Feeling the Heat

Hot flashes, those sudden surges of heat that leave you fanning yourself and wondering what just happened! In this episode, we break down why they happen, what triggers them, and how to cope without losing your cool. From science to sass, we’ll share real-life experiences, practical tips, and a few laughs along the way. Whether you’re in the thick of it or just curious, this episode turns up the heat on everything you need to know about hot flashes.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:04

Hot Flash and Sassy, a podcast with hot takes, hotter flashes, and a whole lot of sass. Welcome back to Hot Flash and Sassy, the show where we embrace the heat, spill the truth, and laugh through the flames of midlife. I'm your host, Holly, and I'm Renee. And today, oh honey, we're talking about the most famous symptom of them all. Hot flashes. It's in our name.

SPEAKER_01 0:36

Whether you're sweating through your favorite blouse at a board meeting or waking up feeling like someone lit your bed on fire, hot flashes are the uninvited guest that shows up again and again and again and again.

SPEAKER_00 0:50

So today we're gonna break it down why hot flashes happen, the difference between flashes and perimenopause versus menopause, how long they stick around, and most importantly, what actually helps. So grab your ice water, your fan, your cooling towel, and we'll get into it. Let's get started, Holly. Let's do it. But I think it's important to note we got to shout out some people. Uh this is episode three, which is a big deal for us. Uh disclaimer, we had one and two already recorded before we released one, so we didn't get to do shout outs and two. But uh we definitely want to give a shout-out to our friend Kim. She recorded the intro for us, which we really appreciate. Uh, our buddy Alex, who's a 20-something-year-old guy that is willing to edit this podcast.

SPEAKER_01 1:34

And wear pink if we ask him to when the merch comes out.

SPEAKER_00 1:37

Yeah, he's the best. So definitely to Alex. And then, of course, to our partners, Jake and Jay, their willingness to let us come on here and talk like we are and be supportive of us because you cannot talk about our hormones without talking about those guys.

SPEAKER_01 1:55

I reminded Jay that in episode two I refer to Rex because I was worried that he might go, Why are you exposing Rex? But he's okay with it. Okay. So it's great.

SPEAKER_00 2:10

Jake has been so excited and so supportive and into it. So and he's good. He says I don't have to like run it by him first. So that's impressive. I'll say what I want, I guess. Free reign.

SPEAKER_01 2:22

And I also want to shout shout out some gratitude to all of our followers, everybody who's downloaded the first episode, the encouragement, the shares on social media. We really appreciate all the love that's coming our way.

SPEAKER_00 2:35

Yeah. It's been fun. I think it's uh interesting how validating it still is. You know, it's one of the reasons we connected to do this. And then I hear more stories, and I'm like, it's I misery loves company, I guess. I don't know, but it is nice. But like I I really am not crazy. And Renee aren't and I aren't the only crazy ones. Right. So Right.

SPEAKER_01 2:53

We've had so many people reach out to us asking questions, wondering about our journey, wanting to know more, excited to hear the future episodes. So we really love the support. And we are happy to share our story because hopefully it helps others out there.

SPEAKER_00 3:09

I think the number one question that we have gotten since we put this out here is to learn a little bit more about the pellets we're doing. We did breeze through that and haven't gone into too much detail.

SPEAKER_01 3:19

Yeah, we just kind of dropped it. Like there were little pellets along the way and then didn't say what pellets were.

SPEAKER_00 3:24

In fairness, we also weren't trying to, we didn't want this to be a pellet podcast and just about that. So, but people are interested and it has worked for us. So we do want to give you guys a little bit of background into that. Um I discovered pellets through my my mother, I wouldn't have known. Um, and when I was getting my hysterectomy, I knew that I needed to get some type of hormones because I was only 38. Um, and I definitely didn't want to just all like be an actual menopause. Um, so my mom is the one that told me about pellets. There are a couple different options. So there is like an oral pill that you can take. I I think that's just estrogen. Um the same thing goes for the patch. Um, and then there is like a cream that you can put on every day. That is, I don't know if that's a combo of estrogen and test testosterone, but my issue there is I have to anything that I have to remember to do something with, I can't do. Especially daily. Yeah. It's a lot. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 4:21

I'm really busy in the mornings.

