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Hot flushes and night sweats after ovary removal | CION Cancer Clinics
Hot flushes and night sweats after an oophorectomy happen because removing both ovaries cuts off most of your oestrogen at once. They can usually be eased. Hormone replacement suits many women, but not those with a hormone-sensitive cancer, who have non-hormone medicines, talking therapy and daily changes instead. This page explains the options, the warning signs that are not flushes, and what to ask. CION Cancer Clinics’ surgical oncologists in Hyderabad can talk this through with you.
MM
Medically reviewed by Dr. Muralidhar MuddusettyConsultant Surgical Oncologist · MBBS (AIIMS), MS (Surgery, AIIMS), DNB (Surgical Oncology), MRCS (Edinburgh) · last reviewed September 2026, next review due September 2027
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On this page
- Why do hot flushes start after ovary removal, and can they be eased?
- How do flushes usually change after the operation?
- Which treatments can ease hot flushes?
- How can you track your flushes before an appointment?
- What do women often believe about hot flushes?
- What should you ask your doctor about hot flushes?
- Common questions about hot flushes after ovary removal
The short answer
Why do hot flushes start after ovary removal, and can they be eased?
Hot flushes start because removing both ovaries cuts off most of your oestrogen, and the part of the brain that controls body temperature reacts to the sudden drop. They can usually be eased, though the right option depends on why you had surgery.
What a flush feels like
A wave of heat rises through the chest, neck and face, often with redness, sweating and a racing heart. It may last from a few seconds to several minutes, and chills can follow. At night, the same thing causes soaked clothes and broken sleep.
Why they can be stronger after surgery
In natural menopause, hormones fall slowly over several years. After surgery the fall is sudden, so flushes can start within days and feel more intense. Younger women, and those who had little warning before the operation, often find this hardest.
Who this page is not the full answer for
If you have had a hormone-sensitive breast cancer, or take tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor, some options below are not suitable, and some medicines interact with your treatment. Your oncologist needs to be part of every decision.
This page cannot tell you which treatment to use. Never start, stop or change a medicine on your own.Over the months
How do flushes usually change after the operation?
This is a typical pattern, not a timetable. Your own experience may be quite different, and that does not mean something has gone wrong.
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In hospital and the first days home
Some women notice flushes before they leave the ward. Others notice nothing at first. Pain, wound care and rest usually matter more in these days, so mention any flushes to the team but do not expect a plan yet.
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The first few weeks
Flushes and night sweats often become clearer as you recover. This is a good time to start a simple diary. If sweating comes with a fever or a sore wound, call your surgical team rather than assuming it is hormonal.
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The follow-up visit
Your surgeon or oncologist will usually have the final report by now. That report, and whether your cancer is hormone-sensitive, shapes which options are open to you. Bring your diary and your list of medicines.
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The months that follow
For some women flushes settle slowly. For others they carry on and need treatment. If an option does not help, or its side effects bother you, go back and say so. There is usually another option to try.
Not sure whether this applies to you?
Ask an oncologistWhat helps
Which treatments can ease hot flushes?
No single option suits everyone. Your doctor weighs how bad the flushes are, your cancer history and your other medicines.
Hormone replacement therapy
HRT replaces the oestrogen the ovaries used to make. For many women without a hormone-sensitive cancer, it is the most effective option and also protects the bones.
Usually not advised after
- Hormone-sensitive breast cancer
- Some womb and ovarian cancers
- Certain clotting or liver problems
Non-hormone medicines
Some antidepressants such as venlafaxine, and medicines such as gabapentin or clonidine, can reduce flushes. Each has its own side effects, and your doctor chooses with your health in mind.
Some antidepressants, such as paroxetine, can weaken tamoxifen. Tell every doctor you see that you take it.Cognitive behavioural therapy
CBT is a structured talking therapy that helps you manage how flushes and night sweats affect you. It uses no medicine and is suitable after breast cancer.
Everyday changes
Layered clothing, a fan, cool drinks and avoiding your own triggers can reduce how often flushes disrupt the day. They help alongside treatment, not always instead of it.
Helping your doctor
How can you track your flushes before an appointment?
Keep a simple diary
For a week or two, note each flush, the time, how strong it felt, and what you were doing, eating or drinking beforehand.
Look for patterns
Many women find that hot tea, spicy food, alcohol, stress or a warm room bring flushes on. Knowing your triggers gives you something you can change straight away.
Note the nights
Write down how often you wake, whether you soak your clothes, and how you feel the next day. Poor sleep matters as much as the flushes themselves.
Take it with you
A diary helps your doctor judge how severe the problem is, and later whether a treatment is actually working.
!
When it may not be a hot flush
Feeling hot and sweaty in the weeks after surgery is not always menopause. Call your surgical team the same day, or go to the nearest emergency department, if you have a fever or shivering, a wound that is red, hot or leaking, tummy pain that is getting worse, burning when passing urine with a fever, or chest pain or sudden breathlessness. Do not assume it is a flush and wait.
