Think I may actually need to sleep on a towel

[youllneedthisfish]

I mean, I can’t change sheets every night, and the sweat is horrific. I don’t want to destroy the mattress!

I’ve spent a year getting the meds sorted and now at least can function and not awake all night (horrifying flushes and terror and dizziness and vertigo etc- mostly ok now).

But the sweats! And the long epic dreams. Last night I slept but dream for hours. Like some kind of vivid film experience- not as a horrible as lying awake catastrophising, but so vivid.

Sorry I just had to vent.

Your meds aren't sorted if you're sweating so much. Sympathy though, sweats are awful.

Agree that you are nowhere near sorted if your sweats aren't under control. Just to ask are you taking magnesium supplements? They were recommended to me but it was like pre hrt for me!

Worth maybe looking at a mattress topper/cover depending on what you are sleeping on . Memory foam was a total no no for me.

You poor thing, I feel for you so much. I sweated like this for the first 12 weeks of breastfeeding my first baby…midwife/health visitor had never heard of it and couldn’t help, and I used to go to bed laying on a towel and with a towel over me. It was just awful.
I just know my menopause will be horrific too. Bloody hormones. I hope you manage to get your meds sorted soon

@clareth me too. Breastfed twins. Epic it was! Seems like yesterday

Have you had covid recently? It seems that a lot of us have got the night sweats again after having covid, and there are apparently links with hormones and covid hence the weird period stuff that’s happened for some women after vaccines.

I'd really recommend a wool duvet. They are much better for helping your body regulate it's temperature. My night sweats are much better since I bought one.

I slept on towels .. really helpful as long as they are big enough and had extra sheet to throw on and off as needed. Over it now. 🌺

Have a really good feather duvet (££££ a while back) that keeps cool and warm. Feather topper on the bed so at least mattress won’t be ruined, plus mattress protector. I have magnesium. Estrogel, progesterone, plus Venlaflaxine too as the flushes were debilitating (think having to lie perfectly still for three hours with vertigo- I even had them trying me with vertigo meds and propranolol for palpitations- not on them now).

I’m going to have to fork out for private if I ever have the ££

I am not experiencing the menopause but do get night sweats and vivid dreams as standard! I have a towel under my bottom sheet and use a fan nightly which keeps the sweats at bay.

@youllneedthisfish

Have a really good feather duvet (££££ a while back) that keeps cool and warm. Feather topper on the bed so at least mattress won’t be ruined, plus mattress protector. I have magnesium. Estrogel, progesterone, plus Venlaflaxine too as the flushes were debilitating (think having to lie perfectly still for three hours with vertigo- I even had them trying me with vertigo meds and propranolol for palpitations- not on them now).

I’m going to have to fork out for private if I ever have the ££

what dose of estrogen are you on?

I know this sounds pretty basic advice, but have you tried increasing the dose? I was told by my consultant that HRT should be individualised so it stops symptoms. For some of us that's 1 pump of gel, for others it can be 4 per day.

If you are using a patch, it can be a tiny 25mcg dose or a 100mcg dose.

Your NHS GP ought to be able to manage something like a change (up) in your dose- have you asked?

4 pumps @JinglingHellsBells - yep

@RoyKentsChestHair I had Covid March 2020 - not since. Massive life change events at the same time too (house sale, work drying up for Covid, senile parents, non-neurotypical DCs)

I say this as an absolute vaccine 100% positive person, but the meno symptoms did start straight after first dose in March 2021:-(

How much progesterone are you using? 2 capsules x 12 days, or 1 capsule daily?

If it's on a cycle, do you find your sweats are worse when using it ?

If it's daily, maybe that isn't suiting you.

I find when I use it (on a cycle) I get hotter at night and sleep less well.

The other thing is that stress really impacts on meno symptoms. I think my specialist (who is very mainstream but also into complementary treatments) would suggest trying to get some 'you' time and doing some yoga, mindfulness, exercise etc.
And assume you are not drinking much alcohol, caffeine etc?
Sorry if preaching to the converted :)

Venlafaxine actually causes sweats qnd disturbing dreams in many people. Are you sure that's helping?