estrogen not working for sweating

I had a TAH in July 2003. I have one ovary left. Since then, I am experiencing some serious hot flashes that happen several times throughout the day. I can be doing "nothing" and one comes on, to where I am feeling the sweat poor down my back and my face. I am on 2 ml of estradiol ( the most they can give you) but it is like taking nothing. What else can be taken to help these awful sweats???? This is very embarressing at work. Especially if I have to meet up and have a conversation with someone......I break out in a sweat...
Thanks gals for the input

Hi Kim
I hope this really hasn't been happening since 2003. It's possible that oral estradiol is not for you. I use the Vivelle-dot and it works for me. Have you tried a patch or some other transdermal method? The digestive system gets rid of so much of the oral dose that it's a wonder it works at all. Some people have suggested placing a tiny piece of a tablet under the tongue so it can go right into the bloodstream. You would have to discuss this with your doctor, as well as the transdermal alternatives. I realize the tablets are a lot cheaper. I find that tempting, myself.

Hello Lisme
Yes. It seems to me and my husband ( as he has noticed big time with me) that these sweating attacks have been going on since then.
I am on an anti depressant as well, and am wondering if that may have any effect on what is going on with me and these awful sweats.
I have to have a fan on me all day long at work, and just getting up and going to spend time at the copier or in our mail room just kills me with sweat.
I have never been put on anything but estradial and progest....didn't effect me in no way.
I went off of the progest...and am still on the highest dosage of estradial, but no relief.
What do you think? Could it be the anti depress??
I am sick of this....it is so embarrasing.................

What I mean is that your body is probably not responding to oral estradiol tablets. The digestive system is kind of a barrier because the medicine gets digested to the point where it is mostly useless. Only a small amount remains, which is not enough for you. It might be time for another approach, such as the patch that sticks to the skin and soaks medicine right into the bloodstream. Also, there are creams you put on that do the same thing, soak medicine into the bloodstream. This avoids the digestive system. This "transdermal" (through the skin) estradiol might work better for you. You have suffered long enough. Your doctor should be receptive to trying something. If your doc is not helpful, I would find another one who is more realistic.

I'm wondering .............how do the anti-depressants work on us?

After my surgery, my doc put me on lexapro. I was having bad mood swings and such and didn't think what I was on before, was working.

I went on the lexapro, and it didn't seem to be helping my bad moodiness that I was having.

After my physical a year ago, the doc found that my progest. was a bit low, so he put me on a progest. med. ( I had been off of the anti-depressants)

I went back to him...bawling....told him something is not right.

He put me on the estratial and progest.

No help. He put me back on Zoloft.

I got my moodiness helped, but the sweats got worse.

I went to my family doc. Told her the deal. She put me on Cymbalta, and took me off the progest.

My moods are GREAT now...................the sweating is just as bad, if not worse.

Do you think it could be the anti depressant??

I read that antidepressants are actually supposed to help with sweating. I forget which ones exactly. There are a lot of articles on this website. Look up at the top of the page and click on the articles buttons. There is so much info you will be more filled in on things. I know it takes a while to make your way through the articles. I think you will feel better after absorbing some good information. Then you can judge better if your doctor is up to speed, or maybe a new doc might be better. I have to find a new doc myself because mine moved far away. I thought she was pretty good, oh well.

Kimbo1 a small percentage of people taking Cymbalta report increased sweating and getting hot. I hope that your body just needed a short period of time to adjust to it and that you have continued to feel better. I just started taking Cymbalta 2 days ago and so far I've been thirsty, thirsty, and tired, tired. We'll see if it helps w/ the pain it is supposed to treat.

sounds like your estrodiol dose is not high enuf for you. Some women require high doses.
heather

(Typing reply with my desk fan cooling my face...)

Interesting about the antidepressants. I'm taking Effexor XR. I love my outlook on life, now (and how everyone ELSE is soooo nice, now! LOL!) but I, too, notice that I'm constantly sweating and have to have a fan on me at work, in the bathroom, when I'm sleeping, etc. I sell cosmetics so it is particularly embarrassing to have a sweaty face around my customers.

I went off of my Estradiol and can't tell a bit of difference in my sweating. I don't think this is hot flashes because I still get those. I'm just extremely hot ALL the time.

one suggestion is to use the hot flash cocktail on the hormone jungle tab. It does work well. I've been using it for a few weeks along with natural progesterone cream and natural estrogen creme. NO HOT FLASHES...