Hot flashes, an informal survey

[Andrew (imported)]

Riverwind and I chatted for about 45 minutes this morning in the Scheduled Chat Room, and we came around to the topic of hot flashes. We though we would do an informal survey.

Please note that this is for those whose testosterone levels are at castrate levels, not wannabes, hanger-ons, and the like.

So what we would like is the reason you are at castrate levels. Surgical or chemical castration? Biological decline in testosterone, or perhaps as a result of other medications? After that, when did the hot flashes start, how frequent are they, and how severe? And what was the duration if they have now gone away?

Or, if after achieving castrate levels, you decided on HRT, were the hot flashes an encouragement to go on HRT, and has HRT helped out? This includes our MTF transsexuals.

In my case, I was surgically castrated 14 May 2001, and the hot flashes started within a week. They come every 60-90 minutes, range from very mild to moderate, and show no signs of slowing down. However, I ciurrently have no plans for HRT

[Paolo]

I started having hot flashes in early 1999 due to a gradual decrease in hormone output caused by chronic inflammations, and later infections, of the testicles. Add to this the fact that I had the mumps when I was 3, and no one bothered to tell me this until I was in my mid-twenties when Auntie finally spilled it. As I've mentioned before, I was becoming suspiscious, after beginning to read EA in 1997 or so, about my trip through puberty and all the "tetanus shots" I got when I wasn't even injured.

The first one ever happened in a restaraunt with my then-1-year-old Godson sitting on my lap! I was fine one minute, then the next minute I was soaking wet and panting. It was exhausting. These continued at uneven rates up until July, gradually decreasing in severity, when I let my Doctor (the 8th one I saw for this) talk me into HRT. I was given fluoxymesterone in pill form for a one month trial. It took about 3 weeks or so for the stuff to get into the body and do its work. I started taking the pills in June, with a close eye out for liver problems. I had none.

For me, it was ghastly. The side effects included anxiety, tremors, increased aggression, oily skin, and all of the other little things it was supposed to correct. It stopped the hot flashes in their tracks, but the increased anxiety levels also lead to an anxiety attack, which was mistaken for a heart attack, in July. I told them what all I was taking, and when I explained what the HRT drug was, the ER folks suggested that I stop taking it.

Of course, this started the whole cycle all over again as the hormone levels decreased again. The hot flashes were never as intense as the first time around, and eventually faded off by the end of the year. Every now and then I get one, but it's not regular and they don't happen very often. They usually happen at night, maybe once a month, twice at the most, and I end up having to get up and tear the bedclothes off since they're all soaked.

It's just something I deal with, since I'm not taking another chance on HRT after the July episode.

One other sidelight that my boss and fellow employees noticed, after I returned to work 2 days later following the anxiety attack, was the way I was constantly blinking and mumbling. I didn't notice it, and when I asked Doc about it, he said it was possible that I might have had a light stroke due to the fact that I smoke. Something about smoking and HRT not mixing well.

Since then, nothing but a bit of weight gain has taken place. It's not been much of a problem, since I don't eat that much or that often anyway.

[CT212 (imported)]

Andrew,

I guess I'm one of the lucky ones. Hot flashes are hardly noticeable if at all. I've read somewhere that taking female hormones seems to make one more tolerable to the heat. That seems to be the case with me because the hot and humid weather does not bother me so much anymore.

Chris

[Sherry (imported)]

Riverwind and I chatted for about 45 minutes this morning in the Scheduled Chat Room, and we came around to the topic of hot flashes. We though we would do an informal survey.

Please note that this is for those whose testosterone levels are at castrate levels, not wannabes, hanger-ons, and the like.

So what we would like is the reason you are at castrate levels. Surgical or chemical castration? Biological decline in testosterone, or perhaps as a result of other medications? After that, when did the hot flashes start, how frequent are they, and how severe? And what was the duration if they have now gone away?

Or, if after achieving castrate levels, you decided on HRT, were the hot flashes an encouragement to go on HRT, and has HRT helped out? This includes our MTF transsexuals.

Hi again,

After my castration I had only a few mild hot flashes, so mild that I'm not sure they were hot flashes, and if they were, they only lasted a couple of months. I was castrated in the springtime, so the weather was warming up anyway as my T levels went into freefall.

Obviously hot flashes were not an incentive for me to go on feminizing HRT because I definintely did not have them for the two years prior to my starting Estrace. Yet I did have several hot flashes a day for several weeks after I started HRT, but those have also ceased.

[Sherry (imported)]

Dear Sherry,

Consider yourself lucky. In genetic women, hot flashes can last several years.

I now consider myself very fortunate. Some time ago, someone posted some information about prostate cancer patients who had castration as part of their treatment, and stated that slender persons like myself were more likely to have problems. It also stated that hot flashes were worse among the younger patients, and I am much younger than those patients who had cancer.

[Riverwind (imported)]

Andrew and I had that chat and sense then I have only had one mild hot flash and night sweats are totally gone. In the last 3 months I have only had that one.

