Night sweats - help!

[Dawndonna]

Okay, I'm on HRT and have been for a considerable period of time. It works brilliantly for the hot flushes, but has never worked for the night sweats. I wake up a dozen times a night, covers on, covers off. I smell like a boys dorm first thing in the morning, I mean really unpleasant, and I wash before bed.
Any ideas, it's driving me mad and I would do almost anything for a six hour sleep. I can't take herbal remedies because I ended up in hospital with one of the menopausal ones, and no I didn't get it on the net, I got it from Boots.

I'm on HRT too and it sounds as if you are not taking enough!

I don't take tablets- use the gel- but when I sometimes cut down to half the dose to see how I am ( will stop eventually) I get night sweats but no flushes.
so my advice is you need a higher dosage.

Thank you, I shall have a word with the gp. Haven't heard of the gel, how does that work?

The gel- it's in a pump bottle and you have 2-4 dollops a day- I split mine morning and night. You rub it on your upper arms or your thighs.

My gynae suggested starting with a pea sized amount then seeing how much I needed to control symptoms. I use 2 dollops a day but sometimes experiment by going down to 1.

it is pure estorgen so you also have to take progestins to have a bleed- i take 10 days ever 3 months.

Ahh, I'm probably a bit old for that, haven't had a period for three or four years, I've just turned 53. May ask about it though, am making an appointment, I need some sleep!

no you are not too old- i am 56.

my gynae treats the Royal family- so he should be good- and this is his regime.

Wow, thanks Amelia, I shall be having a word with the gp next week.

isn't there a vitamin supplement that helps? i'm sure a woman i worked with used to take one... i'll check.

anyway as to night sweats i get them too due to pcos - do you have issues wiyh blood sugar too? if so try drinking a milky drink at bedtime and keeping a drink and biscuits by the bed.

other than that cotton bedding abd night wear, leave window open a smidge and if you sleep with a partner 2 duvets so you can separately adjust your temp.

hope you get some help

vitamin e and evening.primrose.oil.

Dawn if you are still reading...

you will be on a no-bleed prep as you have not had periods for years.
I started HRT as soon as my periods stopped at 53 , due to hot flushes once an hour.......

My gynae says that the latest evidence is that it's the progestins that are the cause of breast cancer not oestrogen- which is why he does not give women the combi pills where you take oestrogen and progestions every day-( which stops the uterus lining growing so no need for the withdrawal bleed.)

I take the minimum progestions- once every 3 months.

Not all GPs are clued up on this so you might need to explain!

Thanks, I've tried Evening Primrose, and it really didn't help, although my skin and hair were great! I don't as far as I'm aware, have issues with blood sugar. I have water by the bed, cotton bedwear, etc, but still need to shower at 3am some nights!

Do you drink wine? I found that drinking red wine makes it worse. Also I am using a ladycare magnet is working for me though their are mixed views about it.

Also there was an article about a certain drug that is proving helpful but I can't remember the name of it. Sure it began with a V.

I've heard very good things from a friend about Black Cohosh. Might be worth a look.

I rarely drink, and the Black Cohosh landed me in hospital with kidney problems!

Oh no. Bad idea then.

It is venlafaxine. Didn't realise it was anti depressant.

Yes, apparently some of the SSRIs have an affect. Coming off them is a major problem though!

effect