Night Sweats

[homestead]

My friend suffers really badly with night sweats. I have recommended her giving up caffeine/alcohol/nicotine/spicy foods. Have these made things worse for you or have you tried giving one or all helped?

[Buenchico]

Possible causes here
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/night-sweats/Pages/Introduction.aspx
It might well be that none of them apply in your friend's case but there's enough there to suggest that it might be worth your friend getting their health checked out by their GP.

[woofgang]

assuming she is menopausal - and if she isn’t or doesn’t know then, as Chris says, to the docs first, then what partially worked for me was a really cool bedroom and wearing/sleeping in natural fibres. I tried giving up caffeine and alcohol but found it made no difference, although I am not a huge tea/coffee/alcohol drinker. Can’t comment about the spicy food as I don’t like very spicy food. Over the daytime, again, dressing in layers of natural fibres, keeping the environment cool and drinking more water helped. Giving up sugar didn’t and none of the complementary or herbal remedies helped.

[rowanwitch]

If it is the menopause and it is not contraindicated HRT is a last resort but it does help.

[woofgang]

it didn’t help me.....turned me into a raging harridan without touching my other symptoms....but this was 20 (gasp) years ago. I understand that there are other options these days that are not just the standard oestrogen/progestogen stuff

[gness]

Two gasps from me then, Prudie......thirty years ago I started on HRT and if it wasn't a life saver it certainly was a marriage saver.....it rid me of all the crippling symptoms of my menopause.....including the horrid night sweats.....

I have just discovered that taking Aspirin has started to cause bad night sweats.....not common for someone taking only Aspirin and a small dose daily......

I don't know if your recommendations will help.....I'm not disciplined enough to have tried them.....but if she is suffering badly considering....after looking at all the facts...HTR is worthwhile.....x

[woofgang]

gness, its me not Prudie :)

[gness]

Sorry, Woof! The rain stopped....the sun came out for five minutes so I stood on the balcony and the specs went dark.....should have changed them before I started reading and typing.....Prudie must look like a red blob avatar too....to the short sighted......
I knew it wasn't Chris....he may be a red blob avatar too but I'm sure he's not tried HRT....

Sorry..... :-(

[Eleena]

Homestead,
caffeine, not sure, alcohol is a definite trigger with me, also overly hot tea/ coffee, let it cool a little. I don't smoke so don't know, spicy food, possibly x

[shoota]

Apparently HRT affects the old grey matter adversely....

[Maydup]

She needs to consider taking Sage tablets. brilliant results every time,

[Patsy33]

If it is the menopause, then there are certain antidepressants out there that can help with hot flushes and night sweats, when taken in very low doses. Worth taking if you have no qualms about it. If not the menopause, then definitely a check up with your gp

[woofgang]

not every time maydup, they did nothing for me, neither did the tea.

[woofgang]

gness tis fine :)

[homestead]

Thanks for all your suggetions. yes she in her menopause. Due to other meds can't take HRT. shes trying the natural fabrics & having a fan on timer as she regularly starts sweats around 3 - 4 am. Will tell her about sage.

[woofgang]

has she talked to her GP about other non hormone medical options?

[Buenchico]

Quote:
"If you experience hot flushes and night sweats as a result of the menopause, simple measures may sometimes help, such as:
wearing light clothing
keeping your bedroom cool at night
taking a cool shower, using a fan or having a cold drink
trying to reduce your stress levels
avoiding potential triggers, such as spicy food, caffeine, smoking and alcohol
taking regular exercise and losing weight if you're overweight

If the flushes and sweats are frequent or severe, your GP may suggest taking HRT.

If HRT isn't suitable for you, or you would prefer not to have it, your GP may recommend other medications that can help, such as clonidine (a high blood pressure medicine) or certain antidepressants.

These medications can cause unpleasant side effects, so it's important to discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor before starting treatment"

Source:
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Menopause/Pages/Treatment.aspx

[James_Crump]

Giving up on alcohol, cigarettes and spicy food should help in my opinion, but your friend should also rethink her sleeping habits in general. She should inform herself about different ways to improve her sleeping habits, or, in other words, she should explore ways to get healthy sleep. And if the problem persists I would recommend consulting an expert. Meanwhile, she can check out some of the tips I've found in this article - http://www.34-menopause-symptoms.com/night-sweats/articles/5-habits-that-keep-night-sweat-symptoms-away.htm

[NoMercy]

Venlafaxine is another option.