What prescription medications are helpful for hot flash management?
Many prescription medications are available to help with hot flashes. Talk with your healthcare provider to see whether you should try another type of medicine and to discuss possible side effects.
Some prescription medications that can be helpful with troublesome hot flashes include the following:
- Antihypertensive mediations (e.g., clonidine and methyldopa)
- Antidepressants or the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) (e.g., venlafaxine [Effexor], Pfizer Pharmaceuticals; paroxetine [Paxil], GlaxoSmith-Kline Pharmaceuticals)
Studies on the SSRI medication Paxil have shown success for the treatment of moderate hot flashes. Many women find this medication very helpful in small doses, but others who may be very sensitive to this class of drugs may experience negative sexual side effects from SSRI medications.
Some emerging evidence shows that this class of medication may not be advisable with women who are taking Tamoxifen. Consult your survivorship medicine expert or your oncologist to discuss your situation.
- Antiepileptics (e.g. gabapententin [Neurontin])
Regardless of which medication you may be trying, remember that all medications may cause side effects. In addition to discussing the drug with your clinician, carefully read the package insert, and ask about potential drug-drug interactions that may occur (including alcohol).
Terms:
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor – A type of depressant medication that does not allow serotonin to be taken up again by the neuroreceptors, thereby causes more serotonin to be present in the neuron. These may be used for depression and panic attacks. Some include Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa, Luvox, and Lexapro.
Tamoxifen – A selective estrogen receptor modulator that is used in the treatment of breast cancer.
I can’t even remember what sex used to be like. Cancer has affected my mind and memory. Please help.
With certain chemotherapies, sometimes women complain of increased forgetfulness or loss of memory. You can do many things to improve your memory. Mental techniques and nutrition may help improve your shorthand long-term memory.
Stimulate Your Memory
Your mind is like any other muscle in your body. You must exercise and use it for it to be strong and healthy. For example, you can learn new skills. Teach yourself a new computer software program. Take a ballroom dancing class, and practice the steps. Go to a home-improvement workshop and learn how to tile, fix plumbing, or build a deck. Begin a home project. Art classes are fun places to learn how to work clay to throw a pot, paint china, sew, or draw. Play games like chess or backgammon; do crossword puzzles or wonder words. Vary the activities that you are doing. Hobby and toy departments of your local stores sell all kinds of card and number games (such as the popular Sudoku) that allow you to exercise your number skills. Picture puzzles are a relaxing way to explore shapes and colors; crossword puzzles help you to recall words and names. Read new books on a variety of new and exciting topics. Share a movie or a newspaper article with your partner, and then discuss it. Watch a movie documentary or action adventure movie, and try to recall the details of the plot to a friend. Use your memory and help stimulate your brain cells to maintain their health!
Focus on Things Around You, and Start to Notice Every Detail!
Try to focus your attention and concentration on the issues that are most important. Address the details and concentrate. Try to maintain your focus. Consciously block out all other distractions. One interesting game is Concentration. Place common household objects like a pen, pencil, and safety pin on a tray. Notice their characteristics and texture, their distinct and defining attributes. Try to block out all other distractions as you focus on the objects. Then turn away and recall each one. When meeting new people, notice things about them, and then try to associate some detail with their name or personality. For instance, if you meet someone new named Jennifer who wears glasses and is a nuclear physicist; begin to associate her wearing glasses with her highly technical and intricate profession.
Relax and Visualize
Attention requires relaxation, so be relaxed, well rested, and in control of stress and emotions. Deep, slow, quiet breathing often can help. Take a deep breath in, and hold it for 5 to 10 seconds before slowly releasing. Breathe deeply into and out of your diaphragm. Try to see objects in your mind. Use your senses to describe the objects (taste, texture, and touch). Do this with your favorite food. Imagine your favorite restaurant or the smell of your partner’s cologne or perfume.
