Hot flashes with pain meds

[bamagirl]

I started having hot flashes 6 years ago when I was put on the duragesic pain patch Fentanyl. I went from 25mgs to 100mgs in about 1 year. My pain management doctor said that the pain medication Fentanyl blocks a hormone receptor that balances your estrogen levels. I was put on an estrogen patch (Climera). I am curious if anyone else has had this experience with pain medication or the pain patch. It is really miserable. The estrogen helps but I still have hot flashes at least 1 week out of the month.

The first part of this message is a repost, but now I am tapering off the fentanyl. I am down to 50 mcgs. I started having hot flashes from hell. My doctor put me on full strength Estratest. It has been 3 weeks and I have had no relief. Any suggestions?


Help! Am I the only one?

Thanks,
Kristi

[sailawaygrl]

I have the same problem from my pain medication and I also believe that my cymbalta causes the same problem. It is so hard to deal with and so frustrating. Sometimes I just get really angry about the sweating, like when I am trying to get ready to go somewhere and my make up is already melting off my face.

I have tried some different vitamins but I honestly don't think they helped. Hopefully as your body adjusts to the lower dose of meds the sweating will stop. I am sorry I don't have any solutions to offer. I just wanted to let you know that you are not alone.

[earthlady]

I've had the same reactions and never knew what to do about them either other than stopping or decreasing the dose. It's interesting about the estrogen connection- I wasn't aware these meds could interfere with the estrogen receptors. Sounds logical then that increasing the estrogen could help.

[bamagirl]

Thank you. I had posted a similiar message before and no one replied so I was thinking that I was alone out here with the hot flashes. My doctor just went up to 2 full stregnth estratest pills. I hope this works. Thanks for replying and letting me know I am not alone out here.

[Thingone]

Estrogen = Pain

I have realized lately that any form of estrogen, even a gel will cause horrible flares for me. Did you have the pain before you used estrogen?

I just read your post again, hot flashes are bothering you, not pain. Sorry.

[Mothergoose]

I am sure i am peri menopausal, I do not take any hormones for it but symptoms are livable.

Just a side not I sweat when ever I flare, it took me a while to figure this out, I was sweating long before perimeno, but maybe it is from taking more pain meds during a flare.

Good to know.

MG

[bamagirl]

sweating

Sorry I haven't replied I have been feeling terrible. As far as the question about whether or not I had pain before the hot flashes. The answer would be yes. Th estrogen has not affected me negatively. It just doesn't seem to be working very well. I am now on Estridol 1mg. My doctor put me on that because she said it is stronger than the Estrtest FS. I also live in one of the hottest states. I am in Alabama and lately it has been 99 degrees with a heat index of 105 degrees. I just sit in front of my fan all day. I can't do anything else without starting to sweat. I was wondering if anyone has had the botox injected in the underarms? I know that it is suppose to stop the sweating there. I can't stand to sweat all day and by mid day I have to wash my under arms or I stink. I use clinical deoderant but that is not enough. I am just MISERABLE!!!!!

[Mothergoose]

Just an update I posted a few post ago I was sure I must be per meno, well my Dr. gave me vaginal estrogen a month ago I flared really bad, I would say I just got over the effects of one dose, 2 days ago.

At my last Dr. app I asked to have my hormone levels tested and apparently I am not pre meno I am completely though menopause. He said I am young to be but the 2 tests he did both indicate the same thing, no estrogen and an increase in the hormone that tries to get your body to make estrogen.

So I must say I went through menopause quite easily, no hot flashes I did sweat but I do fine that comes and goes with flares, and infections. The only thing I think was a symptom of it was being emotional to wards the end of each month.

So I now this may sound crazy, but I am so relieved nothing medical ever goes easy for me, and I thought I had it all still to come.

Thanks MG

[sully02]

bamagirl, I see that you are on paxil. I was on that years ago and I could NOT stop sweating. It was awful. I feel for you. This was about 20 yrs ago before I started perimenopause. I was put on celexa and did not have the sweating. I did however have a difficult menopause and would sweat and flush all the time. I found bioidentical hormones worked very well for me. Now that I am older it is all much better but I was using a estring for vaginal dryness for over a year and it worked great for hot flashes too but this last time I used a new one, ( it stays in for 3 months) I broke out with vulvadynia and stomach pain and had to take it out. The hot flashes are coming back. Man we just can't win. Just wanted you to know you are not alone and that maybe the paxil is causing some of the sweating. I also gained 20 lbs on the paxil.

Be well.
Sully

[bamagirl]

re:hotflashes

I have been on paxil for over 20 years so it's not from that. I really think it's from the pain patches. I williams be down to 25 mcgs in 3 more days. The hotflashes are getting a little better. Thanks for all the replies.