Hot Flashes

Here are some suggestions for any with severely cystic livers unable to take hormones for hot flashes, (liver cysts grow with soy, caffeine, bleach, and hormones). This is from a previous group discussion about hot flashes: one tried using a fan, others have tried cool cloths, drinking iced drinks, and wearing thin clothing.

Hot flash triggers

Triggers include: hot drinks, coffee, tea, sugars, fried foods, potato chips, peanuts, pastries, candies, concentrated sugars, strong emotions, caffeine, alcohol, spicy food, synthetic clothing, excessive heat.

Hot flash relief

These are suggestions from fellow PLD'rs.

Try a wet cool cloth on the back of your neck.
Try drinking plenty of cool water and think of something really cooling.
Try wearing the thinnest possible clothing all the time, usually silk or cotton.
Try getting adrenals checked; as the adrenals can trigger hot flashes.
Try a Chinese folding fan and wearing light clothing.
Try sticking yourself near a freezer; some feel like they are in a 400º.
One PLD'r had her EMT son check her blood pressure during a hot flash; her face was beet red; blood pressure was 170/90. Once the hot flash passed blood pressure returned to normal 122/78. Maybe hormone spikes trigger BP spikes?
One PLD'r had a hot flash in a doctor's office; BP went from 110/80 with normal temperature to 145/110 with a temperature spike of 104º. She had just had her blood pressure and temperature measured five minutes earlier so the nurse was reluctant to check it again. Everyone was surprised with the results. Five minutes later everything returned to normal. The doctor said that she'd never observed a fugitive hot flash event before.

Caution Paroxetine (Brisdelle)

Has been approved by the FDA in the USA for moderate to severe hot flashes. It is a a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). This drug is a much lower dose than prescribed for psychological disorders. It does have several watchful side effects.

Venlafaxine (Effexor)

Effexor is a possible treatment for hot flashes, an alternative to hormonal based treatments. It is useful for women with breast cancer who cannot take hormones. Effexor is also useful for us with cystic livers. Cystic livers have hormone receptors that stimulate their growth. A clinical trial at the Mayo Clinic found that Effexor substantially reduced hot flashes in 62 percent of women. MPA was another leg of the trial. However MPA might slightly increase breast cancer risk. With a decline in hormone replacement therapy there was a 7% decline in breast cancer.

Black Cohosh AVOID

An alternative herbal treatment called remifemin might make liver cysts grow and it does not help with hot flashes. Black cohosh alone or with other botanical therapies was no better than placebo at relieving hot flashes or other vasomotor symptoms associated with menopause.

Yam Progesterone Cream AVOID

This causes liver cysts to grow. A few using the cream have reported that the transdermal hormonal cream also produces liver cyst growth. In theory it is supposed to by-pass the liver and not cause any growth but practically this seems not to be the case.

Pennyroyal Oil AVOID

Pennyroyal is a potent endocrine disruptor. When coupled with drinking 2 liters (quarts) of water a day this helps flush out estrogen end products. Ladies who live in the tropics have a lower incidence of hot flashes. Saunas or sweating are an alternative treatment to sweat out residual estrogen by products of metabolism. Crying diminishes lactating hormone build up.

Angelica or Dong Quai AVOID

A 12-week study conducted by Kaiser Permanente, using dong quai as a solo agent for the relief of menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and sweats did not prove to be effective. Angelica sinensis increases estrogenic hormones in the rat.

Calcium when taken in the evening is said to help with hot flashes and inability to fall asleep. A cup of chamomile tea is high in calcium. Careful with calcium supplements unless prescribed by your doctor. Some forms of calcium can burn kidneys.

Yoga Gentle yoga stretches, squeezing the organs, bathes organs and joints in a rich fresh blood supply. This may help to relieve some hot flash symptoms.

DIMs

Diindolylmethane or broccoli sprouts increases the liver's metabolism of estrogen. Hot flashes are caused by a surge of a particular type of estrogen progesterone hormone. New Chapter Vitamins makes a supplement called Broccolive®. A cheaper form of DIMs is broccoli sprouts; wrap broccoli sprouts in a corn tortilla, along with avocado, onion, garlic, parsley leaf have it alongside a spicy lentil soup. Other DIM foods are all the cruciform vegetables: cabbage, rutabagas, brussels sprouts, turnips. Cruciform vegetables also protect the integrity of DNA.

Turmeric

Organic turmeric root or powder increases the ability of the liver to metabolize estrogen by products.

Saffron

Organic saffron helps the liver to better metabolize estrogen by products and greatly helps to heal the liver.

Milk Thistle

Organic milk thistle helps to heal the liver and increases estrogen metabolism.