SPEAKER_00 4:22

It's and you know, I gotta remember to make my pellet appointments. That's hard enough. Um, so the pellets are nice, they they numb your hip and they they input essentially an estrogen pellet and a testosterone pellet or pellets. It depends on how much you need based on your blood work. So that way I'm getting the right amount of what I need. And then if I'm feeling off, if there's anything going on, you know, we can share that with Judy and she would adjust as needed, as well as if the blood work shows something. So essentially it's an estrogen pellet and a testosterone pellet, and it gets inserted into our hips. Uh at minimum, you can do it every 12 weeks. Um, some people it lasts longer. There's people that need them twice a year, there's people every um four months, whatever it might be. The cost for us, I'll share that we're in St. Louis, so I don't know what that is everywhere. Um, it is $400, $400. Your insurance does not cover it, uh, because unfortunately, still not FDA approved, even though the FDA has um deemed hormone replacement therapy is safe now. So hopefully that's coming. Um $400 seems very reasonable. I know there's somebody in the St. Louis area that charges like $1,000, which it's probably criminal. I've seen two other places that have them, and they're about $400 also. So definitely shop around and don't get scammed out of it. But it's not super cheap, but I also don't think that that's that expensive. My husband is frugal, and when these are working and I'm not crazy, he's like, You go for it. You spend that money. You spend that money.

SPEAKER_01 5:56

Um, I think it's important to note that most places will do free consultations. So don't just go to one, find the person that has the bedside manners that you align with and you feel comfortable with. And then also I wanted to note that um Holly just kind of grazed over the fact that it's inserted into your hip. Yes. It is a medical type procedure because they do cut the skin to insert it, and you get um what are the stare strips. Yeah, it's not uh actual stitches that close it up, but it's an actual medical procedure. But it's cool because you only have to do it once every three months-ish, depending on your needs. And they go in alternating hips.

SPEAKER_00 6:41

Yeah, and it's it takes 10 minutes. It's you go in, they nut, you know, they just numb that area, they put it in and you're on your way.

SPEAKER_01 6:47

Yes, and you're not going into an operating room. So it's not that extreme of a surgical procedure.

SPEAKER_00 6:52

You do have to like lay off lower body exercise, I think, for 72 hours. Um because you don't want the pellets to pop out. No, we want them to stay in and do their job. You need them to stay in. I so that's the pellets that we're talking about. Um, and so we do mention them kind of just randomly, I guess, and without a lot of detail. But again, I mean, definitely do your research onto what you think would work for you and what you're comfortable with. Not everyone's comfortable with that. Um, but if it's something you're interested in, I definitely do the research. If you have any more questions, if you're in the St. Louis area and you specifically rent recommendations to where we go, just reach out to us and we'll let you know.

SPEAKER_01 7:29

Right. The other option, which I don't think you mentioned, was um the testosterone shots.

SPEAKER_00 7:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 7:37

I know a couple of people that do get those. Um so if your body doesn't actually need the estrogen and you just need a little boost, um, the testosterone shots work.

SPEAKER_00 7:46

Yep. And we do, we they offer us boosters, which that's what it is. And so the testosterone shots only think last like three weeks or something like that. They kick in faster, but they go away faster. Um and so we you are offered that because sometimes your pellets has kind of disappeared, if you will, and then um you kind of need a little boost. So that will help you.

SPEAKER_01 8:06

There are various things that affect your hormones, which I did not know this, but um, when you go under anesthesia, evidently that depletes your body's hormones.

