Waking up overnight DRENCHED in sweat

Apart from the menopause, when I often had to get a towel to lie on at 2 am, I’ve only experienced that with some wretched infection - nasty-cold or fluey bug. Most notably, post-menopause, when I was in hospital with pneumonia- I was having to ask someone to change the bottom sheet just about every night, and good old dh was bringing me 2 changes of PJ tops and bottoms every day, and taking the sodden ones away to wash.

Do you have other symptoms with the bleeds? I'm asking this because you may want to get checked for Adenomyosis or Endometriosis both of which can have a symptom of night sweats. In the first instance you would need an internal ultrasound to check and possibly a referral to Gynecology.

I get occasional night sweats, I have had a raised white blood cell count since at least age 32. I’m 73 now, fairly healthy. GP said some people naturally have this.
OP you should get it all checked, as others have said, but please don’t worry - you may just be, like me, a freak of nature!

This. Not to alarm you, OP, but some blood cancers can begin in the bone marrow and not elevate white blood cell counts for a while. You need to go to a different doctor and be very clear with them about the extent of these drenching night sweats, and how abnormal they are for you. In addition to the fact that your hormone levels have come back normal. Be calm but clear about the source of your concern.

It's also worth keeping in mind that your white blood cell count could shoot up very fast, if it was leukemia. The picture could look totally different within a matter of weeks. I'd test again in the near future if I was you, just to be safe.

I'm not trying to scare you, but if there's any possibility at all, it needs looking into. Don't let the GP fob you off. Record your appointments and take notes if you don't feel listened to, and don't be afraid to seek out a second opinion. There is no harm in looking into it. Even if it turns out you're fine, you'll have given yourself peace of mind.

If you have raised white blood cells please don't let this drop. I don't want to be alarmist and I am sure it's a sign of lots of different things, but it does mean something isn't right. For my father in law this was the first early medical sign (which he then ignored for 3 years) of cancer which may have been very treatable at that stage but was terminal by the time other symptoms showed up. Again, I apologise as I realise it probably isn't anything anywhere near as sinister but I had to say it.

bloodcancer.org.uk/understanding-blood-cancer/lymphoma/hodgkin-lymphoma/symptoms/

The most common symptom of Hodgkin lymphoma is one or more swellings or lumps in the neck or above the collarbone. These are swollen lymph nodes (also called lymph glands).

Some people with Hodgkin lymphoma get these symptoms:

• drenching night sweats (that soak through your clothes or bedding)
• a high temperature (fever)
• unexplained weight loss.

Other symptoms that can sometimes happen to people with Hodgkin lymphoma include:

• tiredness (fatigue)
• itching
• increased risk of infections
• excessive bleeding – such as nosebleeds, heavier periods than usual and spots of blood under the skin.

Do you have a synthetic mattress topper? I had to take mine off the bed as it was making sweat buckets in the night.

Meds? Anti-depressants can cause night sweats.

Night sweets are not normal at your age.

Please go back to the GP ASAP and tell them very clearly, what you are worried about

OP, a boney-feeling lump on the sternum/clavicle can definitely be lymphoma, even in the absence of any other symptoms. Hodgkin's lymphoma often occurs in the mediastinum (inside middle of chest).

Night sweats and high WBC are also risk factors for lymphoma.

Lymphoma, although a cancer, is usually very treatable, but of course better to catch it early.

Please go and get checked again for this and don't be fobbed off. I wish you the best of luck.

You would need to ask for a full blood count including lymphocytes, and examination of your lymph nodes.

I would strongly recommend going back to the GP as soon as you can and saying you are extremely concerned about possible lymphoma and want to be referred for proper testing. At 28 this is highly unlikely to be your hormones, and it could be extremely serious. You seem to be listing lots of symptoms of potential lymphoma here.

A friend of mine had this and it turned out to be caused by high blood pressure. She was slim, fit and healthy but unfortunately for her high blood pressure at a relatively young age ran in her family. I think she was late 30s/early 40s at the time.
Once her BP was under control the night sweats stopped.

She had no other symptoms of high BP so it came as surprise to her.

OP I use Isabel symptom checker often, it's very good. I put in your age group, raised white cell count, drenching night sweats, breakthrough bleeding and lump on chest (there was no dropdown for collarbone). Try it, it suggests all the illnesses it potentially could be. Leukemia is the first one listed but there are others, like endometriosis and so on. But be your own best advocate and don't be fobbed off, please. Wishing you all the best with this.

https://symptomchecker.isabelhealthcare.com/isabel-tool-page

Do you usually have a large or late meal before going to bed? When the digestive system is still working at full speed overnight, it can raise your body temperature and lead to night sweats.

This is a classic symptom of low oestrogen. That’s why you sweat and run hot when postpartum or during peri menopause, because your oestrogen tanks to the floor! I know you said your hormone panel is normal, but unless you know a rough base level from before this started happening, you won’t know if your current oestrogen is lower than your personal ‘normal’ or not. Does it tend to happen more at the very start of your menstrual cycle when every woman’s oestrogen is naturally at its lowest? If so there’s your answer.

For what it’s worth, I’m typically a very cold, oestrogen-dominant person but overheat chronically for months post partum and also when I had a large ovarian cyst. Doesn’t have to automatically mean peri meno.

I'm 46 and have been having terrible night sweats for the past 8 or so years. I wake up completely drenched, I actually have trickles of sweating running off me. It always seems to coincide with when I have a particularly vivid dream, but after reading this thread I'm a little worried......
No other signs of perimenopause yet either.

Blood tests of any kind can not definitely prove start of pre menopause, yes they can check hormone count etc but they can not say for definite it hasn't started. Doctors go by the signs and based on what your saying it certainly sounds like the start but could go on for years

Have you had your thyroid tested? Excessive sweating can be a sign of overactive thyroid.

OP, on the NHS app you can see all your historic blood test results going back years and years.

It’s worth looking and checking your results and normal ranges.

I changed to all cotton bedding and a thin wool duvet (from IKEA) and my night sweats are now more manageable, but yours sounds extreme and like it could be medical. Hope you get an answer soon.

I get bad night sweats sometimes, it was worst post partum with the hormone drop but still happens occasionally. Does it get worse at any particular time in your cycle? Have you started taking any new vitamins or supplements lately?

Can you get the actual numbers of your blood test results? What can be 'in range' can still cause symptoms if it isn't optimum for you. Especially thyroid, vitamin d, vitamin b and Ferritin levels. I was told my iron levels were fine as they were in range, but I was close to needing a transfusion and barely functioning. It's your body and your know yourself so please push for more tests to rule out something sinister.

The awareness of peri-menopause has gone OTT if people blithely put night sweats at age 28 down to that.
And if it was peri then it needs to be established and then looked into and it's not normal to have it so early.