KRISTIN: Night Sweats w/Leonie-M. Pat question?

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 3/4/2004 2:21:19 PM Eastern Standard Time,

kristinb_21@... writes:

have night sweats, but I only started experiencing them after my myomectomy

to remove my three fibroids. Has anyone else experienced thse after a myo?

I recetnly had some hormone and thyroid tests done to try and pinpoint the

problem, but the results are not back yet. I am 33 years old, so I do not think

it is peri-menopausal.

Hi, :

The hormone and thyroid tests should be helpful in narrowing down the cause

of your night sweats. As for the thyroid testing, in this case, I suspect,

your doctor is wondering about an overactive thyroid--i.e., HYPERthyroidism.

Most of us here reading your post probably first thought: " Ahaaa! Night

sweats!!! Classic estrogen deficiency symptom! "

But!!!!...Hold your Hormones!!!...... it ain't necessarily so!!!!

Profuse sweating at night can be a characteristic finding of many, many other

conditions, from the banal (too much bedding on you....or too much spicy food

near bedtime!) to more serious causes.

I hope you've told your doctor of any OTHER symptoms of note you've

experienced since your myo: for instance, if you've had a general feeling of ill

health, fatigue, lack of energy, muscle aches, loss of appetite. Have you had

any

low grade fevers since you myo? Any new medications?

There is always a possibility that they'll never determine a " cause " for the

night sweats--and that wouldn't necessarily be the *worst " thing in the

world, now, would it???........ to be known ......as a woman who is...... " HOT

IN

BED " , ?!!! :-)

However, seriously, --there are things you can do to lessen this

nocturnal nuisance.

1-If possible, try sleeping under a ceiling fan.

2-You might also want to keep a glass of ice water at your bedside, and take

sips before you go to bed, and when you awaken, drenched.

3-Keep FLAT ice packs near your bed, and apply them on alternate areas of

your body, as needed.

4-Use only 100% cotton sheets for the comfort factor.(ones which are not

combed or sateened).

5-No alcohol consumption in the hours before bed.

6-Think coooooool thoughts: You could meditate on snow, waterfalls, icebergs,

Eskimos, frost....or even our dear listmember Aztec/Cat.... shivering away in

the chilly UK!!!!!

Also, FYI... doctors nowadays are prescribing a few types of antidepressants

to reduce/prevent the hot flashes/night sweating symptoms that are associated

with menopause, as well as for other conditions.

I have a hematological malignancy--a condition for which I absolutely CANNOT

take HRT of any kind. I've been told that one of the symptoms of the

progression of my disease-- in the years to come-- will be NIGHT SWEATS..and of

course, let's not forget menopause is not too far off for " moi " ....so I truly

anticipate a " double whammy drenching " in the near future....Sweatsville, USA!

However, my hem-onc has suggested Paxil or Effexor as possible non-HRT

remedies, which, in addition to their antidepressant function, are capable of

sweat

reduction, should I find night sweats/hot flashes unbearable.

Just food for thought...to discuss with your doctor.

Leonie? Pat? Carla?...or anyone else here.....actually *know* of anyone

who has had success (or failure?) with certain antidepressant meds for hot

flashes/night sweat reduction/elimination?

Also--I wonder if any of our LOL who take/took LUPRON also take/took Paxil or

Effexor (or similar?) and whether they were actually spared hot flashes, as

a result.

Anyway,....do let us know the results of your testing, ...and........

meanwhile.......May you stay as cool as you are......(at NIGHT...as well as

during the day!)

-Roma

[Guest guest]

I have heard of the antidepressants you mention being recommended for

nightsweats. Off-hand, I don't think I know of anyone who's used

them for this. I'll check on the Menopause list I'm on and let you

all know.

I personally take Effexor and have for a number of years. I just

turned 53, still menstuating irregularly. A few months ago I began

having mild hot flashes -- more like warm rushes, actually.

I hadn't had a period for 4 months at that point. Then I started

mensturating again (3 months in a row now) and the warm rushes have

disappeared. I don't know how typical my story is for a woman who

was on Effexor before she reached the hot flash stage but it's

possible that I've had so litte experience of them because of the

Effexor...no way to prove it, however.

And Roma, of course, I jumped to the conclusion that 's hot

flashes were peri-related. The odds, of course, favor that...but

leave it to you to know more beyond the obvious. Roma --- the " R "

stands for Research Maven!

Leonie

[Guest guest]

from the banal (too much bedding on you....

I have nightsweats during my luteal phase, I didn't know there was a

pattern until I started charting my cycles. I don't sweat as bad when

I use a poly-fil comforter but my partner is wed to his feather

duvet. Half the month that's fine in winter, half the month I sweat.

I believe that stress with not enough exercise can also cause some

sweating at night as your body tries to get rid of toxins (but don't

quote me on it).

As said by others, just make sure you drink more fluids when it

happens to make up for the loss so that you aren't dehydrated.

Dehydration is bad for fibroids -- at least I think it is linked

somewhat to my fibroid's development in my case.

--Ann