SPEAKER_00 8:17

Yeah, so I had I had um well, I guess I had issue, but I had a hysterectomy, I was depleting them anyway. But I'll tell you after my hysterectomy, my hair was falling out and they tested my hormones because they thought maybe they were out of balance and they were perfectly fine. And Judy was like, It's probably from your surgery and your and that can happen up to six months post-surgery, and about I mean, it was right at six months that it stopped happening.

SPEAKER_01 8:42

So it's pretty scary to think. I don't know how many people out there maybe don't know that. I think there's a lot of people that probably don't know about the different things that can affect your body so deeply like that. And for so long, six months, are you kidding? Right. That's crazy.

SPEAKER_00 8:59

I had not heard of it until it happened. I know it. I know it. Okay. All right, are we ready to get into the topic of the day? Let's go hot flashes. Hot flashes is probably the most known symptom of menopause. Um, maybe the most fun.

SPEAKER_01 9:14

Uh so we're gonna That is ultimate sarcasm right there.

SPEAKER_00 9:18

That is, that is.

SPEAKER_01 9:20

Not fun at all, she means.

SPEAKER_00 9:22

Yeah, so we're gonna start with the basics. Um, a hot flash is a sudden burst of heat that spreads across your chest, neck, and face. Sometimes followed by sweating, sometimes chills, and almost always followed by a why me. Scientifically, this comes from estrogen levels shifting in your brain, specifically. This is why you gave me this part. Hypothalamus. Getting confused about your body temperature. Your internal thermostat basically glitches and says you're hot when you're not.

SPEAKER_01 9:54

So I did not specifically choose that word for you, but it's just further evidence that we are not medical professionals. We definitely want to remind you to consult with your medical professional.

SPEAKER_00 10:06

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 10:06

On any of our recommendations because it doesn't always work for everybody.

SPEAKER_00 10:10

Correct.

SPEAKER_01 10:11

And you could have other things going on in your body. 100%. There's so many things that could be going on. So make sure you double check everything.

SPEAKER_00 10:18

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 10:19

When's the last time you had a hot flash?

SPEAKER_00 10:21

Okay, I'm having a problem right now. I am. I so I do sometimes get them when my pellets are wearing out. But what's weird is so a lot of times that's uh really close to my pellets rolling out. Like I have other symptoms that kick in first, first and foremost. Poor Jake. Don't like him. I mean, I do I love him. That's not a bad. I don't I need space. And then um I don't have energy. I honestly don't have that right now. I and he's not bothering me. Um, I still feel like I have energy, but uh my hot flash has started.

SPEAKER_01 10:52

So that's the only thing happening right now.

SPEAKER_00 10:54

It's the first thing I have going. So it normally comes in like a symptom at a time the closer I get. Yeah. But I'm kind of far out. I so I probably need to call Judy because she told me last time, not this last time, but a few times ago, I had a similar thing where it seemed like they wore out quicker, and she's like, Call me. You don't just deal with it. Like, let's let's see what's going on. So I do need to contact her. Other because other than the hot flashes, I'm fine.

SPEAKER_01 11:17

That's crazy.

SPEAKER_00 11:18

But they come on, especially here at work. We get into these meetings and they shut a door in a conference room, and I it's like there's no airflow or something, and I can feel it says your chest in your face, and I'm like, I am on fire right now.

SPEAKER_01 11:31

On fire. I know, I know that feeling.

SPEAKER_00 11:34

It sucks.

SPEAKER_01 11:35

Some of the conference rooms, though. Let's give it some credit. They come air, they just don't know.

SPEAKER_00 11:39

There's no airflow, but I feel like I'm looking around and I feel like I'm like it's I can feel the heat and I'm looking around and no one else seems bothered.

SPEAKER_01 11:46

Is that the weirdest thing though? Because when they happen, it's like, does anybody know that I'm having a hot flash? Do they see this happening?

SPEAKER_00 11:53

Because I think people looking at me weird. I think, especially the men are like, why is she beat red? I can see it. And I don't know if I am beat red, but I can it feels like I am.

