night sweats
I am 40 years old and have been having terrible night sweats for over a year now.I had a urine sample done 5 months ago which was fine.I also have a lump on my inside thigh my doctor never really took much notice of this and said i had just damaged my tendon?I get to sleep straight away as i am normally falling asleep around 10pm,but wake up after roughly 4-5 hours felling like i am burning inside but am freezing.I only generally go to my GP probably once a year and find it difficult to explain how i feel to my GP she is not very approachable.I am not on any medications and was sterilised 15 years ago.I am getting so fed up of having to change bedding and the sweats make me feel sick as the smell is horrible like vinegar?Iam hoping you could give me some advice thanks.
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Hi, Anon, and thank you so much for your question.
Night sweats are usually a sign of perimenopause or menopause itself. Do you sometimes have hot flashes during the day as well?
By "sterilized" you mean you had your tubes tied, right? But you are still having periods and you haven't had a hysterectomy, is that right?
It sounds like you need an appointment with a gynecologist who can figure out whether you are experiencing perimenopause. Here is the Mayo Clinic's list of symptoms for these years before menopause -- do any of them sound familiar to you besides the night sweats?
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/perimenopause/DS00554/DSECTION=symptoms
It may be much easier to talk to an ob/gyn than it is to talk to your regular GP about this. You may have thought that since you were done having children that you didn't need an ob/gyn, but that's not true; our female bodies have a lot of things we want to keep tabs on in our forties and beyond! Your gynecologist can order blood tests and saliva tests to see what your levels of estrogen, progesterone and FSH are, and tell whether you are low. You can talk with her about whether some kind of natural hormone replacement would help with your symptoms.
Is this possible for you to do? If you need help finding a gynecologist, just let us know where you live and we'll see what we can find for you.
I just want you to know that I also experienced night sweats when I was around 40 (I'm 43 now), and realized that I was in the midst of perimenopause. I was also having other related issues, such as really heavy periods. So my gynecologist put me on a birth control pill, and the night sweats and other symptoms magically disappeared.
I think the key here is getting your hormones checked to see what your levels are. Definitely have someone take a closer look at the lump on your leg -- it will make you feel better, rather than just being brushed off by a doctor who obviously isn't really listening to you. There are plenty of good, easily approachable doctors out there who will be genuinely interested in your well-being. Doesn't sound like you're seeing one of those now.
I only generally go to my GP probably once a year and find it difficult to explain how i feel to my GP she is not very approachable.I am not on any medications and was sterilised 15 years ago.
mcafee antivirus
I can relate to what you're saying as I regularly experience the similar. My GP said there was no pei-menopausal activity following a blood test but my periods last 2-3 days now instead of 5, so I'm sure something is going on... I dread any emotional aspects of the menopause as I often suffer horrendous PMT. I have found that changing my diet to a low GI one has no only helped with the overall symptoms, but helped with weight and mood swings. I'm told some tablets (menopace health shop) are helpful. Good luck... Angie :-) (PS - I'm 44...
Hi, Angie,
If you are 44 and are experiencing some changes in your periods, weight and mood swings, you are certainly in perimenopause, and it certainly is affecting your hormones. I am wondering whether your GP is totally up to date on all the ways our fluctuating hormone levels can affect us? Do you have a gynecologist? If not, I would completely recommend that you get one, because this is their specialty and they are there to help us stay healthy throughout our lives, not just when we are pregnant or having a baby. And if you do have an ob/gyn, make an appointment with her or him and ask to have your hormone levels tested again. Tell her or him all your symptoms and talk about your progress with the low GI diet (I'm very interested in this!). You shouldn't have to feel your way through this on your own.
Please write back and update us. We're very interested =)