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I've been absent for awhile. But, I'm back with full blown night and day sweats! Whoohoo for me!!

I'm sure I'm not the only person who:

drives down the pike with the A/C on MAX when it's 31 degrees outside.

bought a huge fan so you can cool off in the middle of the night- by remote control

put another fan in the bathroom wo you can blow the sweat off your face while you're putting on your makeup

teach sensitivity to your high school students because you have constant very severe hot flashes

hold open house with parents trying very hard not to throw open every single window in the room and let the snow and wind in on the parents

upon leaving your home, you check not for a few clean kleenex in your purse but for something you can use as an instant FAN

is glad to have an empty nest because you can rip your shirt off when you have a surge

so very glad you live in a secluded area because you can rip your shirt off and[i] stand outside in your bra and pants

getting old....they joy of it all!

doceo wondering where your at on your menopause journey? Last month I have had a night sweat every night and hot flashes everyday. First time it has happen every day and night!
I'm still having periods> will be 50 next month, so thinking menopause will hit soon?
I once read if you where not complaining about hot flashes you where not having them severe enough.

They used to be mild and low on my list!
Not anymore!

I've been having severe hot flashes for about 2 months. I get SEVERAL night sweats a night and day sweats (not flashes- they are sweats). I don't get much sleep at night becuase of this. Sometimes, I've actually taken sleeping pills and been unable to sleep because of them. groan.

I'm hitting 51 in Jan. I can't count on my periods telling me anything b/c I had a hysterectomy a few years ago.

Really, though, I've always heard that I would recognize a hot flash when I have one. Boy is that every true! The very few people I know who have gone through them and have watched me say, "Boy. You've got them bad!" Does that mean I get them bad or that they just didn't get them as bad at all lol.

What I do know is that when I get a flash coming on, I just want to rip my clothes off that very minute!

I keep telling my husband that as long as I can handle the heat, he can stay in the kitchen. lol. Of course, he isn't around me very much because he is in the military many hours away. He recently wrote me an email that said, "[i]I'm so sorry I'm not there to help you through this very difficult time in your life.....what am I saying?! Let me know when they are over!" We're trying very hard to keep our sense of humor through not only our separation but through OUR getting old! LOL

If it helps, mine are more like flushing, and it lasts up to 72 hours non-stop.

Today is day two. We had a rare November snowfall today, with a fairly large accumulation of heavy snow. Some branches must have fallen on the main power lines because our hydro was out 4 to 5 hours.

First time I've been grateful for this all day tropical heat wave of mine.

PS, I'm 54, and still having periods. Wot fun.

When does this let up??!!!!!!! I can't do anything without breaking into a hot flash/flush. I get them anytime I do the slightest bit of movement. I can't walk from the bedroom to the bathroom without breaking into a sweat. I mean I literally cannot do a thing without breaking out into these sweats/flushes and I am going crazy!!! I do not go anywhere unless I absolutely have to as I totally soak through my clothes and I can wring water out of my hair just going to the grocery store. Of course people stare at you like you are nuts. I am on disability for migraines and fibromyalgia and they have put severe limitations on my life. These sweats are like the last straw. They are driving me NUTS!! I have no life because I can't go anywhere. Do other people have the sweats this severely too? AND - how long does this last?

me again.....think I hit a wrong key or something, don't know where my first reply ended up at. I'm very new to this site and not too sure of myself.

Want to say YES! I turn the A/C on too in 30 degree weather....kids think I'm crazy. I think I'm crazy most of the time. Anyway....glad I'm not the only one doing things like this. Just can't take the heat anymore. Even when it's freezing outside

Me too now with sweats!! I think I've had them for quite a while but only realised about a month ago that they were to do with peri/meno. Talk about hot flushes, cold flushes and sweats. How does the body do it!! At night so far (touch wood) my sweats have been limited to being extremely hot and having to through all bed clothes off, then getting cold and putting it back on, on, off, on, off. Drives me nuts! I think I've found its worse after midnight for some reason......worse as it progresses to morning, don't know why. Sweat a lot with it but not buckets like some women. But even doing simple things will have it going....even sitting at the computer.

