Hot Flash Diaries: Unfiltered Tales from the Menopause Trenches!

I am writing on behalf of some friends and I. These are our hot flash diaries: Unfiltered tales from the menopause trenches! Hot flashes come in all different forms. Every woman I know seems to describe them differently, but there’s this overwhelming similarity that ties all our experiences together. For me, it’s like that sudden heat you feel when you’re caught in an embarrassing moment. Imagine your face getting warm from the inside out, and then this warmth trickling down all the way to your shins, making them sweat. Yep, it’s as bizarre as it sounds! The hot flash is intense but brief. Just a couple of minutes where the heat seems to radiate from me.  I’ve been dealing with this for about three years since my periods stopped!

One of my friends describes it like this sudden furnace that lights up inside her, starting from her chest and exploding in every direction. The feeling is so overpowering that she feels trapped, almost anxious, and has this urge to run outside, no matter how cold or hot the weather is.  She says it feels like walking into a sauna fully clothed.

For others they describe it as being more intense with dizziness, feels light-headed, and even gets a bit nauseous. The heat seems to originate from their navels and spreads up to the top of their heads. The weirdest part is that they also describe a cold sweat along their hairline, or under boobs, and armpits.

For many of us the hot flashes are triggered by something like coffee and red wine – they seem to make things worse. I’ve noticed that for some of us, there’s also this emotional element attached. Some of my friends get feelings of anxiousness, restlessness, and distress when a flash hits. It’s not just about feeling hot; it’s this overwhelming sensation that engulfs your entire being. It’s almost like a panic attack –  heart pounding, that unnerving feeling of impending doom, and then the heatwave that follows.

It’s a journey, this rollercoaster of temperature and emotions. Each one of us is trying to navigate it in our own way. But knowing we’re not alone, sharing these moments and experiences, it somehow makes it more bearable. These are our hot flash diaries: Unfiltered tales from the menopause trenches!

AG, Ireland

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