My son has night sweats, advice needed

PA_grandma

My 45 year old son has been having night sweats for some time. He told me two episodes last evening were the most severe. I've tried to alert him to the fact that it might be a serious symptom. What specialist (or GP) should he see for diagnosis as I believe there may be a hereditary connection.

His father (my husband) is a current survivor of both Hodgkins ( Recent PET scan - 'complete remission', 12th chemo next Friday.) and Prostate (PSA 0.1 last week).

I would appreciate any feedback
Joyce

COBRA666

Night sweats
Joyce,
First of all I would like to say I have been having a lot of trouble getting on the site and just lucked out getting on today. I have never had a night sweat. I am in the A catagory. Yes. it is something to be concerned about. Explain to your Dr. your concerns about how you feel about heredity. It just may be hereditary. Afterall,it does start in the genes. A lot of Drs. seem to want to drag their feet when they should know the symtoms of what it could be. You have got to exert your feelings and what you want sometimes before you can get their attention.Its a shame it has to be that way,but their pockets run deep. John(FNHL-1-4A-5/10)

PA_grandma

COBRA666 said:

Night sweats
Joyce,
First of all I would like to say I have been having a lot of trouble getting on the site and just lucked out getting on today. I have never had a night sweat. I am in the A catagory. Yes. it is something to be concerned about. Explain to your Dr. your concerns about how you feel about heredity. It just may be hereditary. Afterall,it does start in the genes. A lot of Drs. seem to want to drag their feet when they should know the symtoms of what it could be. You have got to exert your feelings and what you want sometimes before you can get their attention.Its a shame it has to be that way,but their pockets run deep. John(FNHL-1-4A-5/10)

Thanks John, for your
Thanks John, for your input.... and glad you were able to get on board today.

I need to get my SON'S attention. He thinks I'm just 'mothering'. I fear it could by a symptom of something serious. Perhaps these sweats are just male menopause.

~ Joyce

Michele23

PA_grandma said:

Thanks John, for your
Thanks John, for your input.... and glad you were able to get on board today.

I need to get my SON'S attention. He thinks I'm just 'mothering'. I fear it could by a symptom of something serious. Perhaps these sweats are just male menopause.

~ Joyce

Any other symptoms?
Hi Joyce,Any enlarged nodes in the neck along or the collar bones?Anything- bumps he can feel anywhere?Sometimes not often blood work will expose it.I don't think I ever had a night sweat cancer related so can't help you there.Has he been sick lately any flu or viruses?Could be so many things.Good luck,Michele Dx95 FNHL3

PA_grandma

Michele23 said:

Any other symptoms?
Hi Joyce,Any enlarged nodes in the neck along or the collar bones?Anything- bumps he can feel anywhere?Sometimes not often blood work will expose it.I don't think I ever had a night sweat cancer related so can't help you there.Has he been sick lately any flu or viruses?Could be so many things.Good luck,Michele Dx95 FNHL3

Michele
Son mentioned the night sweats over a year ago (before my husband was diagnosed). At the time, I had no clue....but since John (my husband) was ill I've done some research and thought that sweats were a symptom of Hodgkins/

I'll ask my son to check himself for nodes. There I go 'mothering' again.
Thanks, Michele
Joyce

COBRA666

PA_grandma said:

Michele
Son mentioned the night sweats over a year ago (before my husband was diagnosed). At the time, I had no clue....but since John (my husband) was ill I've done some research and thought that sweats were a symptom of Hodgkins/

I'll ask my son to check himself for nodes. There I go 'mothering' again.
Thanks, Michele
Joyce

Nodes
Joyce,
I got back on again and typed a long response,but it would not go thru. Could not even cut and paste it. Anyway night sweats do not always mean something bad,but it could be a warning of Hodgkins. Nodes are not always present to the feel. If you have them in your neck or groin then you can feel them. In the abdominal area it is a lot harder to feel them.I had them in my abdomen and never felt them til they were very large. I was stage 4 by then. The treatment is still the same,but it would have been better to have caught it sooner. Not saying that is the problem but he had better stop being so hard headed and macho and make sure.You know cancer only happens to the other guy that lives across town. John(FNHL-1-4A-5/10)

