Night sweats & hot flushes
Night sweats & hot flushes Hi all,
This is my first post, although I have been reading other peoples posts since I was diagnosed in October last year. I’ve had 8 horrible cycles of chemo to shrink the tumour (4 x AC, 4 x taxotere) and had a lumpectomy with sentinel node biopsy two weeks ago. I had some hot flushes and night sweats during chemo but they seem to have gotten worse now I’ve finished. I sleep with a towel on my pillow and even have the chillow which is no good for my head because I’m bald and it feels too cold! Has anyone tried anything else that would help, it’s driving me crazy, I can’t get a decent nights sleep. I’m 35 so am hoping this is not the “proper” menopause. Any words of wisdon would be greatly appreciated!
Rashpal
Melting the polar ice cap single handedly Hi
Have you done a site search? I have blathered on, on a couple of occasions, on this topic. Latest was last week.
Let me know if you can’t find the thread and I’ll blather again.
Dahlia
possibility Hi Rashpal
Yes I have hot flushes at night and in the day…I think it may be the menopause as they mentioned it at my first chemo, but I am going to ask my onc next time I visit for my last chemo.
I have only had 1 period at the beginning of chemo
Lucy
X
Hi
Have you been put on anything to preserve your ovaries? I have been having Zoladex injections to shut down the ovary function. I have had the same chemo as you (last one tomorrow …Hurrah!) and I have been having hot flushes I have put this down to the zoladex rather than the chemo…I may be wrong though. My hot flushes are worst in the evening just before bedtime, fortunately my son is in bed then as I have to strip off and throw my wig off! When I have them in bed, I just tend to throw off the covers and I sleep with windows open. But i agree that they are awful! i doubt that at 35 you would be going through the ‘proper’ menopause. I am 41 and expecting periods etc to return, but then will have to go through all this again in a few years time. What a bummer!
Anyway take care, here’s wishing you a cool nights sleep,
Nicky X
thanks Hiya
Thanks for all your advice!
Dhalia I can’t find the thread (I blame my chemo brain), could you re-post please?
Rashpal
x
Zoladex Hi Nicky,
No I wasn’t offered Zoladex, in fact I didn’t even know about it until my peer support contact told me about it! Onc said it was too late to be put on it so I’m hoping that my ovaries are still ok.
Thanks for the advice and well done on nearly finishing your chemo!
Rashpal x
Hot flushes night sweats etc. Hello rashpal
I’ve had the same problem although less so during the day; they say some exercise might help. I cycled 20 miles last evening - it did NOT help.
Anyway, I opted for an oophorectomy earlier this year and therefore changed from Tamoxifen to Arimidex and was told this MAY help with the flushes i.e. the drugs, not the op. I can confirm the change of drugs has made NO difference. Not to be negative but just factual. I take Evening Useless Primrose Oil, Sage the size of a horsepill and at least 12 x 25mg of Clonidine per day and I still feel ready to self combust. Seems to be, or at least feels, worse when dressed decently to go out somewhere!! I was at a talk yesterday afternoon in a very chilly village hall, my feet were like blocks of ice and I thought “where’s a hot flush when you need one?!”, well like buses and policemen, sure enough three came along one after the other.
I have two chillows and during the day use one against my back in the office which helps a bit but could no way sleep with one although some people can tolerate sleeping on them all night!
A BCC peer supporter, I met at a BCC event some months ago, found a “cure” in Mulla Mulla - an Australian Bush Flower Essence, just Google it. The jury is still out but worth a try and it does not contain any plant oestrogens.
One thing I didn’t try was a 2 week prescription, from the guy who did my oophorectomy, for Progesterone - might be worth giving it a “whirl”.
Lastly, but not least, I have seen threads on here before where Effexor has been mentioned as helping to some extent. I have previously heard that some antidepressants have this effect so your GP may be willing to explore this a little further.
It amazes me that with all the chemicals we have access to these days, no one can help with something that would improve quality of life enornously.
Although chemo triggered the menopause I can honestly say that once I’d gone through it (overnight!) the chemo made no difference either way to the flushes and sweats. I hate 'em!
Good luck
D
For Plinkplonk I totally sympathise with you - I was exactly the same 17 years ago and got some relief from the sweating by taking Pro-Banthine - check out Pro-Banthine and excessive sweating on Google - my oncologist had never heard of it but my husband is a wise old GP and I have to say it did stop the actual sweat dripping off me 24/7 but gave me a dry mouth.
I started chewing gum and still have the habit. Now I have had a recurrence in the same breast and am on Arimidex and even at 68 am still getting flushes thought not nearly as bad as before. You have to get Pro-Banthine from a doctor. Do let us know how you get on.
For Olivia07 Dear Olivia
I’m taking 4 Clonidine 3 or 4 times a day - depending on the state of my memory. It’s not a huge help but the daytime flushes aren’t half as bad the evening/night affairs.
May I ask if the Pro-Banthine is just taken once per day or is it several times a day? I’m wondering if it’s something that could just be taken last afternoon to address the evening/night problems? I’m a bit fed up with the number of pills I’m rattling around with.
I cannot blame the Arimidex as they started months before I was taking that.
Regards
D
Pro-Banthine Dahlia - it was 17 years ago and I think I took 2 at night but check with your doctor. I hate taking pills too but it has now become routine morning and evening. It really worked for me even though I still got hot but did not sweat. Let me know how you get on.