Mnemonics and Other Memory Games
Mnemonics is an easy way to remember sequences. A special word can be used to remember something, particularly lists. Another technique is alliteration, where the same consonants are repeated in a group of words. Associate a person with an object that rhymes with his or her name. (For example, Michael has black wavy hair that seems to flow in the air when he runs, as if he were riding a motorcycle. Calling him “Motorcycle Michael” in your head may help you to remember his name.) Rhyming can help, too. These are very efficient ways to memorize large quantities of information.
Foods, Water, and Alcohol
A well-balanced diet is paramount for an excellently functioning memory. Some believe that certain vitamins, such as thiamin, folic acid, and vitamin B12, may be helpful with memory. Foods such as bread, cereal, some fruits, and vegetables contain these vitamins. Some memory experts believe that vitamins may improve memory, but other healthcare providers have their doubts. No medically sound studies have been performed that document that vitamin supplementation improves either short- or long-term memory.
According to one memory expert, Dr. Carol Trukington, the lack of water in the body has an immediate and deep effect on memory. Dehydration generates confusion and thought difficulties. Alcohol also interferes with short-term memory, thus impairing the ability to process and retain new information. Even drinking small quantities of an alcoholic beverage during one entire week impairs memory. Although caffeine in coffee, tea, and chocolate may help you to be attentive, excess caffeine results in a state of excitement that interferes with memory function.
Sleep
The brain and the entire human body require time to relax and recover from the stressful day’s events. Adequate peaceful and deep sleep is essential for good memory skills. During sleep, the mind relaxes, revives, and rejuvenates. If you are excessively stressed or suffer from chronic exhaustion as a result of being under rested, you may also complain of having a poor memory. Chronic fatigue, emotional or physical stress, and the lack of complete rest can impair concentration and the ability of the brain to process and retain new information.
Medication
Many medications, including tranquilizers, muscular relaxants, sleeping pills, and antianxiety drugs, can contribute to the loss of memory. Also, benzodiazepines, such as diazepam (Valium) and lorazepam (Ativan), can contribute to memory problems. Antihypertensive medications that are used to control high blood pressure may not only cause sexual difficulties, but also memory changes and a depressed mood. Before discontinuing or changing dosage of medication, consult with your healthcare provider. Some medications, when stopped suddenly, can cause harmful side effects and symptoms.
Smoking
Smoking is a serious health concern, as it contributes to cancer, particularly in the lungs, mouth, and tongue. It also decreases the amount of oxygen delivered to the brain, affecting memory and cognitive functioning. Practical Techniques to Increase My Memory Creative memory aids, such as the following, can be used to remember important names, places, stories, and words used in your daily living.
1. Write. Writing takes an idea out of your mind and makes it a record that can be easily remembered. Write and review lists. Keep a personal journal of important things or events you want to remember.
2. Organize. Sort your papers, and throw away what you no longer need. Have baskets, labeled file folders, or an organizing system to sort bills, instruction manuals, and papers. Decluttering your home and office helps to calm your mind. Most people feel quite satisfied after their space has been cleaned and organized.
3. Schedule. Keep a calendar, and write your appointments and regular activities. Then you can review what you will do each day. When new things come up, it is easier to cluster activities or make decisions about whether you are able to do them now or later or not at all.
4. Use notepads. Place many notepads (each with a pen or pencil) around your home and/or office. When you want to remember something, grab your notepad and jot it down. Later, this information can be added to your calendar or filed appropriately.
5. Use memory strategies. Use memory-aiding techniques.
6. Keep a shopping list. Before you go shopping, list the items you want to purchase.
If still have concerns about your recent memory loss, then consult a memory specialist for some specific tests. Disorders in memory can disrupt your quality of life. If your memory loss is severe, it may caused by a more serious underlying medical issue, including menopause, hormonal or vitamin deficiencies, mental depression, infections, and dementias. Many memory and aging facilities specialize in assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of memory disorders. Ask your primary care physician if a referral is right for you
If you are excessively stressed or suffer from chronic exhaustion as a result of being under rested, you may also complain of having a poor memory.
