DRENCHING NIGHT SWEATS

[Missus835]

Hi all. It's 3 AM here in Nova Scotia and I'm having yet another night sweat. Everything drenched. Even pillow. This is ongoing for about 2 weeks. Awakens me. Pred was increased by GP just over a month ago. At 19 mg. down from 20. I'm also on a beta blocker, Metoprolol and Perindopril. Take my Pred at bedtime which has worked well for me. These sweats seem to be at the exactly same time nightly. Bedroom is cold. Tonight's seems to be the worst yet. Also take Tylenol 3 during the day, but none after supper. Could it be Covid or Takayatsu's? Also screamimg tinnitus has ramped up day and night. Thoughts please. Should I discuss with Rheumy as have phone consult later this morning. Never night sweats before except during menopause years ago. This is every night. TIA.

[123-go]

You may have had your telephone consultation by the time you see this reply but if you haven’t yes, you should talk to your rheumy about night sweats and tinnitus. They may be medication connected but possible signs of something else going on. I would advise that you don’t miss this opportunity.

A tip that you may have thought of but just in case, do write down your questions so that you don’t forget anything. Best wishes- hope all goes well.

[Missus835 in reply to 123-go]

Thanks. I've got all I can think of written down. Hopefully she will have time. She's not been the most involved rheumy. Thank the gods for this forum.

[123-go in reply to Missus835]

I expect you will have had the conversation by now. Please let us know the outcome.

[piglette]

Always mention things that worry you to your doctors. I had terrible sweats when I first started steroids. They were just awful. When I told my rheumie he just laughed!

[Missus835 in reply to piglette]

Hi Piglette, early days on Pred I also had sweats which were mostly hot flashes. These are different. Does awaken me. Everything is completely drenched. It could be Pred related as GP put me up to inital starting dose for a flare. I will be calling her as well this morning. Thank you.

[piglette in reply to Missus835]

In my case the hot flushes had stopped by about 10mg. It will be interesting to see what your GP says. Hopefully they do not just laugh like my rheumie!!

[Missus835 in reply to piglette]

I'll keep you posted Piglette.

[123-go in reply to piglette]

Rude! Disrespectful! Unprofessional!

[piglette in reply to 123-go]

I packed him in fairly soon after that!

[piglette]

👍👍

[Missus835 in reply to piglette]

See my reply to Pro below about the phone consult.

[piglette in reply to Missus835]

Looks like your rheumy follows the same path as my rheumy only more so. What a total disaster, who knows nothing about steroids. Frightening. I hope at least they apologised for the lateness.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Such drenching sweats need medical advice and even a primary will do, possibly better than the rheumy. They should be regarded as a red flag symptom.

[Missus835 in reply to PMRpro]

The Rheumy was 3.5 hrs late. Rushed me thru the call. "All my problems are Pred related." New tapering schedule: Drop immediately to 15 mg. from 19 for a week then to 12.5 for a week, then to 10 for a week, then 1 mg per month after that. Fixated she was. The sweats she doesn't know. The boils and the yeast infection in my groin - pred related. Tried to explain that I think another vertebrae has let go - Pred. Today I can just barely walk without feeling my back is about to cave in. She doesn't feel my PMR is active and she certainly isn't going to get another TAB. Going by my blood markers. I said well the pred is controlling the CRP. I asked what about the ESR. Well she said, we go by the CRP. I asked about an ultasound just to rule out GCA. She said I don't think we do that here instead of finding out. Thank the gods I see my GP on Thursday and bloods on Friday. Thanks Pro.

[SheffieldJane]

I had awful sweats at the beginning of my PMR, literally dripping off my face as I went about my daily life. I managed it with products aimed at menopausal women ie cooling pillow slips, headbands with crystals that cooled in the fridge, a good freestanding fan in the bedroom. The symptom wore off as I lowered my Pred dose and got used to the drug.

I get the occasional tinnitus symptom. Nothing like your “ screaming tinnitus”. I would be inclined to see my GP about this as they are better versed in side effects in my experience, it may be that you need an ENT referral to have it investigated.

[Missus835 in reply to SheffieldJane]

Yes Jane . I agree about the referral to ENT. It also could be attributed to winter allergies. The sweats are concerning, but will see how it goes as I reduce back down. Weren't even like this during menopause. The cooling pillow slips sound amazing, as I do not like a hot pillow. I have a band with little cooling pods in it which I will put in the fridge at bedtime just in case. I see GP on Thursday and will run all this by her. Thanks for your reply; always good to hear from you. xx

[HeronNS]

Have you tried listing your most uncomfortable symptoms and asking Dr Google? Don't tell your real doctor you've done this 😉 but you might get some information which could help in your discussion with her. Possibly things which seem unrelated are in fact cause and effect. In any event I doubt everything relates to pred, although it's immune-dampening effect could have made matters worse. I sure hope you feel better soon, you've had more than your share of bad luck with health lately.

I remember back in 2014 listing all my symptoms and asking Dr Google and it came up with PMR which, because it had to be treated with steroids, I immediately dismissed because I didn't believe I could ever have anything which would need such a serious medication. But months later, of course I discovered it was a correct diagnosis.

[Missus835 in reply to HeronNS]

Oh yes Dr. Google got a list of many symptoms this morning and other times. When I mentioned the possibilities to the Rheumy today, I was immediately dismissed. Many of them were related to some of the meds I'm taking, but it all came round to where pred was the cause of these things and so I have to take the meds. i.e. hypertension, the boils, the yeast infections, etc. I believe it's either the beta blocker or the stomach acid caused by the tight stomach/back muscles (or by the beta blocker itself). I have to take 1/2 beta blocker at 8 PM and I think it doesn't agree with me. It has to be taken with or immediately after food. Must check my theory out with GP on Thursday. Thanks Heron.

[HeronNS in reply to Missus835]

🍀

Glad I don't have to go out today. What a mess out there. CBC radio went off the air (apparently unrelated to storm) but found the station on Eastlink cable. I'm obviously addicted to my morning radio! Take care.

[Flutterbies57]

My head sweats started pre diagnosis of PMR, and long after menopause. They were minor compared to what they are now I’m down to 4mg . It was my first indication that something was not right . My glasses would fog up at night . Would sweats possibly still be related to adrenals?

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Flutterbies57]

Could well be…. Have you any other adrenal insufficiency symptoms -fatigue, lightness etc?

Might be worth mentioning to GP and requesting morning cortisol test…

[Missus835 in reply to Flutterbies57]

Thanks. I'm at 17mg Pred as of last evening. I hope it's not adrenals yet, but will ask GP Thursday. Doesn't hurt to ask.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Missus835]

Pretty unlikely to be low corticosteroid problems at that dose,

[Gangley]

You don't say if you have GCA but when I was on 60 mg prednisone the night sweats were something else. You'll get used to doing a lot of laundry! It was months before the sweats left. Good luck.

[Missus835]

Hi Gangley. No to GCA, but then the rheumy is unwilling to test for it. Going to discuss with GP this afternoon. Thank you.

[Nightingales]

Hi. I also have these drenching night sweats. Luckily, I can move to the other side of the bed! I thought I had become incontinent at first! It has happened occasionally over the course of my seven years with PMR and I never know why. This time it transpired that I have a sinus infection and since antibiotics I haven’t had one. I never have a fever.

[Missus835 in reply to Nightingales]

I had them at the beginning of Pred, but more like hot flashes. I'm 2 years along at this point. However, GP had increased me back to 20 mg. And I'm at 17. I could still have an unrelenting UTI. Like you, I don't usually get fevers. Thanks!