Is VMS Making You Hot — But Not in a Good Way?

VMS can affect your quality of life

Nearly half of women rate their VMS as moderate to severe in the first two years after their last period. Moderate symptoms include mild sweating, and they don’t usually cause major disruptions to a woman’s life. But severe VMS can make it difficult to focus on daily activities like going to work and doing errands.

VMS can be disruptive and outwardly embarrassing. “You’re uncomfortable, you flush and you have redness. For many people, it can stop them in their tracks,” Noble said. It’s not easy to focus on what you’re doing when your face is turning red and your body suddenly feels like a furnace.

VMS can also disrupt sleep, contribute to anxiety and negatively affect relationships. “It impacts families, intimacy, our relationships to the outside world and certainly the workplace,” Noble said. You may not feel up to going out with friends or being intimate with your partner if you’re trying to manage symptoms.

VMS can even affect your diet and ability to exercise. If you have a lack of energy because of poor sleep as a result of night sweats, you might not make healthy food choices the next day or feel like moving your body.

Dealing with VMS symptoms

Luckily, there are ways to reduce VMS symptoms. Lifestyle changes like losing weight; eating a healthy, plant-based diet; avoiding alcohol, hot beverages and caffeine; and quitting smoking can help. Adjusting the temperature in your bedroom at night, sleeping with a fan on and sipping cold water before bed are other ways to ease VMS.

Noble suggests dressing in layers so you don’t have to sweat through your clothes. She also recommends trying to predict when you are most likely to have hot flashes to help you prepare for them. “The more people understand what’s going on, the more empowered they are,” she said.

The Menopause Society also suggests that cognitive behavioral therapy and clinical hypnosis could help. If these strategies don’t work, consider speaking to your healthcare provider (HCP) about medication. Studies show that hormone therapy can control hot flashes and has the added benefit of supporting cardiovascular and bone health.

There are also non-hormonal drugs known as neurokinin-receptor antagonists that have been FDA-approved as an option for treating hot flashes due to menopause. In addition, one antidepressant is FDA-approved to manage hot flashes. “We have a lot of options, and we can tailor them to the person and their preferences,” said Noble.

When to see a healthcare provider for VMS

One study found that VMS are the number one reason women schedule an appointment with their HCP. But Noble suggests scheduling a consult before you have symptoms of perimenopause. She counsels her own patients when they are in their late 30s or early 40s.

Setting up an appointment with a provider before you’re experiencing disruptive symptoms can help you feel more prepared. By having these conversations sooner, Noble said you can also find out if you’re at increased risk for other menopause-related issues like osteoporosis or cardiovascular disease. “It’s important to get reliable information and not get pulled into all the areas of the internet that are selling supplements and other menopause products that may not be effective.”

When you speak to your provider, be open and honest about your symptoms and concerns. If you feel like your symptoms aren’t being addressed, it’s time to find another provider. There are so many options available, no one should have to struggle with VMS.

Resources

The Menopause Society