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Medications That Cause Hot Flashes

Hot flashes can be a real bane for the person experiencing them. Women often suffer hot flashes when they are peri-menopausal or menopausal or right after giving birth due to a hormonal imbalance. Even young women can experience them as a part of their menstrual cycle. Men can experience hot flashes as well. Sometimes the medicine that you are taking to treat a medical condition can cause hot flashes. If it turns out that your medication is causing the hot flashes, and you find the bursts of heat and sweating untenable, discuss this with your doctor.

  1. Temperature Lowering Drugs

    • If you are taking a drug that is intended to lower your body temperature, this can cause hot flashes. These drugs are known as antipyretics.

    Hypoglycemic Meds

    • Medications that are used to treat and lower the sugar (glucose) level in your body, otherwise known as hypoglycemic medications, can result in hot flashes, according to Mayoclinic.com.

    Indecision Regarding Antidepressant Side Effects

    • Antidepressants may or may not prompt hot flashes. Studies suggest that one antidepresant called vinlafaxine may relieve hot flashes. Other research finds that antidepressants in general lower the chances of having hot flashes, according to 2womenshealth.com, while there is evidence that they may in fact cause them. According to Wdxcyber.com, mood-altering drugs and anti-hyptensives, which includes anti-anxiety and anti-depressants, may cause hot flashes.

    HRT

    • If you are undergoing hormone therapy to regulate your hormones, this too can cause hot flashes. According to Medscape.com and an article written by Anne Moore (RNC, MSN, CNP, Professor of Nursing, Women's Health Nurse Practitioner, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee), women who take raloxifene hydrochloride, also called Evista, may experience hot flashes. Raloxifene is a SERM or selective estrogen receptor modulator. It is used for the treatment and prevention of post-menopausal osteoporosis.

    Breast Cancer Medicine

    • If you are taking tamoxifen for treatment of breast cancer, this can cause hot flashes. Sometimes women don't experience hot flashes until they stop taking this particular drug. When this happens, according to Breastcancer.org, in these particular women the tamoxifen developed an estrogen-like ability that combated the hot flashes that other women experience when taking tamoxifen.

    Men Aren't Exempt

    • Men may get hot flashes if they are undergoing androgen deprivation therapies, according to Cancersupportivecare.com. Chemotherapy drugs can cause hot flashes since they may induce premature menopause in some women.

    Avoid Triggers

    • The Internal Medicine World Report advises avoiding triggers, such as hot spicy food, caffeine and alcohol, that can cause or worsen your hot flashes.

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