Night Sweats!!

dorion · October 2009

Hello my beautiful Ladies...I hope this post finds all of you in great spirits and doing well. Me? Well thanks to all of my wonderful Peeps here I'm doing a lot better then the last time we posted anything. And also a big welcome to all newcomers here, although this isn't the most ideal place for meeting but it's a terrific place to be when you are so frightened or have any concerns and question. I wouldn't know where I'd be without this group.

I haven't been around as often as I like but my computer is on the fritze and I try and sneek on Meghan's when I can. This is one of those moments.

Now question Gals....has anyone ever suffered from severe night sweats? For those of you that don't know me I had a complete hysertectomy 2 years Dec. 26th, 2007....I didn't go through this menopause and if I did, I didn't feel a thing, but from what the oncologist tell me I should have gone through it pretty much right after surgery. For the past week I have been suffer from the worst night sweats ever, something that I have never experienced in my life and only when fighting off a virus.

It wakes me up in the middle of the night to soaking wet bedding a night cloths where I have to change my pj's. A couple of times it's carried on during the day as well. Sorry such a long story for such a simple question.

Does or did anyone else suffer from this at all? Does anyone have any ideas? It also leaves me very drained and tired during the day. While going through these nights sweats at times I wake up in almost a dream like state like I'm Alice in Wonderland.

Other than that, I gave myself a good ole attitude adjustment, still trying to get use to this bylateral stints in my kidney/bladder and that does drive me nuts, but it sure beats the alternative. So I am keeping very possitive and trying to keep myself extremely busy. And thanks again, all of you for your continued help, love and support. Just knowing you guys are a few clicks away always make me feel so good. Love to all of you. And huge hugs!!!

Linda

LPack · October 2009

sweats
Linda,

I had sweats before hysterectomy. Terrible night sweats, part of parimenopause I was experiencing. Still do occasionally................. Try drinking cold water, no caffeine, no chocolate.

If you look it up (google) lots of tips on how to keep them at bay. I will not take anything for them (not bad sweats now anyways), and my doctor would not give my any thing now either. Not with BRACA 2 mutation.

Good to hear from you!

In His Grip,
Libby ☺

saundra · October 2009

Girl, do I ever!!
I have had them since 1986. Stayed on HRT until diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2007 just for that. Waking 7-8 times a night sopping wet is not the most restful sleep, is it? Well, that is why my oncologist put me on the generic for Paxil, antidepressant+anti-anxiety. That cut it to occasionally but not ever night.
I have been on 10 mg since about June of 2007 and expect to stay on it. When I started menopause, the night sweats started along with daytime hot flashes. I tried several times to stop the HRT but they returned each time. The Paxil works to cut them to a tolerable level. Don't know anything else that is not estrogen and we are supposed to stay away from that. Saundra

dorion · October 2009

no relief in sight
not sure what day this is now, almost two weeks with no relief of these sweats. Starting to get worried, I am now sleeping 36 hours, just try to stay up after going to bed at 11 p.m Thursday and now it's almost noon on Saturday. I have the shakes and not even sure if I'm altogether coherent. I don't know what's going on here. What should I do? I feel like rip van winkle! Help!!

BonnieR · November 2009

dorion said:
no relief in sight
not sure what day this is now, almost two weeks with no relief of these sweats. Starting to get worried, I am now sleeping 36 hours, just try to stay up after going to bed at 11 p.m Thursday and now it's almost noon on Saturday. I have the shakes and not even sure if I'm altogether coherent. I don't know what's going on here. What should I do? I feel like rip van winkle! Help!!

Night Sweats
Hi Dorion, I have been there, thought it went away only for it to start over again. In fact I sometimes have had to get up and change pj's i have sweat so bad. If it is causing lots of sleep loss then you really need to get something from you doc..either to help you sleep through them or one of the anti-depressant drugs they use for hot flashes. Your body really needs to rest. Now for me these have stopped again, just get hot and kick off covers no sweats, for how long I am not sure but at least they are gone. I would really really talk to your docs and see how they can help get through these. Hugs Bonnie

Songflower · November 2009

dorion said:
no relief in sight
not sure what day this is now, almost two weeks with no relief of these sweats. Starting to get worried, I am now sleeping 36 hours, just try to stay up after going to bed at 11 p.m Thursday and now it's almost noon on Saturday. I have the shakes and not even sure if I'm altogether coherent. I don't know what's going on here. What should I do? I feel like rip van winkle! Help!!

Your night sweats
I am not sure where you are in treatment. After a complete hysterectomy women ususally go through what is called surgical menopause and have severe sweats and insomnia. It is unusual for it to start two years later. Because of that I would go to my Doctor and get blood work done and perhaps chest xray or CT scan just to be sure. It is possible it is just good old lack of estrogen night sweats. Here are somethings you can do:

Take effexor (an antidepressant and you can take low doses if desired. For me it decreased them 75%. If you still can't sleep ambien can help (CR) until it gets better. I never had trouble stopping it.

Sleep in 100% cotton nighties. Turn Temp down at night. Have a fan in the room. Sometimes you have to separate for a while at night from your true love. Mine radiates heat like a furnace!

