The Impending Big "M"

I am turning "The Big 5-0" ( as one of my friends likes to call it ) this year.

My inner psyche is hovering somewhere in the late 30s while outwardly, my body continues to betray me, with increasing aches and pains.

I started having monthly migraines maybe a few years back, and then these last couple of months, I started having palpitations now and again.

However, those are not quite as befuddling as the HOT FLASHES that I have started experiencing the last week or 10 days.

UGH.

One moment you are fine, next moment your face and upper chest are aflame and you are tearing the layers of clothing off. It is a good thing right now is winter time, and I actually have layers of clothing I can take off.

It seems like it is worse at night. I keep it on the chilly side in the room since we are going to be under several layers of covers anyway.  All of the sudden, I am extremely warm, and have to throw off the covers. A few minutes later, the heat subsides and I get chilled from all the heat loss. So, I pull on the covers again.  A while later, the flash comes up again, and it is the same rinse and repeat procedure, all night long.  I am even sweating in my bed at times. In the winter time. Where the room temp at night is roughly 64 degrees, I think.  So much for trying to sleep.

After googling some, I found out that some women have hot flashes only a few times a week. Lucky them!  I seem to be having one every other hour!

I finally got so sick of this I decided to try to see what my triggers are. In the wintertime, I love having my chamomile tea and decaf coffee - they taste good and keep me warm.  

Today I tried to go without them, as well as give up my chili peppers at meals, and found that I encountered just a fraction of hot flashes that I usually have. 

While this may be anecdotal, it is indeed promising.  If I have to give up hot beverages and spicy food to avoid the agony and annoyance of hot flashes and its multitude of side effects, I am most certainly willing to do so.