AD's and night sweats.

[sillymummy11]

Hello.

Does anyone else get terrible night sweats from AD's? I don't get them when I'm not on them, but if I am on them I wake up soaking and smelling 'chemical' not sweaty (sorry for the description). It puts me off going to bed, and also means I don't sleep well as I wake up cold and wet. And it doesn't exactly do much for your self-image.

Due to this problem I've got a history of not taking the medication I have been prescribed- I've been through all of the SSRI's (yes all of them) and they all have the same effect. I feel better mentally (well apart from exhaustion due to not getting enough sleep) but I am at least able to cope.

I gave up taking Sertraline a couple of months ago as I thought I no longer needed it, and felt better initially (and sweat free!) but it's been a bit of a plummet into the abyss and without going into details I'm not coping at home, or with work, or life generally. I know I need to go back on the things, but I feel it's a bit pointless as I'll just get into the same cycle of taking them/not taking them and I'm fed up- gets me feeling that instead of having the ups and downs it's better to bow out which isn't my usual frame of mind at all.

My separated from husband says I should go to the GP and has offered to go with me....I feel it's pointless as I will just end up not taking them again after a couple of months. I've explained this problem to various doctors over the years, but they always bang on about how the benefits outweigh the side effects. The only one I was on that I didn't seem to have the sweating issue was with lofepramine when I was a student (had other side effects though obviously)....but since I've had kids I've always been put on the SSRI's- and I have quietly explained that I didn't have the sweating problem with the lofepramine but the GP seems to have ignored this ....and I don't like repeating myself as I don't know if there is some sort of reason for prescribing SSRI's, and I don't want to contradict my GP as I am not a medical professional. I think she doesn't believe me when I say that I get these sweats from the AD's I think she believes I'm making up excuses not to take them!

Has anyone else had this problem, or have any suggestions as I don't really know what to do at all, with anything.

I have the same problem. I wake up drenched. It's horrible. There's nothing I can do to fix or prevent it either. I am very unwell though so I know I have to keep taking them despite the very unpleasant side effects. Sorry I have no real advice to offer but I do know it feels truly yuck!

Hi, yes I have the same problem though usually just the week before my period. I wake up absolutely drenched in sweat and stuck to the bed. I have started keeping a towel by the side of the bed and clean pyjamas!! It is not a nice experience and for the rest of the day I feel really hot and bothered. I am taking paroxetine for anxiety disorder.

Thanks for your replies- well at least I'm not the only one- keekee I had to do the pj's/whatever I had lying about thing too....

Me too
Was the main reason I came off them in the end . I can say though that once they kicked in properly I didn't care about the soggy broken sleep quite as much as I thought I would when I first started taking them

ah well back on them now better get the spare PJs out...

You need to take them regularly for side effects to wear off a bit. I am on sertraline and don't get night sweats but have permanently sweaty palms which is not good in a job I have to shake hands with people all the time. I do feel less anxious on them and although knackered due to rubbish sleep know that I am more my old self than before taking them x

Wear a loose cotton nighty and have a air con fan in your bedroom. Mines got a timer so will switch off when I fall asleep.

I have also had everything going AD wise and these ones make me sweat a lot less than lofepramine and citalopram so may be worth discussing with your GP as they all cause us to react differently. My psych told me that jaw clenching and teeth grinding was not a side effect of sertraline until I showed him the studies. I am scared of sleep at the moment as it makes my teeth hurt so much. X

Sharpkat that 's the problem- the sweating kicks in after about 2 months taking it regularly and does not go away. Tried talking to the GP, my usual one wasn't there and it was some young man who didn't seem to know much (thought lofepramine was a MAOI then thought it was used as a painkiller??!!) I've got the jaw clenching thing too bit like having taken an e but without the good bit but luckily it goes for me. Do you have a mouth guard- your teeth could get damaged?

Thinkability- I've got a fan in the cupboard. Might try that. Might be a bit strange in December though

I've had this too - glad I'm not the only one (though of course I wish nobody had it!). As mentioned it kicked in at about 2 months. Horrible as I wake up freezing from being soaked which disturbs my sleep, which makes me feel worse

Going to speak to GP about it so I'll report back if he comes up with anything useful!

I don't get night sweats, but suffer during the day. I have found it unbearable some days, and often wear black so it isn't so noticeable (I hope!) or vests so they absorb the sweat. It does depend I think on the AD you're taking, but also how long you are taking it for / any increase in dose. For me, it usually settles backdown after about 4-6 weeks. In the interim, I hate it.