I've been on and off HRT for the past 12 years, mostly on, currently trialing coming off.
I've spent a bit of time over the years while off HRT, i.e. while suffering from hot flashes and night sweats, really focusing on the trajectory/anatomy of these flashes. I'll describe what I notice and wonder if other women have noticed this, or have other insights:
About 10-15 second before the actual heat/sweat symptoms start to spread and become apparent, I feel a strange, almost imperceptible jolt, usuallly in the chest region. It's hard to describe. It's a bit like a 'gasp', and sometimes it even makes me take a big breath or an extra breath.
I also notice it while running...like a tiny falter, or weakness, or need to gasp or pause. And though I don't notice the heat as much when running, I learned that, oh, yeah, this is what happens just before the heat/sweat. As I said, it's hard to describe and is almost imperceptible.
Have any others really focused on the anatomy / trajectory of a hot flash and noticed anything like this? (I meditate regularly, and I especially notice this then, when my attention is less disbursed.)