, recently these symptoms have become exyreme only upon . including hot flashing, palpitations, weakness, a sinking feeling in chest it is severe, subsides in a couple minutes. Anyone else!

I see the original post was January of 2011, and it is now December 31, 2016. However, women are still experiencing the same, or similar, symptoms. First, I agree with Alison regarding checking with your doctor, whether a tradition MD or alternative naturopathic ND. There are a number of reasons why the "hot flashes" appear upon arising, and may not be associated with menopause.

However, everything in our beautiful bodies were meant to work together. Women in today's world are exposed to a lot of different kinds of stress; emotional, physical, professional, chemical, etc. Stress affects our entire endocrine system, and the glands in this group "talk" with each other. If one gland is stressed, it overworks and asks for assistance from another. If enough glands have been overworked for a long period of time, multiple symptoms appear and basically they have "hit the wall" as we say.

We have been conditioned to think that menopause is to blame, and it, perhaps, tipped the scale on an already over stressed body.

My experience with "morning" hot flashes occurred many years ago. I ignored this sign and told myself that it was just menopause. After all, my mother had hot flashes from perimenopause until her death, so it was genetic, right? Other symptoms started occurring and I finally visited an ND that diagnosed me with Adrenal Fatigue. My adrenals were "talking" with my already overworked thyroid, which was "talking" with my sexual organs, etc. You get the idea.

After many years, the "hot flashes" after arising returned. In addition, I self diagnosed myself with recurrent urinary tract infections, which was so painful I cringed at the thought of voiding. It was like an electric shock that spread throughout my body which emanated around my chest. To cut to the chase, I ignored the symptoms once again. It was Adrenal Fatigue. Now post menopausal, what I thought was at UTI was really the dryness of my vaginal wall being affected by the spasm of my urethra. When I was treated with the proper natural supplements the spasms went away completely and have not returned. The "hot flashes" will take a little longer to disappear as the adrenals and thyroid recover.

I apologize for the length of this response, but hopefully it will help all of us beautiful women to understand that communication within us, helps us to communicate between us.

Good Luck and a Happy, Healthy New Year to all!

I have exactly the same symptoms. I finally had to do hormone replacement therapy which took about 6 months to work but completely eliminated the problem. I stayed on therapy for about a year. When I went off the symptoms came back but not as severe. On a side note I sometimes take adderall for my ADHD and it stops hot flashes immediately as for as long as I'm taking it. I don't know if there is a connection but it works better than anything I've ever tried and I've tried it all! I don't use adderall to treat menopause I just happen to notice it works for some reason.

I also have a hot flash almost immediately after I wake up. Even if I had just dozed off. I am also averaging about 3 an hour along with being cold in between. So hard to deal with. I have tried all kinds of herbal and natural treatments and have had no relief. I am hopeful I will find some help yet. I will keep posting.

I also feel very hot upon awakening. It goes away in a couple of minutes. Perhaps it has to do with my body being asleep and dormant and then awakening to another mode of being 'awake'. I am 63 and it has only occurred in the last year. Other than that, I have really not had menopause.

I have a sinking feeling in my stomach right before it happens. A feeling of dread and then in about a minute...the hot flash comes. So severe!!! And I could burst into tears and sometimes do. It's horrible! I have them for about 4 months at a time and they happen about every couple hours or so or even more. Then miraculously they disapear for a while but I think it's cuz I ovulate and that releases the hormones back into my body. Have tried natural progesterene cream..made me weepy. I am going back to doc on Thursday...can't deal with it anymore.

I have an increase in hot flashes shortly after waking up. I have hot flash after hot flash for the first hour after waking up. This makes it hard to put on make up before going to work. I of have noticed that my symptoms are worse between the hours of 5 am and 9 am. The anxiety or sinking feeling usually happens at any time during the day or night.