12 years of hot sweats!

Hate to tell you this but I still suffer terrible hot sweats - and I went through the menopause over 30 years ago! I too have tried everything so if someone has found something that works I would be very interested!

ideally sophiasnana, you should be over half way. Standard is 10 years coming and 10 years going

soya foods, seeds and nuts

I'm still having hot flushes, mostly at night now. Its been 16 years since I had the menopause.

I’m 20+yrs and I still the occasional night when I have to throw the covers off and I still sleep nude except for pants otherwise it happens every night.

Now can you imagine a hot sweat rising and bringing with it an horrendous migraine ? Because I had that for 10 years and could willingly have thrown myself over the sea wall.
I was taking 4 paracetamol in one go which gave relief for a couple of hours but made me dozy----and I was working too.

I am so glad I chose not to go through the menopause.

My generation has had the benefit of the pill for contraception then when our oestrogen is used up we have simply replaced it.
The benefits of choosing not to go through the menopause are numerous but mainly related to the long term health effects of oestrogen replacement. Reduced chances of osteoporosis, vaginal atrophy, heart disease, stroke, dementia, mood changes, loss of libido, sleep disturbances, incontinence, osteoarthritis etc.
Sad that this is not explained to women approaching the menopause.

My doctor prescribed a low dose blood pressure tablet and this has helped tremendously. Years of sweats at all times of the day and night were terrible.

HRT is not for everyone, and think you’re wise not to just jump into it as a quick fix. My doctor says it doesn’t always get rid of the hot flashes anyway. Many women say they’re just generally hotter all the time, me included, after menopause starts, and probably for a few years after. Is it ruining your quality of life, or is it just annoying? I personally wouldn’t even consider HRT unless it was the latter.

I meant the former...sorry!?

It is not a quick fix for hot flushes Toadinthehole. It is replacement of the hormone which is essential to ensure that you are protected from the many medical problems resulting from oestrogen deficiency. I’ve listed the ones I can think of in an earlier post 14:01:31. I’m most concerned about osteoporosis. All my friends on HRT have avoided this. Those who never did are all showing the signs or have had it diagnosed.
Yes for some women it is contraindicated but they are an extremely small percentage.

Appreciate that Esspee, but in the same vein, I know of people it doesn’t suit at all. Your friends on HRT may never have developed osteoporosis anyway. You have no way of knowing. I respect your decisions, but for me, menopause is a natural transition, not an illness. If however, you did feel very ill, it would be worth considering. Like I said, it’s about quality of life.

I am 74 and had my last period at age 50. I still have night and day sweats! However, I had no other menopausal problems like mood swings etc., so never considered HRT. I have heard that when you stop taking it the symptoms will still hit.
I hope you learn to live with the sweats as I have

Esspee, I stopped HRT because it gave me frontal headaches.

I’ve had hot flushes for 9 years and counting. Some days they are worse than others and I can’t remember the last time I slept through. I’ve never had the horrible debilitating sweats that some have, but night after night of disturbed sleep does take it’s toll on you. My Doctor says ‘it’s a natural process’ and to just go with it.? I’ve just learned to live with them and accept that they may never go.

I'm a member of the hot flush club too. Sorry no advice but you have my sympathy. No one tells you about this nor becoming a St Barbara or having to live in Saint Clabbert's Hospital if my hands get passed level 6.

Eighteen years since my hysterectomy. Having felt the cold for the first 50yrs of life my Hot flushes started that same day as the op. Still occur but they are not nearly as bad. Never manage to sleep through the night and require a fan on all night summer or winter. Unfortunately not able travel HRT.

Sophiasnana I sympathise, I'm the same, although not every night. My periods only stopped 2 years ago, at the age of 59!
I wear knickers and a vest top in bed, my duvet is 4.5 tog, all year round, and I have to keep throwing that off throught the night (probably 4 nights a week).

My friend (62) hasn't had periods for 10 years but had been having the proper wet sweats. Her GP prescribed Citalopram (antidepressant) for it, and she hasn't had a problem since.

Strangely enough Alexa HRT is often prescribed to treat headaches and migraine. Pills can give you headaches but they are not prescribed much nowadays. Transdermal methods are better all round.

Last period at 46 and still at 70 doing the on/off duvet routine most nights, despite open windows and a 4.5 duvet all year round. Occasionally there’s respite fora couple of weeks and I think surely it’s all over but no, it all begins again! Sleep deprivation has been wearing me down for years now.

shysal

I am 74 and had my last period at age 50. I still have night and day sweats! However, I had no other menopausal problems like mood swings etc., so never considered HRT. I have heard that when you stop taking it the symptoms will still hit.
I hope you learn to live with the sweats as I have

Thankfully I will not be stopping. Many of us take it for life.

I too was given an antidepressant for hot flushes. It works. Worth asking your GP .

Sophiasnana, when I was 50, I asked my mother (then 77) how long the hot sweats go on for. Her reply?

'I still get them, even now, they're such a nuisance and you never get used to them!'

Esspee, the natural changes of menopause (although very uncomfortable) are just that - natural.

The resulting lower hormone levels can't be described as a 'deficiency'!

I doubt that you can take HRT for life. You'll have to come of it at some point, perhaps in your 90s - so better now than later!

Yes, agree Hetty, we deal with symptoms younger for a reason, would hate to do it in old age.