SPEAKER_01 12:03

It definitely feels like it. And then all the rest of the body gets hot, and then you just really can't even come back down. No, you can't. Now, how about you? Well, so um I think there's a difference between perimenopause and menopause when the hot flashes happen. Um, mine, I think I have, I still have them pretty regularly, even when I'm on hormone replacement. So I think that's just a testament to when things are happening inside my body. Because remember, occasionally them old little ovaries spit out an egg. I told you what the lady said the last time I got an ultrasound, right?

SPEAKER_00 12:44

No.

SPEAKER_01 12:44

She's like, all your ovaries old? Yes. She's like, well, they kind of shrivel a little. Oh my god, are you kidding me?

SPEAKER_00 12:53

No, you have shriveled ovaries.

SPEAKER_01 12:55

Sweet little ultrasound.

SPEAKER_00 12:57

29?

SPEAKER_01 12:58

I know I'm far too young for this business.

SPEAKER_00 13:00

Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_01 13:03

Terrible. Oh, yes, yes, yes, yes. So um, my estrogen goes up and down like a toddler on a trampoline. So um, my symptoms, I think, tend to be a little bit more erratic than yours. Definitely triggered by stress. I for sure have a hot flash if I'm super stressing about anything. It doesn't matter if I'm stressing about the kids, stressing about work, stressing about Jay, poor Jay. It definitely happens on a pretty erratic basis, and there's no control over that craziness. It's just the craziness happening inside of me. Um, one thing that I don't really suffer with are night sweats. And I think some people pair hot flashes with night sweats. I feel strongly that they're different, but we'll definitely have to ask um one of our experts about how that aligns with hot flashes because maybe some people just get hot night sweats with their hot flashes and some people don't. It's just your individual makeup. That's all I got. That's I'm different than you a little bit.

SPEAKER_00 14:04

You are because in full-blown menopause, uh, right, they become more consistent. Uh they can be more intense than they were when you were in peri. Uh can definitely stick around for a lot longer. You're going through, even though I don't know, I sometimes think peri menopause lasts longer than menopause, but I don't know. Um But it doesn't mean that there's anything necessarily wrong. It's just your body's kind of, you know, recalibrating, like getting back into the swing of things. Um, I you talk about having the night sweats, and I actually did. So the worst, the worst ever hot flashes I got was when I got my hysterectomy, I was so scared of going straight into menopause because I had heard that when my doctor told me that like you go, like they take that stuff out and you're in it. And I did not, I was so nervous about that. So when I went for the hysterectomy, um I'm sorry, Jake, now for the story. You know, he took me and I was I told him, I'm like, you gotta make sure they get I get something with hormones. I don't know, like we're gonna talk to the doctor when she gets here, but like I have to have that. I I don't want to deal with it.

SPEAKER_01 15:08

Meaning immediately after your story.

SPEAKER_00 15:10

I wanted something immediately. So the doctor comes in and we talk about it. She knows, I'm like, I'm real worried about the menopause. And she's like, we're gonna put a patch on. I'm like, great. So I wake up, and when I wake up, you know, I'm in my room and Jake is sitting there, and he's like, okay, he's like, it went well. And he was like, they already got the patch on you. And I'm like, great, that's great, thank you. So I just spend the night in the hospital, you know, and he went home, and we have two children, so um, and I don't need him sleeping there with me, so which also was awful. They have those like um compression things on. I feel like I was stuck to the bed. I was awful. I was you kind of were. You are, I did not care for it. But I'm having these awful hot flashes all night, and it would be with these sweats. I mean, it was awful, and I'm like, oh my gosh. So the next day, my doctor comes in to check on me in the morning, and she's like, Okay, did they get the patch on you? And I'm like, I'm excuse me, my husband said that you told him the patch was on me. She's like, No. I said I ordered the patch for them to put it on you in recovery.

unknown 16:11

Oh no.

