Night sweats

Nana58
I totally agree. I came off HRT for 2 years in my early 60s when a GP refused to prescribe anymore for me.
I couldn’t sleep, kept getting a ‘jumpy tummy ‘ and hot sweats during the night. I was referred to a gynaecologist consultant by a different GP. I was given a thorough examination by the consultant who asked me lots of questions regarding my medical history and said there was no reason why I shouldn’t start HRT again. ( hurray!) That was 3 months ago and my life has improved dramatically since restarting it. I no longer have trouble sleeping , no hot sweats and generally feel much healthier and happier and I don’t look tired all the time!

I also have dreadful night sweats with just a sheet covering me most of the year. Blimey, us women have it good don't we?

I’m up now at 1 am with night sweats. Had to get up when DH fell asleep to open the windows in the bedroom and our en-suite to try and get a breeze through ? Any advice gladly taken too!

I find SAGE tablets from Holland & Barrett really do work ,if I forget to take them for a day or two the night sweats come back with a vengeance.

I'm 61 and have been going through the menopause since the age of 49. I've been unable to have HRT as I've had loads of breast cysts which the GP puts down to hormone changes. My nights sweats are horrendous and I'm lucky to have 3 hours continuous sleep a night. The rest of the night is spent tossing and turning and just dozing. I work full time and sometimes the effort to just get to work is huge. I do find them worse, if I've had an alcoholic drink. My mum is 81 and is still having occasional night sweats.

Allsaints55 I agree wholeheartedly with you, my HRT gave me my life back!!

Ladies I am so pleased I am not alone I have hot sweats during the day and most nights at the age of 77 I think its a bit late but I plod on Good luck fellow sufferers. I will think of you all tonight

I had a total hysterectomy in 1985, HRT gave me headaches so I came off it. I am now 82. I was diagnosed with breast cancer four yrs ago, this was oestrogen dependant so after all the operations and treatments I have to take tablets to remove the oestrogen from my body! That is when the night sweats started. My solution was to buy the largest bath sheet I could find and a small soft towel. I keep these under my pillow. When a hot flash strikes I whip off my nightdress and throw it on the floor, small towel over pillow and wrap myself in bath sheet. Sound asleep in no time and don't even get out of bed. Sort it out in the morning!

Grammaz I read recently that hot flushes May be linked to digestion so think this good point. I am generally warmer at night since menopause and sleep with window open summer or winter and only have 1.5 tog quilt. I don’t sweat enough to change clothes but often keeps me awake till I can cool down. My sleep quality is poor because of it. I always look forward to winter as my sleep get better with cooler nights xx I am 58 and went through menopause at 50 sp guess it not going to improve as I get older xx

I tried sage tablets from the herbalist shop. They seemed to lessen the sweats but not take them away completely. This is what I find helps

Oscillating fan at bedside
A frozen ice pack wrapped in cotton material.
No hot drinks or sugary snacks a few hours before sleep.
A little bit of a jog in the morning (C25K)
or a little exercise of any kind.
Cotton nighties...would like to try bamboo material but too expensive.

I’m just beginning to try Black Cohosh tablets instead of sage. They’ve been recommended.

Hi Bluedaisy like you I was thinking I was I’ll so spoke to GP. Had numerous blood tests and scan which came back clear.
Think we are dealing with post menopause symptoms. Agh!!
Thanks to everyone who posted a comment. It really helps to know other people having to deal with these symptoms.
Think I might try sage tea.

I am definitely trying sage tea! Off hrt currently and symptoms came back with a vengeance . I work full time so GP says I can go back on it. But after three months off symptoms are relieving a bit so not sure what to do!

Big fan by bed, cool bath at night and windows open all year round. Got hubby to change the heating timing to switch off at night. I have cut down on alcohol greatly and have stopped drinking caffeine at night. This has definitely helped. Regularly wake up at 5am but try to get back to sleep ASAP afterwards..... Ain’t easy but having a routine helps..

Good luck!

Im 63 and I still have them sometimes. Ive never had to change my nightclothes but I'm constantly having to turn my pillow round, throw the bedclothes off etc. Its horrible and it means I never seem to have an ubroken night's sleep. I've no idea what causes it. I went through the menopause about 8 years ago.

I wonder why some ladies suffer worse than others.
I stopped menstruating at 51 and never even noticed, except for not having periods. Just stopped, with no tailing off or any symptons, no thinning head hair, excess facial hair belly fat etc.
Is it genetics, diet or something else...

I had a full hysterectomy at 33, and took HRT for twenty years before my doctor advised me to stop. Night sweats were awful for about 2 years, until I gave up caffeine and stopped eating sweet things. Just in the last couple of months my night sweats have returned, (I’m almost 60 now), and my sleep has been awful. I may try sage tea, so thanks all for that tip.

I suffer this - embarrassing when having sleep overs ? I also find I am happier in sleeveless dresses even in the winter months. I have been taking my grand daughters to school / nursery this week and while everyone else is wearing coats scarfs and hats I am ambling along only in my linen dress with a pair of leggings. I feel claustrophobic in cardigans and coats unless the temp drops to a big minus. However - come evening and I snuggle up on the sofa in PJs and thick fluffy dressing gown (heating on too!)
None of it makes any sense but I am used to it now.

It's good to know I'm not alone. I'm in my late 60's, didn't have HRT and still get sooo hot ?but not every night thank heavens. Have had to ditch the memory foam mattress which made things worse and have bought a lovely thick mattress topper in a sale. Hubby says he could fry an egg on me at times!

I was off HRT for 3 months and my quality of life went down hill rapidly . I felt sick and my stomach flipped before the hot flush came on , tired and anxious.I would quickly be removing clothes . I’m 61 and had happily taken HRT for 8 years . I went back on it3 days ago and already feel wonderful and sleeping like a log !! . It seems nature forgets us once our child bearing days are done . Quality of life over the risks of Hrt I’m afraid x

knspol that's exactly how I feel - my thermometer has been haywire for 15 years, I'm starting to believe that it will never work properly again.

Almost 70 and still have occasional night sweats and still have hot flushes during the day which leave me dripping. The slightest exertion can bring them on but also experience them when sat doing nothing. Seems my internal thermometer has gone haywire since menopause.

May I suggest that you get your blood sugars checked. When my blood sugars are out of control, this is one of the ways I know.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

I bought a 1 tog Duvet and it works great at night with the hot sweats but I do find during the day when I have a sweat I go very cold after. Honestly you just can't win! Have some Sage in the garden so will try the tea.
Did take HRT but within 10 months found I had breast cancer and will never know if that is what started it off.

I'm 70 now, been suffering for last 17 years. More just hot flushes now as don't get too damp. Makes it incredibly hard to get back to sleep but I like to think that I'm working off the extra calories.
Used to have to get up and walk about until the bed cooled down but now a I use 2 cold gel pads and a hot water bottle filled with cold water. Have noticed how much colder they are now that the weather has cooled. Use gel pad under my head and bottle on my chest.
Will look out for sage tea and maybe grow some next year. Many thanks for the suggestion.

Slightly different as I was 55 but what helped me was drinking sage tea. Steep sage leaves in boiling water add honey if desired and (I wouldn’t say enjoy as it’s not the best taste) take control of the wretched sweats.