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Commonly believed
What do women often believe about hot flushes?
"Flushes after surgery will stop in a few
weeks."
For some women they ease over months, but for others they last years without treatment. There is no need to wait and see. Treatment can start whenever flushes affect your life.
"Herbal remedies are safer than medicine."
Some herbal products, such as black cohosh and soy extracts, have weak evidence and can interact with cancer medicines or affect the liver. Natural does not mean safe. Tell your doctor about anything you take, including ayurvedic preparations.
"If I cannot have HRT, nothing will work."
Non-hormone medicines, CBT and daily changes help many women who cannot take HRT. The options are different, not absent.
"Hot flushes are just something women put up
with."
Severe flushes and night sweats disrupt sleep, work and mood. They are a real symptom, and raising them with your doctor is as reasonable as raising pain.
Being straight with you
What should you ask your doctor about hot flushes?
Go to the appointment with your diary and a list of every medicine and supplement you take. Bring the person who helps you at home if you would like support.
If you have not had cancer
Is HRT suitable for me? Which type, and do I need a second hormone because my womb has been kept? How long would I take it? What checks will I need while I am on it?
If you have had cancer
Is my cancer hormone-sensitive? Which non-hormone options are safe with my other treatment? Would any of them interact with tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor? Can I be referred for CBT?
What this page cannot tell you
It cannot tell you which treatment will work for you, how long your flushes will last, or whether a particular medicine is safe with your history. Those answers come from your own doctor, who knows why your ovaries were removed and what else you take.
If flushes are keeping you awake most nights, call the helpline and ask to speak to the team who looks after your follow-up.Questions we are asked
Common questions about hot flushes after ovary removal
How long do hot flushes last after an oophorectomy?
It varies. Some women find flushes ease over several months, while others have them for years. Flushes after surgery can be stronger at first because of the sudden hormone drop. You do not need to wait for them to pass; treatment can start whenever they affect your sleep or daily life.
Is HRT safe after ovary removal?
For many women without a hormone-sensitive cancer, HRT until around the usual age of menopause is generally considered helpful, and it also protects the bones. It is usually not advised after hormone-sensitive breast cancer. Your doctor weighs your cancer history, clotting risk and other conditions before suggesting it.
What can I take for hot flushes after breast cancer?
Options include some non-hormone medicines, such as venlafaxine or gabapentin, and CBT. Some antidepressants interfere with tamoxifen, so your oncologist must check any medicine first. Cooling, layering and avoiding triggers also help. Never start a medicine on your own, even one sold over the counter.
Why are night sweats harder to cope with than daytime flushes?
Night sweats wake you, soak clothes and bedding, and break sleep, which then affects mood and concentration the next day. A cool room, cotton sheets and a fan help. If sweats come with a fever, weight loss or feeling very unwell, tell your doctor, because not all night sweats are hormonal.
Do herbal or ayurvedic remedies help?
Evidence for most herbal products is weak, and some can interact with cancer medicines or affect the liver. Products labelled natural are not automatically safe. If you want to try one, tell your oncologist or doctor first and bring the packet, so they can check what is in it.
Can yoga or breathing exercises help?
Slow, paced breathing when a flush begins helps some women feel more in control. Yoga and regular walking can improve sleep and mood, which makes flushes easier to cope with. Evidence that they reduce the number of flushes is limited, but they are safe for most people and worth trying.
Will hot flushes slow my recovery from surgery?
Flushes do not slow wound healing, but broken sleep can make tiredness after surgery feel worse. Resting when you can, staying cool and accepting help at home all make a difference. If you feel hot with shivering or a sore wound, call your team, because that may be an infection.
Who should I see about my hot flushes?
Start with the surgeon or oncologist who looks after your follow-up, because they know why your ovaries were removed. They may involve a gynaecologist, a menopause clinic or your family doctor. If you are unsure who to ask, call the helpline and we will point you to the right person.
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Sources
- National Cancer Institute — Hot Flashes and Night Sweats (PDQ)
- NHS — Menopause: treatment
- NICE — Menopause: identification and management (NG23)
- Macmillan Cancer Support — Cancer information and support
This page is general information, not a prescription. Do not change or stop any treatment based on what you read here. If anything is worrying you, contact your own treating team — or call our helpline and we will help you reach the right specialist.
Keep reading
Related pages
Can You Take HRT After Ovary Removal for Cancer?Who hormone replacement suits, and who it does notSurgical Menopause: What Happens OvernightThe wider changes that start after surgeryMood and Memory After Surgical MenopauseWhen broken sleep starts to affect the dayBone Health After Surgical MenopauseWhy bones need attention after early ovary removalOophorectomy and Bilateral Salpingo-OophorectomyThe full guide to the operation
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