SPEAKER_00 16:12

So the the nurse comes back in, the new nurse from the morning, and she's like, Okay, we'll get this on you. So so I had had nothing. I called Jake immediately.

SPEAKER_01 16:22

Suffering through the entire day.

SPEAKER_00 16:23

And I was like, they did not put the patch on. So it was awful. But that's really the only time I've had that experience.

SPEAKER_01 16:31

By the way, this is totally not Jake's fault. He merely communicated what he heard.

SPEAKER_00 16:37

What he heard. It must his his disease must have been flared up at the time. I like to call that man listening disorder. Um, and so clearly he was having a flare-up.

SPEAKER_01 16:48

Sorry, Jake, I tried to have your back here.

SPEAKER_00 16:51

No. Um, but yeah, you know, I'm just not trying to blame him, but I'm blaming him. I was like, we gotta make sure the patch is there. Because it was awful. It was awful.

SPEAKER_01 17:02

So you were sweating?

SPEAKER_00 17:03

I was sweating. You were hot, yes.

SPEAKER_01 17:06

You did you feel red in your face, flushed in your face? Yeah. Anything?

SPEAKER_00 17:09

Yeah, yeah. That was miserable. I mean, it would wake me up. I was sleeping, but it would it would wake you up and you're like, gosh. Was your heart pounding? I don't know, to be honest. I can't. I mean, again, I felt I felt stuck to a bed. I don't know. I I think that's it.

SPEAKER_01 17:23

I bet your heart was pounding because you were pissed off that you were suffering through all of this and didn't know why.

SPEAKER_00 17:29

Because I wasn't connecting. I wasn't necessarily because I thought I had the patch on and I was like, okay, like and I did just go through surgery. I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 17:37

Maybe this is what it's supposed to be like after I distracted.

SPEAKER_00 17:40

I don't know what all to be expecting, right?

SPEAKER_01 17:42

But um I bet your heart was pounding the next day when that doctor said that. I was it was, yes.

SPEAKER_00 17:47

I know, and I did feel bad. I when I called Jake, he's like, I'm so sorry. I swear she said that it was on you. And I was like, No. I don't think she did. I mean, she knew right away.

SPEAKER_01 18:00

So um the hot flashes come with variations, like we just touched on the sudden wave of heat, the red flushed face, the heart pounding, dripping with sweat. I'm not a super huge sweater. Are you? Are you a big sweater? Um, I don't sweat a ton when I have a hot flash. Not when I have a hot flash. I just feel like my whole body's hot and I should probably sweat, but I I don't.

SPEAKER_00 18:25

I feel like I get red.

SPEAKER_01 18:26

I know some people probably do. Um, the need to rip off your clothes. And afterwards, do you have the sense um that your body's really cold? No. Or do you get the feeling of exhaustion?

SPEAKER_00 18:38

I don't know that I've had either, but I mean, maybe I have exhaustion. I I don't ever get the chills with it. Um, but I do think of some of mine, I think like right now, a lot of them might be stress-induced. Yeah. Um, and I I don't know, I think that kind of pairs with exhaustion.

SPEAKER_01 18:52

Oh, that's true.

SPEAKER_00 18:52

You know, so I don't know, is it the hot flash? Is it just that the stress is because of stressing? Yeah. I don't remember.

SPEAKER_01 18:58

Definitely.

SPEAKER_00 18:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 18:59

I get the chills. Okay. Not like immediately after, but a little bit after I definitely notice that all of a sudden I'm freezing, and I'm not really a cold person in the first place. So usually when I start freezing like that, I'm like, oh, okay, this is an after-effect. We're coming off of these crazy hot flashes, and I'm done with them now.

SPEAKER_00 19:21

Well, at least you're cooling off.

SPEAKER_01 19:23

Well, that's a positive way to look at it. But I really don't think it's healthy for my body to go to this extreme heat, to this extreme freezing temperature. And I think that would be like a bad thing. So I'm wondering if that's just an overall sensation.

