What other conditions or circumstances can cause hot flashes that are not menopausal?
We know that women have hot flashes in the decade before menopause. They certainly are not as frequent as during the menopause but we cannot predict them and cannot know for sure if they are due to low estrogen at the moment. When we measure estrogens or measure FSH, the brain hormone that becomes elevated when the ovaries finally fail, they are usually in normal ranges. If you are still having normal, regular menses, then asking the doctor to request blood studies for menopause is not likely to yield results.
