Simple Ways to Track your Hot Flashes

If your doctor has asked you to keep track of your hot flashes in order to devise a treatment plan, you may be wondering how to go about doing that.

Every woman has a different hot flash experience—different intensity, different frequency, and different sensations. Tracking these hot flashes in detail can help both you and your doctor get to the root of the problem and fix it. As you start tracking your hot flashes, you may start to notice a pattern. Maybe you have hot flashes more when you wear a certain shirt. Maybe you have more hot flashes on Mondays. What is different about Mondays? All of these details are important for solving your hot flash problem.

There are many factors that affect intensity and frequency. Women who go through surgical menopause, for instance, often have more intense hot flashes. Additionally, the breast cancer treatment drug Tamoxifen can contribute to more severe hot flashes. Aside from medical conditions, however, simple lifestyle and diet choices can also affect intensity and frequency.

So grab a notebook and a pen! Here are 3 simple ways you can track your hot flashes:

1. Measure Intensity

Here are some basic guidelines for gauging intensity:

• Mild: minimal increase in body temperature—barely noticeable.
• Moderate: obvious increase in body temperature, usually combined with sweating and accelerated heartbeat.
• Severe: major, overwhelming increase in body temperature.

2.  Count the Second – and Thirds

Ask yourself:

• How many times a day am I having hot flashes?
• How long does each episode last?
• How much of my daily activities am I missing?

3. Log the Details

Be thorough as you log each hot flash. A detailed record will give you a good idea of how severe your hot flashes are. If you are experiencing frequent, intense hot flashes, that interrupt your daily activities, it may be time to talk to your doctor about some treatment options.

Your journal will come in handy when you visit the doctor—don’t forget it! Given plenty of detailed information, your doctor can help you find a treatment option suited to your personal needs.

Browse through the HysterSisters Menopause and Hormone articles covering a variety of topics to learn more valuable information about surgical menopause, natural menopause, hormones and hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

This content was written by staff of HysterSisters.com by non-medical professionals based on discussions, resources and input from other patients for the purpose of patient-to-patient support.  Reprinted with permission: 3 Ways to Track Hot Flashes.