SPEAKER_00 19:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 19:39

Because your body gets so hot from the hot flashes. More questions for them experts. More questions. Hey, if we have any uh menopause, perimenopause experts out there, feel free to comment on this and let us know.

SPEAKER_00 19:50

Yeah, let us know. Reach out. If you live in St. Louis, we'll have you on.

SPEAKER_01 19:54

Oh, yeah. We're definitely open to some interviews. They're coming soon. I think Judy's gonna be first, right?

SPEAKER_00 20:00

We need Jack.

SPEAKER_01 20:01

We've only talked about her a hundred times, so we definitely have to invite her.

SPEAKER_00 20:05

She's famous.

SPEAKER_01 20:06

Um, Holly, what are some triggers? What lights the views?

SPEAKER_00 20:10

Okay, well, there's a list of them, and I'm it's hard. This is hard for me because it's hard to combat some of these things. Caffeine. I love it.

SPEAKER_01 20:19

It's not happening. I'm not getting rid of it.

SPEAKER_00 20:21

Oh, I thought you meant you don't drink it.

SPEAKER_01 20:23

No, I'm not getting rid of it. I thought you were implying that I might need to eliminate that, and it's not happening. If it triggers it, so be it. I'll deal with the hot flashes.

SPEAKER_00 20:31

No, I keep the caffeine. Alcohol, especially wine.

SPEAKER_01 20:34

Sorry, that's not going either.

SPEAKER_00 20:36

I have had struggle, struggles with wine a long time ago, so I don't typically drink it. So I do every once in a while because I do like it.

SPEAKER_01 20:43

But do you get a little tipsy on it? Is that the struggle? I immediately I think I have like an alligator.

SPEAKER_00 20:49

And that's how I tell people you know really well. I get like a headache and I get red right away. Well, maybe it's a hot flash.

unknown 20:55

Could be.

SPEAKER_00 20:56

But that started in my 20s, so I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 20:58

I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 20:58

Uh, spicy foods. I also love spicy foods. Yep. Uh keeping them. Stress or anxiety. I if you can tell me how to control my stress, I'm all ears.

SPEAKER_01 21:08

Well, we could just give a little shout out to our boss here and let him know. You know, if we can have some meditation during the workday that could control our stress.

SPEAKER_00 21:17

Listening to that. Sure, we've scared him off by now. Um, hot rooms or warm bedding.

SPEAKER_01 21:25

No brainer.

SPEAKER_00 21:26

Yeah. I mean, yeah, I guess that's my problem.

SPEAKER_01 21:27

You're experiencing hot flashes. How about not go into warm bedding?

SPEAKER_00 21:31

Yeah, that's true.

SPEAKER_01 21:32

Get some cooling sheets or something.

SPEAKER_00 21:34

Intense exercise.

SPEAKER_01 21:36

Don't you naturally your body heat goes up. Of course, you're gonna have a hot flash. That's kind of dumb.

SPEAKER_00 21:41

Smoking. I don't smoke.

SPEAKER_01 21:42

I don't smoke.

SPEAKER_00 21:43

Uh sugar crashes. I do like sugar.

SPEAKER_01 21:46

So I can acquire sugar in my life.

SPEAKER_00 21:49

I but I have I am controlled it. That is something that I have I have I'm working on, actively working on. Some days are better than the others, but I do like to have some sugar.

SPEAKER_01 21:58

So in this ripe old age of 29, I can definitely tell when I've had more sugar. You know, like when you're younger, you can just eat handfuls of oh I know whatever you want. Now, if I have too much, or I can tell a difference in my body, the way I feel the next day. Yes. I even get a few more headaches when I eat too much sugar. So I definitely agree with that one.

SPEAKER_00 22:20

Definitely impacts us. But I mean, Renee, tell us what can help.

