Night sweats: Hello, I’m now 66, so well... - PBC Foundation

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Night sweats

Wingding profile image
20 Replies

Hello,

I’m now 66, so well through the menopause but still experience incessant night sweats and spend the night throwing my duvet off, then getting chilled and pulling it back over me. This happens throughout the night, consequently I never feel rested by the morning.

Interestingly when I (frequently) go back to bed for a snooze in the afternoon, my temperature remains even.

Does anyone have any experience or advice re this please?

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Wingding profile image
Wingding
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20 Replies
suemanz profile image
suemanz

Hi I am 61 and diagnosed in July last year. I have trouble with sleeping and sweating(but not as bad as you sound) I went through menopause at 56 with hot flushes etc. Mine come and go. Gone for months then come back. I find my feet are the worst at night. They feel like they are on fire they feel do hot. Like you hot then cold. My GI said it can be PBC related. And like you during the afternoon I fall asleep easily but struggle for hours some nights. Plus up 3 to 4 times a night weeing. So no good sleep ever. I feel for you

June9961 profile image
June9961

Hi, I am 63 and been through the menopause too. I suffered really bad symptoms and was put on to hormone patches. Since then I have tried to come off them but each time I do the night sweats return and it's quite bad. I am still on the patches but still suffer from a milder form of the sweating. My gastro and gynae think its to do with my PBC. I just wish I could stop using the patches, although they are not concerned because I am on a low dose oestrogen only patch.

loufish profile image
loufish

Hi menopausal hot flushes can last for years even afterwards you have been through it.

L

teddybear7 profile image
teddybear7

I'm 57 & experience exactly the same. They checked my hormones & everything just been told it's all part of it. & I must add they feel totally different to the ones during the change. Xx

AmandaSlater profile image
AmandaSlater

I am 58 and the same , menopause over years ago but night sweats still here and yes I agree with teddybear7 , they are different to the ones during the change

Hi, Yes at 64 Iam the same it does seem better sometimes than others but never been able to pinpoint why. I often thought maybe Iam getting this instead of the itch during some process that the liver does at night. . My doctors were no help at all. They are a bit different to the change at that time I suffered really badly and used HRT.

Liverette profile image
Liverette

I’m 51 and went through early menopause at 45, and my hot flashes and night sweats have not stopped. They are little better during the winter months, but excessive during summer, especially humid days. My doctor told me that they could last 10 years, and some women have them for the rest of their lives.

badpiglet profile image
badpiglet

Menopause hell. Wish I could say I've found the Holy Grail of solutions but sadly I haven't :( At least the sweats aren't every 20 mins through the night like they were in the beginning for me. Now every night is slightly different but the one flush/sweat I hate above all others is the one that gets you about 30 seconds - 1 minute just after you're dropping off to sleep. It makes you feel so sick.

The things I do are probably things you've already tried but here they are just in case: Bedroom a degree or so colder than you would like and no heating coming on in the middle of the night. Bath or shower before bed tepid and not hot. Quietest fan ready for the bad times (floor-standing Dyson on setting 1 is pretty good). Investing in 2-3 layers of very light pure down 2 tog duvets and throwing out all the 9 togs and even the 4 togs. Wicking cool sheets & pillow cases. Tying up or getting your hair out of the way.

And the best thing I could never do without now - Chillows or cool pads instead of pillows. Brilliant. I think Chillows may have stopped trading but you can get the cool pads in several different forms including big pads for dog beds. Great when you feel the lovely coolness on the join between your neck and back of your head.

SimbaTutor profile image
SimbaTutor

I am 61 and also have trouble with this. I was diagnosed in 2014 w/ PBC and my gastro stopped the HRT I had used for 10 years immediately. The nightime hot flashes vary in intensity and in their frequency. In addition, I have trouble with temperature variability in the early evening. I tend to get chilled about 6 pm and keep a jacket close year round. I eat a light snack about 9 pm; sometimes that warms me up before bedtime. I use a pillow with a cool gel side in the summer and sleep with a fan on the lowest setting to help manage the swings. For me, tossing off the covers for a few minutes, then covering back up allows me to go back to sleep usually. Life with PBC is challenging. Although it sounds funny, I seem to have less instances when I sleep with light socks on my feet and I drank plenty of water to be hydrated that day. Blessings and grace to all who struggle with these idiosyncrasies of PBC.

shaza1966 profile image
shaza1966 in reply to SimbaTutor

Hi SimbaTutor, i am interested to know why your Gastro stopped your HRT as soon as you were diagnosed, as my hematologist actually told me that it was a good idea for me to go on HRT , as pbc can cause osteoporosis . I recently had my dexa scan done and all is well with my bones .

