The drug Tamoxifen is used around the world to help treat breast cancer. But it’s also causing women a lot of grief!
Like many cancer-treatment drugs, Tamoxifen comes with several possible side effects. The most common ones are menopausal symptoms-specifically, hot flashes. No matter how old or young you are, this drug can have you running for the freezer. Approximately 50–75 percent of women on the drug experience hot flashes. Because it works by blocking the effects of estrogen, it can trick the body into believing it’s hit menopause, though most of the time it doesn’t bring on permanent menopause in younger women.
So what can you do? Hot flashes may seem humorous to some, but when they interrupt your sleep and compromise your well-being, they become serious indeed. For women taking Tamoxifen, drug-related hot flashes can feel even hotter than “regular” hot flashes, sometimes becoming so uncomfortable they feel like symptoms of a heart attack.
Your doctor will have medications that can help, but since your body is already dealing with the Tamoxifen drug, it might be better to consider more natural alternatives first. Here are five that may help you.
1. Avoid Triggers. Keep a diary of your hot flashes, and note any common triggers. What did you eat? What were you going at the time? Were you stressed out? As you find common triggers, work to avoid them. Alter your diet if necessary. (Common dietary triggers include alcohol, caffeine, spicy foods, high-sugar items, and diet pills.)
2. Exercise. We’ve talked about the many benefits of exercise. Reducing hot flashes is one of them! Even moderate exercise (like a 30-minute morning walk) can help get the blood circulating and the endorphins going, reducing the chances of a hot flash.
3. Relax everyday. We’re not talking sitting in front of the television, here. To reduce your symptoms, incorporate things like massage, yoga, meditation, breathing exercises, even hypnosis into your daily life. Cancer causes a lot of stress. If you can reduce some of it in ways beneficial to your mind and body, you’re likely to experience fewer hot flashes.
4. Vitamins & herbs. Many women find some relief using natural herbs and vitamins. Pine-bark extract, which is full of protective flavonoids, was found to reduce symptoms in one 6-month study. Other plants that cool the system include chickweed, elder, and violet. Chamomile teas can have a calming effect, but you may want to drink them lukewarm. Sage tea is recommended to help reduce night hot flashes. Most doctors recommend you do not, however, take estrogen-like solutions such as dong quai, soy, and black cohosh, as these can interfere with the effectiveness of the Tamoxifen. In some studies, vitamin E has reduced hot flashes-take 400-800 IUs a day in a gel tablet, preferably with mixed tocopherols. (Check with your doctor first, as vitamin E can cause some blood thinning.) Vitamin C with bioflavonoids (about 1,000 units a day) can also help, as can vitamin B.
5. Don’t smoke, and wear light clothing. According to the Mayo Clinic, smoking has been linked to increased hot flashes, so if you smoke, you may want to renew your efforts to quit (if you haven’t already). Also, wear light clothing. You may have already started to choose fabrics more carefully, but if not, look for cotton-it tends to be more comfortable than synthetic fabrics. Finally, avoid long sleeves and high necks.
Have you found a natural remedy for hot flashes? Please share!
Photo courtesy of Fe em Brasil via Flickr.com.