The conversation was based on then you are castrated your body goes through a sudden withdraws or with chemical castration it lowers the Testosterone level slower and there for the hot flashes are milder.

Mine have been mild from the start, night sweats were worse but haven’t had one of those sense about April.

Blood tests show a Testosterone count of 35.

Riverwind The happy Eunuch

[Tom Carpenter (imported)]

"

Or, if after achieving castrate levels, you decided on HRT, were the hot flashes an encouragement to go on HRT, and has HRT helped out? This includes our MTF transsexuals.

"

I achieved a castrate level of 21 and was taking Tamoxophen a cancer drug that lowers estrogen levels. I was taking this because my estrogen levels did not want to come down, they were at a high level even for an intact male. This vast difference caused me to be extremely emotional...I would bawl at the drop of a hat. I used the medication for about two months and then finally the levels remained lower. Then at six months post surgery I was drowning in my own sweat. I asked my M.D. ( I'm fortunate to have a gay one) if I could get a low dose of testosterone. Coincidently Androgel was comming out with the Androgel Pump. It enables one to break down the daily dose into quarters.

I started out with one pump a day or 1/4 the normal daily dose. It wasn't long before I started to feel aggression and the like...and in just 4, maybe six, weeks I said "Enough" with the HRT! I felt as bad as I did before surgery.

And then...about two months after discontinuing the HRT it happened, a serious bout of depression. Not the sad and blue kind but more like no energy to even get out of bed. I was content to stay in bed and sleep all day. Just like Junior, my nutered West Highland Terrier.

Back on point, the HRT did not help my hot flashes at all. However, I realized for now I need one pump of androgel every other day in order to maintain a reasonable level of energy.

The hot flashes come about every hour -- 24/7 and in verying degrees. I will have several in a day that just make my skin look like it's covered with morning dew. And then, I have several that will entirely soak any clothing I have on in less than 15 minutes. AND THEN...I have about one or two a week that will soak me like the previous ones, yet hit so fast it leaves me with a migrane.

Like Big Twin; I work outside and simply cannot tolerate the heat of Kansas City. The same is true for me about exercise and manual labor. Hell, just mopping the floor will require a towel dry and a change of clothes. In addition to Big Twin's sceneario, about ten minutes after eating a meal, I'll bust out in a sweat.

The other day I had some gardening to take care of and it was about 90 degrees...between the activity of gardening and less than 20 minutes outside; I started sweating so fast it looked like I was standing under an invisable shower head.

No joke...then, as I was sweating I started to get goose bumps. I hadn't been out long enough to have heat exhaustion. I just happened to be in the hot sun and have a heat flash at the same time with gushing sweat glands. I'm certain that I hover just above dehydration levels most of the time.

I try to compensate by drinking 64 ounces of filtered room temperature water everyday in addition to any other beverages I might have.

My disapointment was tremendous when 5 year graduates are still having them. :-\

I'm probably addressing the choir when I say, I will keep seeking a solution to these pesky and somewhat debilitating flashes. I could no more put on a shirt, tie and jacket then sit in an office than pigs can fly to the moon. I can bearly deal with just shorts on!

Check it out, I have a 5000btu A/C unit in my 9X10 bedroom, set at it's lowest setting, 64 degrees; it kicks off and I'm still laying on the bed with only my socks on...sweating every hour. You'd think they would make an A/C unit that would go below 64?! I suppose, that would be like telling a microwave to cook faster

Yours truly,

Tom

[roster69 (imported)]

i too have hotflashes after becone a eunuch year ago last dec/ only thing i have about be in surgical castrate is hotflashes/be tryin some testosterone to help it it/ but would like to get off of it/any of you know they best way to do that

[bigtwin (imported)]

Anyone try progesterone cream?I have some and might try it.I figure whats to loose?

[Moreschi (imported)]

I'm a born-female, but thought I'd add my 2 cents about hof flashes and drastic changes in hormone levels.

I've had three kids. Definitely, the increase in estrogen and progesterone while pregnant add to the "mood swings" - crying at tv commercials, etc. After my eldest was born, I'd wake up with a very thick tshirt that I slept in soaked through and the sheets also- hair soaking wet too. (This is like when one has a high fever and the fever "breaks" after taking Advil or the like- the sweating! UGH!)

After my third kid was born, I went on Depo Provera for birth control. Wanted something to last three months or a bit more so I wouldn't get pregnant while my ex. got his vasectomy. (I then went on the mini-pill for 2 or 3 months for the "follow-up" period while we waited to see if he was sterile.) The Depo put me straight into meno-pause, it seems, as I would suddenly get hot flashes and start sweating buckets. Luckily, it was late Fall/early Winter so I'd stick my head out the door or if I was feeling lazy (we lived in a basement) I'd stick it in the freezer. HEAVEN!

Now I'm not on any hormones and haven't had a kid for nearly four years. I don't look forward to menopause, that's for sure. Reduced sex drive, less hormones = less lubrication, etc. etc. Moods.... YUCK! For this, I'm glad I'm "only" 33.... I know- my time will come....