SimbaTutor profile image
SimbaTutor in reply to shaza1966

He said the HRT meds were hard on the liver, so wanted them stopped immediately. I had just started bp meds, lost the HRT and added 900 mg urso twice a day. So many changes so quickly threw my body into a tailspin. I struggled with dizziness, extreme fatigue, return of night sweats, mental confusion, and short temper; it was hard to know what was side effects from new meds and what was loss of hrt after 10 years. I survived and gradually regained balance with the help and guidance of my "wizard" who is a chiropracter/kinesiologist with a background in biochemistry. He helped me understand the necessity of daily rest, sufficient water intake, and a good diet with lots of fresh vegetables. After years of focusing on others, I had to learn to take care of myself each day now before I can help my special ed students. I got a good report for my bone scan in 2016 so I am ok there. I am glad you got a good report also.

shaza1966 profile image
shaza1966 in reply to SimbaTutor

Hi SimbaTutor thank you for the prompt reply . My regular GP decided that the best way to do the HRT was wearing the patch instead of tablet form so that it does not pass through my Liver. I first went on them till i had my dexa scan done and having had a dexa scan back in 2005 and then again in 2017 they told me that there was no change in my bone density all was good so weighing up the side effects of HRT i decided to come off it , as the less going into my body the better . The GP agreed with me to stop the HRT as long as i could cope with the symptoms of the menopause, and walked out of her surgery with her saying good luck . WELL low and behold 4 months later i was at the surgery asking for the patches as i could not cope with the constant sweats one minute i was cold next minute i was burning up with the heat inside me ,making me feel dizzy and sick . Life with this debilitating pbc disease takes its toll on me everyday and having the menopause on top of that is just too much . I can cope with so much but not everything . I am also pleased to hear you also got a good bone scan result . Take care

bobbycat profile image
bobbycat

Yes at 68 I get either very hot or very cold! My feet are freezing and the rest of me warm! My menopause at 50. went quite well in terms of flushes and I had PBC then..have had it for 24 years and only three years ago I went to stage 1 cirhossis and now stage 2. I have osteoporosis and am on tablets....so many tablets now I need a big size pill box!

Cyndylouwho profile image
Cyndylouwho

Sorrry for delayed response but yours didn’t come thru until today. Gotta love gmail! Anywho I am 62 n I was doing great with no night sweats for a decade then this last year it started. I am the same as you one moment I am hot n the next I get chilled. I have to change pjs in the middle of the night. I don’t know if it is related to the condition but it is on my to be asked list. Doesn’t happen during a nap. Go figure.

shaza1966 profile image
shaza1966 in reply to Cyndylouwho

Hi Cyndylouwho, i am wondering also if pbc like fibromyalgia can't keep control of our body temperature i go through about 10 To 20 episodes a day of hot and chilled spells i will be interested to hear if anybody that not going through the menopause has this symptom . I also will be asking my hematologist in June when i go to see him .

gwillistexas profile image
gwillistexas in reply to shaza1966

Hello. I am also on the American Liver Foundations fb Page. The lady who headscit up, posted an article a while back that the liver causes overheating. I didn’t read all of it as I don’t have that problem.

gwillistexas profile image
gwillistexas

I looked back st the link I mentioned this morning. It said dysfunctional liver can cause overheating.

shaza1966 profile image
shaza1966 in reply to gwillistexas

Hi gwillistexas, i hope your well as you can be with this awful disease. Thank you so much for letting me know and others , much appreciated . take care kind regards

gwillistexas profile image
gwillistexas in reply to shaza1966

I seem to be doing well for now. I have labs again in April. So far Ocaliva has done me well. You’re welcome, and thank you!

kingsnorth profile image
kingsnorth

Interesting posts l posted this morning about night sweats im getting im 67 and now know that its common. Im still on HRT and my consultant said it was fine to carry on taking it she never suggested patches but im allergic to them anyway sadly

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