SPEAKER_01 22:25

Well, let's go with this obvious thing. How about keeping a cool bedroom? So smart. But there really are some cool things like cooling sheets I just saw recently. There's um the mattress pad that's actually a cooling thing. There's cooling pillows.

SPEAKER_00 22:43

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 22:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:44

I got one of those for Jake a while back because he's like a live furnace.

SPEAKER_01 22:49

That's what Jay calls me. Um what else? Um, oh, this one's a great idea. Use layered bedding so you can toss off layers through the night. So, I mean, I'm not a big um sheet person. I don't really like it. I just usually have like a quilt or something like that. I love a sheet. You do? Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 23:09

I do have the layers. So I could do it. I don't typically get them at night, but I could.

SPEAKER_01 23:12

How many layers you got going?

SPEAKER_00 23:14

Right now I have three. Oh. Because it's cold out.

SPEAKER_01 23:17

Today, especially. What in the world? So yeah, I have three.

SPEAKER_00 23:21

I got a sheet, I got a weighted blanket, and then I have a fleece blanket.

SPEAKER_01 23:24

Ah, look at you go. Oh my God. Just thinking about that. I'm sweating. Um, okay, so obviously avoid the triggers. If you know your triggers, like we just talked about the sugar. I already know sugar has a negative effect on my body, so I try not to intake a ton of sugar. And I even try to avoid sweeteners. Just try to keep that whole sweet balance um really clean in my life. Exercising regularly, while we talked about the strenuous exercise, I think just having a stable exercise routine really can help stabilize your body just all around. Um, deep breathing during your hot flash. Let's talk about that.

SPEAKER_00 24:05

Let me tell you, that is I hate when whenever anything, or like your stress right, and everyone's like, take a deep breath. All right, listen. I don't want to take a deep breath right now.

SPEAKER_01 24:14

That's not what I'm thinking about.

SPEAKER_00 24:16

Shut up. I don't want to do it. I understand how much it can help, but that is not what I want to hear in the moment.

SPEAKER_01 24:22

Definitely not. 100% not doing that. And definitely don't tell me to take a deep breath when I'm having a hot lash. Just save yourself. Jay and Jake already know this, but we're just gonna save ourselves here. Um, we this portable fans. I know people that sleep with a little fan next to their bedside, not just for the noise, but because they they knew like the little breeze on them. Moisture wicking PJs, cooling towels, um, frostibles. Yes, I made that up, but you get it. You know, just frost something. Frost it. Frostables? I mean, did you I have ice packs gold in my house. So just take one of those bad boys to bed. Call it a frostable. Call it a frostable. Maybe you just made up something. Oh I better hashtag that, trademark it, something.

unknown 25:13

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 25:14

Um, okay, so there's a couple medical options out there. We've already talked about pellets.

SPEAKER_00 25:18

We've talked about help hormone therapy, right? So, and there's a lot of options. We talked about those already. Um, but if you take a hormone therapy to help regulate your estrogen levels, um, that's one of the most proven treatments for hot flashes. And I can say that when I'm up and running and I'm good with my pellets, I do not have them. Um, so that's a good option, in my opinion.

SPEAKER_01 25:40

The other ones are-If you're lucky to have menopause, that's it.

SPEAKER_00 25:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 25:44

Not that we're either one of us are lucky to have perimenopause or menopause.

SPEAKER_00 25:48

No, no, no, no. I'm lucky that I have like the treatment and I'm so I'm not having to deal with it. And the treatment works for you. Correct. There are some other interesting ones that honestly I have not heard of, but it's an interesting um concept, I guess. It could work. A low-dose antidepressant. So certain ones reduce frequency and intensity, even if you're not depressed. Um, and then gampentin, often used for nerve pain, so it can help with night sweats. I have taken gampentin before, not four hot flashes, but I don't know if it would have helped with that or not.

SPEAKER_01 26:19

I have to tell you, one of our listeners told me a story.

SPEAKER_00 26:21

All right.

