Hot flush

 Recently, I was diagnosed with endometriosis. And shortly before that I also found out I had endometrial polyps. Briefly, I have been having dysmenorrhoea for 3 years and menorrhagia for as long as I could recall. So, I've got a D&C done to remove the polyps. Following that is a 3-monthly Subcutaneous injection of Zoladex 10.8 for a total of 6 months. 

Zoladex 10.8 is a GNRH agonist, which means, my ovaries will be 'switched off', resulting in a marked reduction of estrogen and progesterone release. Ultimately, medical menopause will be induced. This is the whole idea of the treatment, with the intention of shrinking the cyst in my ovary. But this treatment also comes with a whole list of side effects, mainly due to 'estrogen deprivation'. 

I am going to highlight 'hot flushes' today because it is one of the symptoms that I am experiencing intensely. Hot flushes is also known as hot flashes - they are the same. It has been a month since the first injection. I started feeling it as early as the 2nd week but it only occurred once or twice a day, mostly in the late evening. Into the third week, hot flushes become much more frequent, with occurrence of up to every 2 hourly and even during my sleep. It has started to disturb my daily life because I had to turn up the aircon blower so that I do not sweat. Each episode begins with a rapidly increasing intensity of heat coming from my chest and all the way to the upper back within seconds. The heat spreads quickly to my face and the scalp. If nothing is done at this point, the heat sensation grows exponentially and I would start to sweat on my arms, my back and my face. This process lasts from 1.5 mins to 5mins. Immediately after, I start to feel chills. This is a single episode and it is similar to that of an episode of fever being treated with paracetamol, except that this happens much more quickly and multiple times throughout a day. 

I had to pay attention to all these symptoms so that I do not throw tantrums easily.