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Monday, March 2, 2015
Hot flashes/ night sweats
I am 49 years old and had a hysterectomy(partial, I still have my ovaries) 11 years ago I have had mood swings and night sweats for a while. Last january both stopped until recently I have started with night sweats again they wake me about every 2 to 3 hours a night. Is this still menopause or something else?
It is probably still menopause unless you have signs of an illness. You might think back to see if you had other signs of higher levels of estrogen over the past year besides the absence of hot flashes. For example, do you remember having any cyclic changes such as breast tenderness or bloating similar to what you might have had before menstrual periods? More vaginal moisture over the past year compared to when you have had hot flashes? That would indicate that your ovaries were probably making estrogen during that time.
Margery Gass, MD
Formely, Professor, Clinical Obstetrics & Gynecology
College of Medicine
University of Cincinnati