PA_grandma

COBRA666 said:

Nodes
Joyce,
I got back on again and typed a long response,but it would not go thru. Could not even cut and paste it. Anyway night sweats do not always mean something bad,but it could be a warning of Hodgkins. Nodes are not always present to the feel. If you have them in your neck or groin then you can feel them. In the abdominal area it is a lot harder to feel them.I had them in my abdomen and never felt them til they were very large. I was stage 4 by then. The treatment is still the same,but it would have been better to have caught it sooner. Not saying that is the problem but he had better stop being so hard headed and macho and make sure.You know cancer only happens to the other guy that lives across town. John(FNHL-1-4A-5/10)

Posting frustrations
The posting frustrations are the pits, John. Been there, done that. Thanks for trying again, and succeeding!

Yes, my husband...also called John... was stage 4 and had a node on his neck that the GP only treated with antibiotics. It was a colonoscopy/protsate exam that showed other multiple nodes. After a biopsy the urologist was ELATED that they were Hodgkins...a separate cancer.

My son is a hard head... and it isn't only the guy across the street, it's his Dad (and his Uncle) who have had this disease. I'll do my best to get him to search his condition.

Thanks again for your advice, (and hope you are doing well).
Joyce

allmost60

PA_grandma said:

Posting frustrations
The posting frustrations are the pits, John. Been there, done that. Thanks for trying again, and succeeding!

Yes, my husband...also called John... was stage 4 and had a node on his neck that the GP only treated with antibiotics. It was a colonoscopy/protsate exam that showed other multiple nodes. After a biopsy the urologist was ELATED that they were Hodgkins...a separate cancer.

My son is a hard head... and it isn't only the guy across the street, it's his Dad (and his Uncle) who have had this disease. I'll do my best to get him to search his condition.

Thanks again for your advice, (and hope you are doing well).
Joyce

Kids!!!
Hi Joyce,
It might be that your son is more scared than actually being hard headed. Knowing his Dad and Uncle have had the disease he might be in a state of denial and telling himself it couldn't happen to him. I have slow growth (indolent)Follicular NHL and wouldn't have known anything if lumps in my groin and neck hadn't shown up. I didn't experience any symptoms other than the swollen lumps that I could physically feel. After having a CT scan with contrast dye we also found out I had swollen nodes in my abdomen that I didn't even feel. I'm considered TypeA, which means non-symptomatic and usually less aggressive than a TypeB, those showing symptoms of night sweats, rapid weight loss, fever, chills, etc. Please keep us informed about your son and I pray he gets this checked out. Keep being "MOM" and don't let up...it's our job, no matter how old our kids get. Hang in there...
Love, Sue (FNHL-2-3A-6/10)

PA_grandma

allmost60 said:

Kids!!!
Hi Joyce,
It might be that your son is more scared than actually being hard headed. Knowing his Dad and Uncle have had the disease he might be in a state of denial and telling himself it couldn't happen to him. I have slow growth (indolent)Follicular NHL and wouldn't have known anything if lumps in my groin and neck hadn't shown up. I didn't experience any symptoms other than the swollen lumps that I could physically feel. After having a CT scan with contrast dye we also found out I had swollen nodes in my abdomen that I didn't even feel. I'm considered TypeA, which means non-symptomatic and usually less aggressive than a TypeB, those showing symptoms of night sweats, rapid weight loss, fever, chills, etc. Please keep us informed about your son and I pray he gets this checked out. Keep being "MOM" and don't let up...it's our job, no matter how old our kids get. Hang in there...
Love, Sue (FNHL-2-3A-6/10)

You're right, Sue
Thanks for support about staying a 'MOM'

Matt hasn't had any of the other symptoms you mention... in fact, he's put on some weight. Maybe I'm worrying over nothing.

I would just like to know (other than suggesting he 'feel' for nodes) if he should see a Doctor at this time.

...and I promise to remain
A Mommy

dixiegirl

PA_grandma said:

You're right, Sue
Thanks for support about staying a 'MOM'

Matt hasn't had any of the other symptoms you mention... in fact, he's put on some weight. Maybe I'm worrying over nothing.

