Frequent hot flashes last more than seven years for half the women who get them

Half of those women lived with frequent hot flashes for 7.4 years or more. Among 881 women whose final period could be dated and whose frequent flashes carried on after it, half still had them 4.5 years later. They lasted longest when they started early, while periods were still regular or only beginning to change: more than half still had them after 11.8 years. When they began after the final period, half were done within 3.4 years.

The study took place only in the US, at seven sites. Duration varied a lot by background, from 4.8 years among Japanese women in Los Angeles to 10.1 among African American women. Women who started hormone therapy or had their uterus or ovaries removed weren't counted. Flashes also lasted longer in women who reported more stress or anxiety when they began, though that's a link, not a cause.

The authors say doctors should tell women that frequent hot flashes can last more than seven years, since how long they last matters when choosing treatment. If yours are still here after a year, you're in large company. It may help to plan with your doctor in years rather than months.