Actually (this from a menopause web site) -

"Hot 'flashes' is clearly the term that most (US) people are comfortable
with, although 'flushes' is more technically correct," said Elaine Revis, a
scientist at the Center for Women's Health. "It is what actually happens.
Women get a vasomotor flush, a dilation of blood vessels. The result is a
hot sensation and a red flush in skin color. We know that estrogen levels
get very unstable as women approach menopause. As they go up and down, hot
flushes and other symptoms occur. The supplementation of soy-based
phytoestrogens is intended to help stabilize those hormonal levels."

So skip the plumber.

JP

I just checked my online dictionary.  Although, the usual term is 'hot
flash', it would not be inaccurate to use 'flush' instead.   A sudden
rush of blood is called a flush as in

"Sudden a thought came like a full-blown rose,
            Flushing his brow.                    --Keats."

taken from the dictionary.

For hot flashes the

On July 27, the perceptive Heather predicted in response to Warren:

There is no good reason why a pt should have hot flushes, which are a
very frequent SE of  LHRH agonists such as Lupron. Here's an edited copy
of my previous post on the subject:

"There are txs for hot flushes, and they seem not to be well-known among
some inattentive medics. I'll not speculate on the reason. You may
admire my restraint.

They are:

1. Megace (megestrol acetate): some concern has been expressed by one
medic (Myers) that it might encourage PCa development where the tumor
has mutated. Unfortunately, there appears to be no way to be certain
whether this has occurred. Nonetheless, I do know that it is used
successfully to relieve hot flushes.

2. Paxil (paroxetine hydrochloride), an antidepressant. A side effect is
to relieve hot flushes.

3. Effexor (venlafaxine hydrochloride), an antidepressant. Same story. A
friend is finding it to be successful.

4. Depo Provera (medroxyprogesterone, a synthetic form of the female
hormone progesterone), the "label" use of which is as a female
contraceptive. In the 400 mg (contraceptive) dosage, a study (Marx et
al.) has demonstrated excellent results in relief of hot flushes among
men on ADT.

I selected this tx to relieve my hot flushes (6 per night + days) from
Trelstar (triptorelin pamoate).

In my case, I chose Depo Sub-Q Provera 104 mg, the "label" use of which
is palliative tx of endometriosis. In August 2005, I received 104 mg in
each anterior thigh. I have not experienced even one hot flush since
then. I stopped the Trelstar as of the March monthly injection.

However: one must be aware that progesterone is metabolized into
testosterone (T), and should take care that one's PSA is sufficiently
low that a rise in T will not be harmful. In my case, my PSA rose from
0.01 ng/ml to 0.02, then subsided to 0.01, which I feel is more than
satisfactory.

Caveat: what works for me may not work for anyone else in the universe!

In the USA, such use of these drugs is "off-label" which is to say not
approved by the US Federal Drug Administration. The practical effect of
this is that the use of the drugs for relief of hot flushes will not be
paid for by insurance carriers.

I
(1) am not sure of the dosages except for Depo Sub-Q Provera, and
(2) do not know the out-of-pocket costs of the off-label use, again with
the exception of Depo Sub-Q Provera (US$200 for two pre-loaded syringes
+ $25 for the injection at my medic's office).

I consider the cost to have been well worth the result.

Had a bit of fun with my medic and his staff after the injections.
Sighed and observed that from now on I would be unable to ovulate....."

I have heard that use of estrogen might also be effective, but have no
details.

Dr.Strum calls them hot *flushes* which is good enough for me.

Regards,

Steve J

"The author of the Iliad is either Homer or, if not Homer, somebody else
of the same name."
-- Aldous Huxley

See below.

First of all, I seem to recall that I informed you
previously that I have complete confidence in my
doctor since being diagnosed and treated in 1991.

It was.

and s/he should be all OVER your

I did not tell s/he until now, so it is my fault.

Not necessary in my case.

Right.

Right.

Not yet.  I do not feel depressed; quite the
opposite.

Actually I.P. I am very comfortable with the way I
have been medically  treated over the past 15
years and think I'm doing pretty good for being 78
and in good spirits.

Warren,
peace

Even though my last HT shot was in February (I had surgery in May), I
still get "flushed/flashed" sometimes.  The Eurotold me that the
effects can stay in the body for 12-18 months sometimes.  I chose not
to ask for any medication, neither was I offered any.  But, I would
rather not take any medication.  Try not to think about this too much
and try getting used to it before you take any medication, it isn't so
bad after a while - in my case, it lasts less than a minutes every time
- like walking by a fireplace :)