SPEAKER_01 26:22

So she was on these antidepressants, anti-anxiety, whatever. The doctor was just throwing options at her to help her because she was experiencing all these symptoms and they couldn't pin down what was wrong with her.

SPEAKER_00 26:36

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 26:37

Recently, he put her on a hormone patch.

SPEAKER_00 26:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 26:41

Her exact words to me were it's like somebody took my body and shook everything back into place.

SPEAKER_00 26:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 26:47

She said it like worked almost instantly. Yeah. Isn't that it?

SPEAKER_00 26:51

You started getting that flowing into your your system like that, and it's been depleted of it.

SPEAKER_01 26:56

And yeah, when you clearly notice something's wrong and then it g comes back to you.

SPEAKER_00 27:00

That's my only thing with those other things, like the low dose, antidepressant, and campentin. Like, okay, those are prescription pills of sort of I I don't know, like those probably have some decent side effects. At least like the hormone therapy, I'm like, it's just like replacing what's depleted. Right.

SPEAKER_01 27:15

What you already had in your life.

SPEAKER_00 27:16

Right, correct, versus trying to take something else that was trying to mask, I guess. Yes. I don't know. That's it's interesting that it says that. But again, this reminder you talk to your healthcare provider about risks, benefits, and what works best best for you and your health history.

SPEAKER_01 27:30

Definitely. And she had the hormone replacement because the other options weren't working, they weren't doing anything for her. So she was of the mindset, why should I take that if it's not working?

SPEAKER_00 27:40

Correct. Yeah, that's understandable.

SPEAKER_01 27:42

So, Holly, confession time. All right. We posted a question to some listeners, and it was my worst hot flash hit me right in the middle of. So we've already talked about when we've had our recent hot flashes. Um, but a couple of listener comments were the funny one, this one was I opened the freezer and I just stood there. So I'm not sure if that's exactly the moment that the hot flash hit or if that was the treatment sheet.

SPEAKER_00 28:09

But they did that's it. That seems like a good treatment option.

SPEAKER_01 28:11

It's a great treatment option. Um, this one's funny. I thought my smoke detector was malfunctioning. Turns out it was me. And my husband asked if we should call the fire department. Could you imagine? Call your local fire department and see what they can do about your. Certain they might have more important things to do with their time. Oh no. We're laughing, but the struggle is real. For sure, real. Um, but uh the funny thing that comes to mind is with there's a Instagram story or post out there about um this lady that says it, I think she says, I love my husband. He's my best friend. Then um there's a guy making all these funny faces and just kind of make like mocking the idea of loving your husband and the best friend um story. And it says also me reacting to everything he says. I feel like I do that all the time when I have a hot flash. I am very much in that moment where I'm like, just I'm sure you can read it on my face that I'm just so frustrated with anybody communicating around me or doing anything. So while I do love Jay dearly, I'm sure he gets that feeling every now and again when I'm having a hot flash. Like, what is wrong with this chick?

SPEAKER_00 29:30

Jay, send your comments in. We'd love to hear them. We'd love we'd love to hear from you.

SPEAKER_01 29:34

Oh, Holly. Well, I think we kind of have to wrap up our hot flashes. Um, that's the hottest part of this midlife chapter for us, literally. But you don't have to suffer in silence or sweat alone. Understanding your body gives you power, options, and the confidence to say, I've got this, I'm hot, and I'm still sassy.

SPEAKER_00 29:55

Right. So if you love today's episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with another woman who keeps a fan in every single room. And make sure you also follow us on our Facebook page. And uh what a big announcement. We're gonna have a TikTok soon. Coming soon. As long as Renee knows how to do that because I don't know about TikTok, everybody.

SPEAKER_01 30:16

I know a little bit about TikTok, but I'm really gonna rely on my oldest. Okay, perfect. You're gonna need some help with that out.

SPEAKER_00 30:22

Yes. Uh so join us next week when we talk about sleep or the lack of it during the transition. So until then, stay cool, confident, and sassy.