hotflashes

I suddenly quit having my periods at age 43. I assumed it was due to the tragic death of my husband, which maybe it was, I've never gotten a straight answer from anyone, professional or otherwise. 3 years later my gyne decided I should start taking HRT, eventhough I was not having any symptoms of any kind. I took them for about 2 years ,and then the big stink came out relating increased cases of breast cancer in women taking HRT. So I just quit takinf them, because my family has a high cancer death rate , and I wasn.t taking any chances.Everything was going fine for the next 2 years, and you talk about major hot flashes. I could be just sitting reading or just watching TV , and I would break out into such intense hot flashes that my hair would be soaking wet within 5 minutes, and sweat would just be pouring off of me. { sound familiar to antone?} I went to my family doctor who put me back on HRT , a different kind, but still HRT. It was like a miracle the change in only 2 weeks. I kept taking them for 3 years , when my daughter mentioned something to me about my moodiness. S works in a physciatric center, so she tried to tell me I was bipolar, well I flipped my lid on that one. Then a friend of mine told me the same thing happened to her and she quit taking her HRT , and she felt much better . So her being a nurse , and being one myself I thought what the heck. I quit taking my HRT and I have not felt better in my whole life. I was wondering if anyone else has had similar sxperiences?!