Some people find a combination of vitamin E, vitamin C with bioflavinoids,
and vitamin B6 to be helpful.

Other than that, avoiding hot drinks, caffeine, or other triggers (which
you'll identify over time) may reduce the frequency or intensity.  A friend
of mine used to carry one of those folding paper fans (that you get at Asian
import stores, among other places) with her everywhere.  I've read that
deep, slow breathing will help if you start it when you feel a "spell"
coming on -- didn't help me, but YMMV (worth a try since it's cheap & low on
negative side effects <grin>).  They make a kind of soft ice pack (with a
white, pasty gel inside); I used to keep those in the freezer & put a towel
over one & put it on my pillow (neck level) at bedtime.  May help at least
until it warms to body temp.

And like Pam said, there are drugs -- I didn't go that route, but know that
friends have used various things (not HRT, but other drugs).  I think
there's an antidepressant that sometimes used off-label, and maybe a blood
pressure drug or something like that?  (Your doc should know.)

I never had the worst hot flashes -- probably only a few times a day to once
an hour, and they didn't usually waken me, so I was lucky.  However, they've
dramatically decreased over time.  I'm still on Arimidex, but rarely have
them anymore, and then I can usually tell they were triggered by a hot drink
or something like that.  It took a couple of years for the hot flashes to
taper off, which happened gradually.

The "soy solution" is controversial, if you had ER+ breast cancer.  Soy is a
phytoestrogen (plant-based estrogen-like compound).  Some reseach suggests
soy is neutral or beneficial for ER+ BC survivors; other research suggests
it could behave like estrogen & help tumors grow.  As of when I last read up
on it, the scientific research hadn't come to a definitive answer, so it's
one of those "decide for yourself"  or "ask your doctor" things, I guess.

There's a good article, from a reputable source, at
http://www.breastcancer.org/bey_cope_meno_hotFlash.html .  It talks about
what's know about hot flashes, research findings about triggers, alternative
remedies, etc.; and reviews some of the drug options.

Ann T.
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