Keep a cold drink near by.

Wear layered clothing so you can peel, peel, peel.

Avoid sitting under hot lights.

While grocery shopping I use to go in the beer cooler for a breathier! Sometimes thought about getting a job in the meat department.

They get better with time. But I would get a medical workup to make sure they are from lack of estrogen. The web site Breastcancer.org has alot helpful hints as those gals are experts at dealing with hot flashes. Don't give up!

kayandok · November 2009

dorion said:
no relief in sight
not sure what day this is now, almost two weeks with no relief of these sweats. Starting to get worried, I am now sleeping 36 hours, just try to stay up after going to bed at 11 p.m Thursday and now it's almost noon on Saturday. I have the shakes and not even sure if I'm altogether coherent. I don't know what's going on here. What should I do? I feel like rip van winkle! Help!!

night sweats
Dorian, if you have been sleeping 36 hours, there might be something going on here besides just hormonal imbalance. Maybe you should see your doc? I had all my hormonal stuff way before dx. No night sweats but severe hot flashes for a couple years. Tough stuff!!
Take care,
kathleen

MK_4Dani · November 2009

Night Sweats
Dear Dorion,
Although I have not experienced night sweats (just hot flashes), in the TLC catalog (or (www.tlcdirect.org) there is a page of sleep wear that "is our solution to night sweats!" Also if you take a sleep aid check for side effects...I know the narcotic pain meds made me sweat and feel hot. If you don't use a sleep aid maybe there is one you can take. One other idea: at many health food/vitamin stores there may be a person who knows an OTC herb/vitamin that can help. Just some ideas to try. I am not a doctor or health professional....just a concerned warrior! You have a wonderful gift of the witing, I look forward to reading your posts.
Life Is Good, Never Give Up,
MK

tngirl · November 2009

MK_4Dani said:
Night Sweats
Dear Dorion,
Although I have not experienced night sweats (just hot flashes), in the TLC catalog (or (www.tlcdirect.org) there is a page of sleep wear that "is our solution to night sweats!" Also if you take a sleep aid check for side effects...I know the narcotic pain meds made me sweat and feel hot. If you don't use a sleep aid maybe there is one you can take. One other idea: at many health food/vitamin stores there may be a person who knows an OTC herb/vitamin that can help. Just some ideas to try. I am not a doctor or health professional....just a concerned warrior! You have a wonderful gift of the witing, I look forward to reading your posts.
Life Is Good, Never Give Up,
MK

Night Sweats
Dear Dorion,

I also suffer from horrible night sweats. In fact I sleep under a separate blanket than my husband so that I don't disturb him 5, 6 and 7 times a night. The only thing that gets me a good night sleep in a low dose ambien (sleeping aid). My doctor didn't hesitate to give me a prescription. I don't like to take a lot of meds, but to get a good night sleep - well, it was worth it.

dorion · November 2009

Me Again
Hello again my Sweethearts!

Thank you again for all your advice and concerns, all duely noted! The night sweats continue along with at times what seems to be a delerious state in between sleep and awakeness, very strange. The time I was Rip Van Winkle I took this sleep aid perscribed to me by the doc and don't know the name of it, cos I threw the bottle out, but it is for physco's but obviously perscribed as a sleep aid. I haven't taken them since tha episode, too scared to. As far as these dang night sweats, I've had these stints put in because my kidneys were distended because I guess this cancer is around my (spelling) urita, that tube that goes from kidney to bladder, so I them in each side. This was done a month or so ago, and since then I am pissing razor blades and at times there is blood in my urine and the odor when I pee is enough to make me wonder what the heck is going on.

I've talked to my oncologist's nurse to at least have them take a look, this was after my sheduled urologist appointment of which he told me that all this was normal and that my bladder is geting used to these things. But I absolutely feel there is something going on here. So as I was saying I called the nurse to tell her that I suspects something is up and she tells me to call my pallutive care doctor! I asked "what the hell does he have to do with my problem?" All she said was "sorry". "what do you mean, sorry!" "I guess I have to go to the hospital emergency to get some answers then, right?" She says again "sorry". So what I get from that is they won't see me. So I called the urologist's nurse tell her the same thing, she tells me it's all normal....."c'mon, this isn't normal" and she tells me that all the urologists are away and that she would push my follow up appointment up and call and leave a new time, this was last week, or maybe yet the weeke before last, no word! How can all the urologists be away, this is a huge hospital!

So I'm starting to getting suspicious about the whole thing and the care that I'm NOT getting. It worries me a great deal, sometimes I think I want to pull a Suzanne Sommers and just not take any drugs at all. I have a sheduled ct scan on the 23 of December to see where the cancer is at and I pray that I will have favorable results, I'm just starting to get my hair looking really cool, hate to lose it again! LOL....just kidding, after all we've been through, do we really care about our hair anymore? Anyway that is about it in a very large nutshell. Thanks for your time and for hanging in there with me. I feel so needy damn it. I am here for you guys too, you know. Love you guys big time.

Linda

Night Sweats!!

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