I would just like to know (other than suggesting he 'feel' for nodes) if he should see a Doctor at this time.

...and I promise to remain
A Mommy

I have them
I have the nightsweats and they are my major indicator something is not right. Years ago when I was first getting diagnosed I was told that a lung infection could cause the nightsweats too.

Just tell him you are MOM and he is go see the doc and keep his mouth shut LOL. Can you tell I am NOT a mom? lol

winthefight

great mom
Hi,

First let me say how blessed your son is to have a great mom like you. You have come to this wonderful site where there are many wonderful people here to help shed some light on the possibilities. I am a Non Hod. Lymph survivor. In the early stages of my walk with this disease, I too had night sweats. They were to the point that I would awaken in wet sheets. This night sweats is nothing to ignore. As I have the other comment from other survivors, it seems that both Hod and Non Hod survivors have experienced night sweats. Perhaps a visit to you Internal medicine doctor would be a great start. Or perhaps you can call the people here at the American Cancer Society. They are available 24/7. You can call them, share your questions and concerns. They should be able to help you, guide you as to where you should go for testing and even how to convince your son that this is a matter that should not be ignored. You are a mom that wants to know what's causing the sweats. Good luck to you.

Signed,
win (still winning the fight)

Tracie1981

Hmmm
He should definitely have it checked out, I had all the symptoms, coughing, lymphnode pain, sweating (horrible bouts of night sweats) fever, enlarged lymphnodes, itching and I lost a lot of weight, even being pregnant at the time they thought I had hyperthyroidism because of my problems (same syptoms apparently) Another thing, thyroid problems could also be the culprit, like I said very similar symptoms, unless he is going to be checked there is no way to tell what the problem is unfortunately Being a mother of 4( a young mom, but still a mom) I know you have to be overwhelmed by the thought of a child being ill. I'll keep you guys in my prayers and hopefully it will turn out to be something simple, take care and God Bless! Tracie

bluerose

Hi Joyce
Night sweats can mean a ton of different things but certainly it's not a symptom you want to ignore. Yes it can be connected with the onset of a cancer and I have had them
myself and indeed it was non hodgkins lymphoma but that doesn't mean it's cancer in your son's case. Especially with his father's history I would certainly urge him strongly to see the family doctor. In turn the family doctor will do some testing and based on those results he will probably refer to a specialist after that if the tests point to that road.

I am in Canada and assume you are in the U.S. so you might be able to go straight to oncology but in Canada we have to be referred and after all you don't know what it is at this point, may be something else completely in which case seeing your family doctor for initial testing is probably the best route. If the tests come back normal I would still push for testing for other issues. You have to be your own advocate many times in this process, as you have undoubtedly found already with your husband's treatment.

Let us know how he does but tell him not to ignore this, it could be nothing and it could be something and no use letting it get worse if he can nip it in the bud earlier.

All the best,

Bluerose

PA_grandma

bluerose said:

Hi Joyce
Night sweats can mean a ton of different things but certainly it's not a symptom you want to ignore. Yes it can be connected with the onset of a cancer and I have had them
myself and indeed it was non hodgkins lymphoma but that doesn't mean it's cancer in your son's case. Especially with his father's history I would certainly urge him strongly to see the family doctor. In turn the family doctor will do some testing and based on those results he will probably refer to a specialist after that if the tests point to that road.

I am in Canada and assume you are in the U.S. so you might be able to go straight to oncology but in Canada we have to be referred and after all you don't know what it is at this point, may be something else completely in which case seeing your family doctor for initial testing is probably the best route. If the tests come back normal I would still push for testing for other issues. You have to be your own advocate many times in this process, as you have undoubtedly found already with your husband's treatment.

Let us know how he does but tell him not to ignore this, it could be nothing and it could be something and no use letting it get worse if he can nip it in the bud earlier.

All the best,

Bluerose

Thank you all...
The valuable information from everyone will be passed on to my son.

At his age and with limited health coverage and income it appears he is avoiding this confrontation.
As a single parent with two young daughters he has his hands full and doesn't wish to deal with this possiblity.

I feel helpless, but WILL continue..... I will...
Joyce