeine , spicy foods and stress triggers my hot flashes . Yesterday , I was trying to parallel park and I started to get frustrated because my neighbor parked crooked . The next thing you know a hot flash came upon me which made the situation more tense. I stopped in my tracks, put my hazards on ,rolled the window and stuck my head out . If anyone was watching from their window I’m pretty sure they were wondering what I was doing . After it was over I had to laugh at myself.