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What Causes Severe Hot Flashes?
Question: Friday was the first time at the end of a meeting I got very flush in my face then my hands my skin felt very all most burnning when I would flinch my hands the skin burned. Also prior to this I noticed my right jaw was sore then it became swollen like my gland and when i tried to eat or drink it was an odd sensation of perhaps burning or lots of small electrical shocks all at the same time this lasted for about 20 min three hours later it happened not as sever though then one more time 2 hours later. I took an aspirin and no more till this mornings on Sunday, Easter Sunday came down stairs walked into the kitchen and it started again almost as severe as the first I was able to take my blood pressure 110 over 79 heart rate 110. Twenty minutes of sitting and my pressure was 100 over 74 heart rate 80 I also have had my thyroid removed for cancer and still have not gotten the mess quite right high blood pressure and
I was taking nician before I had my surgery to remove my thyroid and had a similar reaction so the doctor told me not to take it for awhile I just started taking it again about a week ago could the just be another reaction to the medicine
I was taking nician before I had my surgery to remove my thyroid and had a similar reaction so the doctor told me not to take it for awhile I just started taking it again about a week ago could the just be another reaction to the medicine
Brief Answer:
Flushes are the main side effect of niacin
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thank you for asking at HealthCareMagic.
I carefully read your question and understand your concern.
It is very uncommon in man to get flushes and the first thing that comes to a doctor mind when a man is having flushes with normal blood pressure (not elevated) is if they are taking a medication that might be causing it. The most common medication used that has this side effect is niacine and it is very likely that the fact that it caused you similar reaction a while ago and now that you recently started it the side effect has started again, than might be related to it.
There are other treatments that can be taken in the place of niacin. Statins (atorvastatin for example) are mostly well tolerated and very effective to treat the high lipids.
Did you have a part of the thyroid removed or total removal of the thyroid? If you had total removal of the thyroid very likely you are also having Levothyroxine and you should be checking TSH levels every 6 months to a year to make sure you are having the wright dose of Levothyroxine. If you take higher doses then you need of Levothyroxine than you will feel problems with heat also. If you had partial thyroid removal than very likely you do not take Levothyroxine and you should be doing well.
So to conclude i would say:
1. stop niacin, it is very likely the cause of the flushes you are feeling. It is actually the reason why many patients stop it
2. talk with your doctor on the possibility of taking statine drugs (atorvastatine) to reduce the lipids
3. if you take also levothyroxine you will need to check your TSH to make sure you have the correct dose of levothyroxine (overdosing it might cause heat sensation)
4. your blood pressure values are within normal range also and there is no reason to worry
I hope this is helpful and answers to your questions but please feel free to write in case more clarification is needed on this.
Kind regards
Antoneta Zotaj, MD
Flushes are the main side effect of niacin
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thank you for asking at HealthCareMagic.
I carefully read your question and understand your concern.
It is very uncommon in man to get flushes and the first thing that comes to a doctor mind when a man is having flushes with normal blood pressure (not elevated) is if they are taking a medication that might be causing it. The most common medication used that has this side effect is niacine and it is very likely that the fact that it caused you similar reaction a while ago and now that you recently started it the side effect has started again, than might be related to it.
There are other treatments that can be taken in the place of niacin. Statins (atorvastatin for example) are mostly well tolerated and very effective to treat the high lipids.
Did you have a part of the thyroid removed or total removal of the thyroid? If you had total removal of the thyroid very likely you are also having Levothyroxine and you should be checking TSH levels every 6 months to a year to make sure you are having the wright dose of Levothyroxine. If you take higher doses then you need of Levothyroxine than you will feel problems with heat also. If you had partial thyroid removal than very likely you do not take Levothyroxine and you should be doing well.
So to conclude i would say:
1. stop niacin, it is very likely the cause of the flushes you are feeling. It is actually the reason why many patients stop it
2. talk with your doctor on the possibility of taking statine drugs (atorvastatine) to reduce the lipids
3. if you take also levothyroxine you will need to check your TSH to make sure you have the correct dose of levothyroxine (overdosing it might cause heat sensation)
4. your blood pressure values are within normal range also and there is no reason to worry
I hope this is helpful and answers to your questions but please feel free to write in case more clarification is needed on this.
Kind regards
Antoneta Zotaj, MD
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
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