Saturday 23 August 2014

The Heat is On

Having just finished  knitting a cardigan, I am usually ready to start another one straight away. I certainly have the wool stash to do this.   But now, I find myself in the unfortunate situation of having to consider alternatives.  The reason for this can be explained by this simple question and answer -

Is it hot in here, or is it just me?  
Yes, it's just me! 

I'm enjoying my fifties - feeling wiser, happier with who I am and enjoying the freedom that having grown up, independent daughters brings.  However, I'm not enjoying some of the physical changes that come with the fifties - namely the hot flushes.

I find myself heating up on an hourly basis, throughout the day and night.  Each spell only lasts about five minutes but it is so unpleasant when it happens.  Then, in-between the flushes, I get cold and shivery.  There's a feeling of anxiety that seems to accompany each flush, and don't get me started on the perspiration!  My washing and ironing activity has more than doubled.  My nights are disrupted because each hourly flush wakes me up and leaves me uncomfortably wet with sweat.

I'm having to learn to adapt to the changes that are taking place, find ways of coping.  The advice given is wear layers so that you can peel them off when you have a flush - I find myself constantly dressing and undressing myself and who wants to be bothered with buttons and sleeves at a time like this.  So, trying to remain positive, I think the answer lies in shawls - so simple to wear and easy to throw off when the going gets hot.

I've been browsing the knitting and crochet patterns on Ravelry and there are a number of stylish shawls that take my fancy (I don't want to look like an old granny!)  Here are the ones that I'm considering-

Dream Stripes

Sunday Shawl

1902 A - Ladies Scarf

Rummy

Maluka

Summer Sprigs Lace Scarf

The Crow Waltz Shawl

So maybe knitting cardigans will have to take a back seat whilst I make myself a selection of shawls to co-ordinate with my wardrobe.

Meanwhile the best advice I've read for dealing with a hot flush is to stick your head in the freezer - it actually does help!


And if anyone has any other advice on coping with flushes, I would welcome their comments.

4 comments:

  1. Black cohash is a vitamin that is supposed to help in reducing them.my favorite solution is Popsicles,ice water,it's cooling from inside out. If you will notice fanning does not help much. when they start I just stop doing anything if possible. Even keeping ice around clean cold more than icecream I freeze carbonated drinks . there are also hormone pills but I can not take them.

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  2. Any of those would be so beautiful. I just finished two Olive Twist Shawls, you can find them on Ravelry, so fun and beautiful. I had such horrible hot flashes I had to go on homophones, even though I wanted to go through this period of my life naturally. It really helped.
    Hugs,
    Meredith

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  3. I found a cold drink helped and I wore layers so it was easy to take things on and off. The anxiety will pass.

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  4. Soya milk is so posed to help it worked for me.

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