Night Sweats - Help!

[Luckingfovely]

Okay. My first time on this board, have searched back a bit but can't see anything just on this, so would love your advice!

45. Suddenly, within last couple of months - the night sweats have descended with a vengeance. Have the warmest, most snuggly bed, in a warm room, wake up constantly during the night freezing with cold because I am drenched in sweat and shivering. By the morning my sheets are soaked, as am I. No other real changes yet that I can define.

Is there anything that helps with these nightly nightmares?

[JinglingHellsBells]

HRT

At 45 you are young for this and medical guidance is HRT to at least average age of menopause (52).

[NameWithChange]

Oh you are me. Except I am 48.

This past month has been a shock to me. Every night. Freezing or boiling. Soaking wet either way. Need to drink LOADS and also wee. Just a sudden nightmare.

I do have a fabulous fan, that has a timer so when I wake in a real sweaty mess, I flick it in for half an hour.

I never expected that level of cold with hot flushes / night sweats though. It is weird.

[Luckingfovely]

Oh @NameWithChange now I have fan envy! I never feel hot, just wake shivering in a pool of sweat. I so sympathise, it's so horrid.

@JinglingHellsBells goodness I hadn't even considered that I might need HRT yet. But something is obviously changing fast in my body, so maybe I do need to see a doc.

I was hoping that someone could suggest a miracle cure or herb or tea or something! (I know one mustn't expect miracles, but this is mn after all )

[MrsHardbroom]

Same here, I'm 44 and peri has hit with a vengeance this year- mainly night sweats and dreadful anxiety. I tried low dose HRT for three months which took the edge off but as I'm still having periods my cycles went crazy. GP has now put me on the pill with no break between the packs and I feel like a new woman

[NameWithChange]

I was on a lose dose pill too. I think that may be the new advice. I had to stop as I was getting headaches and just feeling weird in general. These menopause sweats etc started as soon as I stopped taking it.

[Thehagonthehill]

Wool duvet,cool bedroom and hrt.Cured.
I also don't need to get up too wee more often.

[DramaAlpaca]

I sleep under a sheet with a light duvet on top, so I can throw layers off when I get too warm in bed.

This isn't scientific at all, but Menopace Plus vitamins seemed to help me. I swear that the sweats, day & night, reduced significantly within a couple of weeks of starting to take them. They contain sage & soya which are said to help.

[Luckingfovely]

Thanks all - rushing out to buy Menopace today!!

I'm sure I've seen somewhere specific herbs to take which help, anyone have any experience?

[JinglingHellsBells]

TBH there is no real proof that any herbal stuff works- Black Cohosh might, sage might, but the research doesn't prove it and it's often a placebo effect, or hormones being up and down in peri which makes women think these things work. It's worth a try of course but HRT is safe for at least 5 yrs for most women and has been proven to work, so the question is do you want to waste time experimenting with stuff for ages or going for something that is proven to work?

[Luckingfovely]

@JinglingHellsBells Good point, well made.

[JinglingHellsBells]

@Luckingfovely It's fine to try herbal stuff, but it needs a good 3 months - same as HRT. Nothing works overnight and women who think it works in days are probably having a 'high estrogen blip' which means their peri symptoms disappear (so they think it's the supplements.)

The Royal College of Gynaecologists/ Obs did a big survey on herbs etc which used to be online. The only ones that may work are black cohosh(but long term use can damage the liver) and red clover. Neither is 100% safe so it's not natural=safe.

If you are happy to try these and wait and see that's great. But the evidence doesn't point to any real success and most 'success' is anecdotal, not proper research trials.

Interestingly ALL supplements and herbs have a 30% placebo effect so 1/3rd (1:3) of women using herbs etc will say they work! Again, that's fine- the power of the mind.

Other stuff like yoga, mindfulness and even acupuncture ( expensive) can help as much as stuff you swallow!

[Luckingfovely]

I'm thinking that most important first stage is probably to get healthier overall - exercise more, get fitter, eat better, less wine, etc. And see how much impact that has.

[ChocOrCheese]

I was just coming to ask about the very same thing. I am 51. I get the night sweats probably a couple of times a month. But I never get too hot in the daytime and at night I don't get hot either. In fact I get shivery and cold, pull on an extra blanket and just know I'm going to wake up still shivering but also soaked through with sweat.

[JinglingHellsBells]

There's a lot to be said for doing all the right stuff- 3 hrs exercise a week at least, No rubbish food, no sweet stuff, little booze, no smoking etc, eating foods high in plant estrogens ( soy, pulses, green veg) at least 5 portions fruit / veg a day etc etc.

BUT if you do all of that and still have symptoms, you can try herbal stuff which may just work, or if you have a load of other symptoms, then HRT is next step.

Poor sleep is actually really bad for health- it's linked to diabetes, weight gain and heart disease. Not something to just put up with.

[Luckingfovely]

Ah @ChocOrCheese I so sympathise, I seen to have it almost every night, already. @JinglingHellsBells you always give excellent and clear advice, thank you x