Night sweats. Anyone tried anti-depressants?

[AntiBi]

On highest dose HRT and still having night sweats. GP has ruled out other causes (blood tests done).

She is now advising anti-depressants as apparently they are used for night sweats.

Has anyone any experience of this?

I get severe night sweats, not due to the menopause, I'm currently on anti depressants and they've not helped with the night sweats at all!

Things that worked for me (I don't want to/can't take HRT as my mum died from advanced breast cancer):

• really cutting down on the carbohydrate content of my diet
• less caffeine
• less alcohol

And taking Boots Menolieve.

I have nerve damage in my legs due to a damaged back and antidepressants are great for that as are some anti epileptics which all work on the nerve endings blocking signals from the brain so it could well work well for you.
There are a wide range to choose from so if one doesn't work you can try another.
But not duloxetine - one of the side effects of that is massive night sweats.

Thanks for replies. She wanted to prescribe sertroline (sp?) but that doesn’t seem to be one of the ones listed to reduce night sweats (just been reading about it). I have oestrogen only highest dose table HRT and mirena coil. Am so fed up of night sweats waking me up

Night sweats are so awful, I've had them all week except last night. I'm on amitriptyline (started them 2 weeks ago) but I've had night sweats for years (crohns) the amitriptyline hasn't made any difference to them at all.

About 10 years ago before meno, I was on anti depressants for 4 years and had terrible night sweats on them - both citalopram & venlafaxine.

Came off them and had 7 years before meno with no sweats so for me, they actually caused them and I understood this was a fairly common side effect actually.

Low sugar, low caffeine, low alcohol (sadly) is often more effective.

I have oestrogen only highest dose table [tablet?] HRT and mirena coil

You have LOADS of options before trying ADs!

Tablets are poorly absorbed and also have a higher risk (long term use as you get older) of blood clots. The highest dose with a tablet is 2mgs estrogen. It's likely that some of that 2mgs is getting lost in digestion. You won't get the full dose via a tablet.

You should ask to try an estrogen only patch - anything from 50, 75 or 100mcgs- or (better still) estrogen gel (Oestrogel). You can use up to 4 pumps a day from the bottle which is equivalent to 3mgs estrogen.

As you are also using the Mirena, the balance of estrogen / progestogen might be a bit high so again, you aren't actually getting a high enough level of estrogen in your blood. (Hormones from the Mirena a re still absorbed systemically even though it's in the womb.)

Thanks PollyPerky - I’ve tried patches. They didn’t work either. It was the highest dose re them too. I’ve got this feeling that the GP won’t want to give me the HRT gel (she seemed intent on pushing the ADs for some reason).

Because ADs are cheaper? or she doesn't 'approve' of HRT per se? I think you should ask for gel and also ask why not, if she refuses.
You don't have to put up with this type of behaviour (refusals). Either swap to a better GP if you think that might help, or avoid them altogether- see a consultant privately, and get expert advice. You could pay £25 to the consultant running Menopause Matters for an email consultation, or there are private GPs like Dr Louise Newson who are helpful if you can't afford a private gynae.

One more point- it could be a side effect of the Mirena. Not everyone gets on with it, and even though the progestogen is supposed to stay in the uterus, research shows enough gets into the bloodstream that is the equivalent of a low dose combined patch. Would you consider trying sequi HRT where the progestogen is limited to half a month?

Am not sure re the progesterone being limited to half a month. Would that mean I might start periods again. Couldn't face that in my 50s.

The mirena was okay for a while. Funny enough, as LaGetta mentioned, they are definitely worse if I've had a glass of wine in the evening/eaten loads of carbs.

I think I'll look to dropping the alcohol altogether and test if that makes a discernible difference. Then if not, I'll ask re the gel and try that. Thanks for all the advice.

I take Soya isoflavones, only drink de-caf and use soya milk, yoghurts and spread. Soya products may not help everyone but they have definitely helped me with my hot flushes.

AntiBi Yes you'd have a monthly bleed. I've chosen to stick with that in my 60s. It's safer re breast cancer supposedly and I've been using HRT for 10 years.
I don't drink at all- been teetotal for over 20 years due to side effect s of any alcohol. I also keep carbs to the minimum and try to exercise for an hour a day - brisk walking. HRT can do a lot, but it's not a cure-all. You might find some lifestyle stuff helps.

Hi just to let you know that I had this too. I tried everything patches tablets gel etc.

The only one which has worked is premarin. It has been a life changer for me. I know it’s controversial but I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it. I’m 44 and was seriously suffering.

Thanks all. I think I'll hold off ADs, make a few lifestyle changes and see if that has any impact to begin with.

Magnesium supplements helped me a lot. Might not work for everyone, but worth a shot.

Please try Bimuno probiotics they have helped my 10 year insomnia and night sweats huge amount. Michael Mosleys an advocate.

Read something interesting just the other week about the menopause and women being misdiagnosed with mental health issues and given anti-depressants for a range of symptoms. Whereas they should be seen by a Gyne / good doctor and given the right combination of hormones to alleviate symptoms. In my case, I was run down with years of menopausal sleeplessness that I almost went mad. I ended-up on Escitalopram and Zopiclone which is addictive. Due to family health issues I'd avoided HRT, but now realise it's the way forward.

Setraline? I belatedly discovered night sweats are a documented side effect of setraline.

My personal experience: I had thought I'd moved into pre-menopause as the night sweats had started while I was on setraline.

Once I came off the setraline the night sweats completely stopped.

Just remembered where I read it, Allison Pearson writes about this in her book 'How Hard Can It Be', ( a novel, but I'm assuming based on good research).

It's actually in the NICE menopause guidelines Phyllis. Some of us have been saying it for years before A Pearson hit meno ! :)

Reading with interest. I've been waking up, every night, drenched for the last two weeks. and hot flushes during the day.

I've already been to see my GP awhile ago. she said I was perimenopausal and was quite kind of dismissive. I've made another appointment to go and see her.

Mrsmuggins53, where do you get hold of the probiotics you mentioned? Is it prescription or can they be bought over the counter?

Does Michael Moseley have menopausal symptoms?

Just been prescribed fluoxetine to help with night sweats, took my first one last night, rather worried after reading list of possible side effects. Will try for a few weeks see what happens,anyone else tried these.