Night sweats

[Stripecat]

I am 62 with MF and wondering how u can tell the difference between a night sweats and menopausal hot flushes

[JediReject]

Hi Stripecat, , this struck a chord with me because when first diagnosed MF I had terrible night sweats obviously I wasn't in any way menopausal but my wife was perimenopausal not long after and some nights our room was like a sauna with the both of us burning up but in slightly different ways. I used to pour with sweat, mainly head, torso /back and often washed and changed, even the top bed sheet needed changing if it r my wife didn't wake me in time. It didnt seem to last long and usually once every few nights. And it started the dreaded itching off of course.

My wife was hot but generally not enough to need a wash there and then or a change. And it lasted much longer. I used to joke with her that it was a good job there wasn't a male menopause because I'd dehydrate completely and be nearly flat by morning.

I guess the answer to your question is that in most cases it will be hard to tell them apart because I often used to burn up (and still do a little) but without the sweating but I'm sure you'll know if you suffer both simultaneously.

Hope your MF is stable. Regards - Chris

[Elizka]

Hi,

I was never able to determine if it was PV or menopause for my night sweats. And my HEM said it was probably menopause even thought I'm post menopausal, and my hormone doctor said it was the PV.

What saved me was using a chili pad/Chili Sleep system: chilisleep.com

It's a pad or mattress cover that controls the temperature of the top of the bed.

I keep mine at 68 or lower during the summer.

I almost never have night sweats anymore. Could also be just where I'm at 64, which is well past menopause issues or the chili pad. That said, it is well proven that sleeping in cooler rooms aides in better sleep.

[beetle]

I’m not sure if there is any difference in the mechanics of an MPN or menopausal hot flush. At 72 I can only conclude that mine must be from the MF although I do hear of friends of a similar age and no MPN having the odd flush every now and againMy flushes have become something of a joke because I more often than not get one at 9.50 every evening - almost to the point of setting a clock by them! Totally bizarre! It has to have something to do with circadian rhythms but to be that accurate is weird. I usually get one within 5 minutes of waking up in the morning to but hormonal changes as we wake up could account for those.

Like others have said mine mostly affect the upper torso and head but sometimes I feel almost faint with the intensity of them. When I had ET a hot flush would also cause actual pain in my toes too. I think I need to leave my body to medical science because of the weird and wonderful things it seems to do if its own accord! 😂😂

[21Rosie]

The hot flushes are a nightmare for me too !Anytime of day and during the night as well.

Such a physical gut deep uncomfortable feeling before breaking out in a sweat. At 70 I’m well past menopause !

I haven’t heard of others suffering with this and wasn’t sure if it was PV or Pegasys ?

I’ve taken to carrying those little twist fans in case of it happening when out.

Happy that my husband doesn’t get them 😂😂

[Murdoch01 in reply to 21Rosie]

I am 72 and have the same, I find it worse than the menopausal hot flushes I used to get 😩

[NedKel65]

Hi there I am 56 and have ET/ PV I experience hot flushes/ night sweats after much complaining and further blood tests it was determined to be hormonal / menopause and have been on HRT patches for the last 2 months , flushes have minimised but still get them now and then which is better than 20-30 per day/ night !

[ciye]

My nightsweats are horrific, 61 so still menopausal. Have tried hrt patches everol oestrogen patches I thought they helped, gp stopped then and gave me combined patch which I stopped as I was having scary palpitations. Now she is reluctant to prescribe any as she feels we should concentrate on necessary meds, not life enhancing ones.Quite frankly quantity of life without quality seems daft. Got appointment end of the month to discuss hrt again after watching Davina I am going to push for it again. It may not help as nightsweats are a mpn symptom, but it just might.

[soomoo in reply to ciye]

I completely understand your predicament. I'm 51 with mf post et and menopausal on highest dose oestrogel and progesterone. I experience atleast two a night. I've been told it's menopausal and am due to change my hrt. I like the sound of the chill toppers and pillows.Good luck with your hrt consultation.

[Wyebird]

Hi ( I’m 66 ET Calr) I think I have suffered 1 MPN night sweat it was awful. I was hot and sweaty all over and had burning sensation from the inside out. I tried various things. A cold wash did nothing. I couldn’t cool down at all. I took some paracetamol it was enough to drift me back to sleep.

[Hopetohelp]

I went through the menopause around age of 42 with hot flushes starting from waist and rising upwards. They can occur if I wake up in the night, or do they wake me up? Always one when I wake up in the morning and often get one shortly after laying down to go to sleep. Head and chest get damp but not soaking. Bed remains ok. So like you I wonder if they are now still flushes after 18 years or should I answer yes the next time a medical team member asks me if I have night sweats? The one time I said yes we discussed it and my nurse decided it was hot flushes as he said the bed would be wet and I would need to change my nightwear if it was a night sweat. My Gp said her Mum still had hot flushes from a young age and was in mid 60’s. Guess her Mum didn’t have an mpn with a Gp as a daughter. I wonder why they put importance of having night sweats

[Minu68]

I think my MPN sweats are more all over my body, whereas the menopause ones are more upper body only. Obviously I don't know for certain....but I've had the night sweats for over 10 years, and the menopause started around 3 years ago for me when I was 51.The menopause hot flushes don't always have sweat with them, it can be just this inner heat. The MPN night sweats are my whole body - I have a photo of my body sweat imprint on the bed from head to toe, drenching sweats from head to toe. The menopause ones are mainly upper body and face sweating for me.

HRT has helped reduce the sweat amount, not so often whole body, not so often overheating during the day

[BeachNJ]

Hi!I have PV, diagnosed 4 years ago. I went through early onset menopause and wondered the same thing about the sweating. My experience has been that it's related to PV because when I was taking Pegasys I didn't have the same sweating. Now that I'm off of the Pegasys I have the sweating again.

Best of luck to you!