I wonder what the next symptom will be I think I've gone through nearly all of them, thank god the worst ones are on the way out, (touch wood again ) At least going through them once I know that I survived it the first time, any come back I will not be so stressed about it! I hope!!

Cheers Cheryl

I did that wrong. Oh well blame my meno memory! LOL

Thanks Shop!! I'm not looking forward to summer, thought it may make it worse!
Even now when the days are fairly warm (just in the first few days of summer now) I sweat doing the everyday things, can't imagine what it's going to be like when in the real heat. I will have to keep a fan in my bag for all times I had a hot flush tonight when Hub and I were out to dinner. The first flush in quite awhile he finally realised how hot my face was when he felt it and it wasn't a really HOT flush just a mild. If I had to choose between the two, the sweats are better as they are over in a short time where as the hot flush can last up to 30mins and longer! I wonder why I don't get one or the other how come I get both!!

Ciao Cheryl

Don't know if this will help you...I cut back on caffeine.. We ran out of coffee for a week and 3 days into the week I noticed I did not have my 6 or more hot flash episodes at night - or if I get too hot - like in the shower. I changed to decaf and herbal teas (green teas). Still drink diet cokes (gotta have something) there will probably come a day before its over and I will give that up also, just to have a good nights sleep - hope this info helps someone

are you still going thru these severe surges... I can't do anything!!! I swear I'm going crazy, the sweating is constant sos sos sos

pambob,
I also had the sweating episodes so bad that I couldn't move without being soaking wet. I'd have to stand in front of a fan after my shower so that I could cool off enough to get dressed. Most of the time I didn't even know why I bothered, I was hot again in 5 minutes anyway. This was last summer. I have now been period free for just over a year and I feel so much better. Even in the really hot weather this summer I could move around and not leave puddles. Spraying my arms, face and neck with a little water seemed to help and if I was just going to be at home I would wet my hair in the very warm weather. This seemed to cool me off for awhile too. I know how uncomfortable this is but hang in there, it honestly does seem to get better. Arla.

Yes, I think caffeine is the answer. I would have hot flashes/sweats for a few months, then not have them for a few months, then again for a few months etc. I finally related it to eating chocolate. I don't drink coffee, tea, cola, but after the holidays, I buy candy when it's on sale. As long as I only eat small amts. of chocolate, I seem to be okay.

Hi everyone! I'm new here. I am glad I've come to this forum because now I know why my mother is always having night sweats all the time. I was really bothered by her condition but I'm enlightened now because she was just experiencing "Peri-Menopause". She's going to be 45 years old this year. My mother experienced difficulty in sleeping, either getting to sleep or staying asleep sometimes, cause she's so conscious of the surroundings. And so she gets nervous all the time. We have to be careful with heart problems then.

Thanks a lot! I'm calm now.

Me too....... On off on off, sweat cold sweat cold. having one as I type. Mine have been here for 3 weeks and the lack of sleep is a killer.

Hi all, im new around here, but was suffering terrible night sweats and day hot flush for over 3months, my dr has put me on low dose of prozac 20mg daily ( a lower does than it is used for depression) and within 5 days have had no more night sweats or day flushes .... such a relief to sleep again at night without fan remote in hand and change nitie several times a night and not have to have fan going in winter ... its now been 2months without any sign of even a flash ... hope u all find something to relieve urs too

I have said this on a coupleof other discussions but I am now only experiencing about 5/day and 4 or 5 (day/night sweats) at night instead of every hour now that I have been on Femhrt for 12 days...hope it keeps going down...I finally gave in to HRT after 2 years of experimenting with all sorts of herbal stuff, and other non HRT RX (Bela, and Effexor); they other stuff all worked for awhile, but then stopped...the Evening Primrose actually worked the longest (about 7 weeks without a sweat in sight)...the Effexor worked totally for about 2 weeks then gradually increased to about every 2 hours AND caused severe constipation...so I am off of that now totally as of yesterday (had to go off it gradually for 2 weeks)...

Anyone else tried Femhrt?

I've been on Femhrt for a little over 6 weeks now, and it has been working really well. The hot flashes have virtually disappeared, and I was sleeping much better.

However... the last four nights I have woken up in the middle of the night drenched with sweat
- I mean really drenched!! We have central AC and I don't feel hot when I go to bed. I don't know why this is starting up!

Does anyone have a clue why these horrible night sweats are coming back with a vengence?? What else, besides the obvious, could be causing them?

CherE - hope you are getting better every day!
Di

I knew there must be other people that felt like I did, you have worded it so accurate !!! I was talking to my other half John yesterday and said I wonder what they did in Victorian times with all those clothes on, some of them must have had the same symptoms. Also I thought my Mother would have been able to give me some advice as she is 75 now, but no she says she just went through it !!!! and as she was a switchboard operator and was in a room on her own, she could put up with it, mind you I cannot remember her talking to me about it, I talk to my girls about it, even the Grandchildren say oh Nan are you having a hot sweat again !!!! bless them. But no I can never do my hair nice as no sooner is it done than I am having a power surge (sounds nicer than a hot sweat doesnt it ) and the fringe is all curly instead of straight, I have thought of shaving it all off ........ but then it would probalby be just a wet head, oh no it doesnt even bear thinking about does it ? And also I am finding I would rather stay indo[size="4"][/size]ors (so that I can just throw my clothes off willy nilly), than go out and socialise, how sad is that. Looking forward to speaking with all those women out there in the same boat so to speak.

I've been having terrible hot flashes all day long (for over a month now) and my skin gets clammy....right now I'm sweating. This is just aweful....along with the chronic headache I've had for 17 months.....it's not a joyous time. I feel like crying all the time too. It's been 6 months since my last period. I pray that I get through this soon.

Hugs to all.

I was just told by my 81 year old mother that, although she stopped having periods at 52 (as did my sister) she had hot flashes up until a few years ago!!!!!! I'm going to go jump off a bridge - it's been nice knowing y'all.

Hi
I am new here and have been suffering terribly for the past 7 and a half years, the first few years I had flooding so bad that I ended up having a blood transfusion and iron injections in my back side (ouch!) I thought it would never end but it did eventually just over two years ago to be replaced with night and day sweats and constant headaches, lack of libido, could not sleep because of the constant sweating all night so was terribly tired all the time, no energy, completely depressed and miserable. I tried every herbal remedy in the book even the magnet in the underwear! Nothing worked. Eventually I went to my GP who has put me on a low dose hrt called Kliovance, I have been on it for three weeks (was terrified of it but my quality of life was so awful I had to try it) the sweats have practically dissapeared altogether and I can actually sleep nights! My sex life has returned and I have no sign of a headache, the only draw back at the moment is my tummy is bloated and I have ibs like tummy ache but I am hoping that once my body adjusts to the hormone these side effects will go, I feel so much better in myself, have energy and feel alive again, I know all the risks but there are risks crossing the road and as my GP said how did I know what the constant barage of herbal remedies was doing to me long term as they are not monitored. So I wish you well as I know what you are going through and I hope you are near the end, but my GP did say that some women still have them into there 80's and they don't really know why. I know that eventually I will have to come off it as she only wants me to be on it short term (upto 2 years) but I will cross that bridge when I come to it, for the moment I have a life back and I intend to enjoy it.

Hugs to all

Dear Fultime,

Seven years, god bless you. I have only been having sweats and flashes for the past two years and am totally over them. Today before I left home for work I decided to visit my doc to see what she may suggest - obviously she will say hrt. I would prefer to go natural but not sure if I can push through these awful sweats/flashes. I see photos of women like Helen Mirram and Sophia Loren and wonder how on earth they did it. I would love to know their secret!

Dear mummacass
Add me to the list of wanting to know just how women like Helen Mirram and Sophia Loren did it!! (insert extreme envy here)

It has been a year for me of heavy duty hot flashes = Power Surges.... and night sweats.......I tried a menopausal support remedy which included black cohosh and soy isolflavone and it worked really well for a few months. The past few months have been a real misery of hot flashing 3-4X per hour....and the night time is a twisted joke with equally twisted covers.......sweating and freezing......covers on - covers off - covers on - covers off.

I am on day one of another herbal remedy that I discovered at the health food store......I have my fingers and toes.....and my eyes for good measure....CROSSED!!

Make sure you research HRT REALLY well ......ask your Dr oodles of questions......Good luck to you and all of us....going through this roller coaster ride.

CHEERS !!
Dottie

Dear Dottie,

Hrt scares the hell out of me. But these power surges are begining to get on top of me. I time everyting I do around them. If I feel like nipping around the corner for lunch ( I work full time) I wait till a pwr surge finishes then I'm off. I know I have about 1/2 an hour before the next one hits. Lunch is quick. Night time same as you. The whole to do seems to be controlling my life. I do believe that perhaps sometimes I make things worst for myself, tomorrow here is expected to be about 34deg C (abt 93F) and I am begining to panic already thinking about the heat. Must say one thing I really enjoy is the cold, freezing feel after a power surge.

good luck...I finally gave in to Femhrt for the same reasons...my 'episodes' were ever 5 to 30 min!...well, the Femhrt actually did stop the flashes and then finally the sweats but I was so awfully bloated, constipated (I have IBS-C any way and this plus the Effexor I had been on made it totally impossible for me to 'go') so I went off it...4 weeks later still dealing with the severe constipation and bloating...finally went to the gastroenterologist yesterday who 'cleared' me out...the sweats and flashes haven't returned (yet) so I am praying that I get a long reprieve from them...but feel like they are creeping back...CherE

I'm interested to keep a check on the 'how long will I have hot flushes' question. I had a few here and there until recently and now it's really getting intense day and night . The answers seem to indicate that it could be anything from a few months to thirty or so years ! It seems to be a 'how long is a piece of string' type of question. Incidentally I know someone who had hot flushes that went on and on and she stopped eating a food she was allergic to, wheat I think, and they stopped. I'm going to try stopping coffee and chocolate and see if that helps and will report back. Do they tend to come and go since some night are not as bad as others and I begin to hope that maybe they are stopping? Glad you are all here to 'talk' to about this .

quote name=Simba 2 date=Oct 4th
Sycamore, this is the question I too would love to have the answer to. I wish we could throw a lot more research at it. I wonder if we women who are suffering are being forgotten. I have been having bad hot flushes and sweats at night for three years since my periods stopped. Most days I wonder how long they are going to go on for and for how much longer I can stand them, they are so wearing. You never know when you are going to hit by one and when they hit me I just feel I need to flee the room! One friend said to me yesterday she had them for five years. I have heard horror stories of them going on longer. I have a couple of friends who dont seem to have had them. It seems that oestrogen can relieve them but then if you cant get a HRT to suit you, you are back with them again. In the UK it seems the recommendation is to take HRT for no more than five years but then when you stop the symptoms can often return. How utterly confusing and depressing this all is. Sorry not to be able to be more positive Sycamore but I am feeling baffled!

Dear mummacass
By the way I always think of the Mama's & The Papa's when I think of your name

HRT scare the heck out of me too. BUT there are days when I say...."Let me at 'em" ...My mother had a complete hysterectomy in her 40's ....back in the 70's and she was put on HRT. She took them for TWENTY YEARS!! She is fit as a fiddle, looks to be in her 50's.....and I say we all gang up on her

I know that there alot of scary stories out there about HRT's, AD's et al. For the record I am not taking anything 'modern' at this point for my extreme hotflashes.....anxiety is another story though. Anyway......I think.... as has been pointed out on numerous occasions....everyone is different....and everyone re-acts differently to different medications. I think THE most important thing before you decide to take ANY medication ...is to have your DR. do a full blood work up and thoroughly discuss with the patient ALL and ANY problems that they are experiencing.

I have been taking these new vitamin supplements for a few days now for my hot flashes....and so far......so good. I have noticed that they are not as frequent....and not as intense. I actually slept right though the night last night! Holy Toledo Batman!!

I am dismayed to hear that these 'surges' can last 5 years.......can I start crying now?
Hugs to us all as we inadvertantly add to Global Warming with our Collective Heat!!
Cheers
Dottie

Dottie...what are the vitamin supplements that you are taking? Cher