# Nightsweats - stress, anxiety or ??



## mb2512cat (Sep 12, 2011)

Hi Ladies, wondering if I could have your opinion. If this should be in a different place, please let me know as i wasn't sure where to post. 

For about a year now, I have been suffering from nightsweats. After ruling out the menopause, given all the hormone tests I've had, I've normally put this down to the extent of the stress I have been under: have had bouts of hair loss, terrible sleep and just thought nightsweats is another way that it's all coming out. But given how long it's lasted, i'm not so sure. 

In more depth: I had seven months off at the latter half of 2011 after losing our second baby to abnormalities (for more  details, see my blog). I effectively had a nervous breakdown I guess, and had counselling from the hospital over that time which probably saved my life. In early 2012, I went back to work full time and almost immediately the nightsweats started for the first time. I had never had nightsweats before then. So I put it down to the stress of being back at work. 

However, this went on for a while, once or twice a week I guess (that's how it felt like), and then I went to see my GP in what must have been around March. She sent me for blood tests and a chest x-ray. I'm not sure exactly what she thought it might be, but I think lung cancer and TB were possibilities. The tests came back clear. I had a bit of another breakdown in Feb and went to see a new therapist, this time privately. This helped sort my head out alot, but the nightsweats continued, adding to my view that perhaps it's not stress-induced. I had a round of IVF in July so from all the tests I had then I definitely know it's not the menopause - hopefully they would have mentioned it... But the nightsweats have continued. Towards the end of 2012, I was talking to friend and mentioned it, and she definitely thought it was abnormal, so that got me thinking that perhaps I should see my GP again. I went to see her on New Year's Eve, and she's referred me to an endocrinologist, a hormone expert. I'm quite prepared for someone to tell me this is all psychological but perhaps it's not? I find it hard to unravel what is stress and what could be something properly physically wrong with me. My hair is thinner and more whispy than it used to be and my eyelashes are shorter and thinned out. I put this down to being 35 and not 22 anymore. But perhaps it's connected. I have no idea any more.

What are the nightsweats like? The really bad nights it's basically it's as if I've got straight into bed after having a shower. I am soaked; the bedding, mattress and duvet are soaked. And sorry as this is clearly TMI, but the smell is awful. Utterly gross. The bedroom has to be aired, all the bedding washed and replaced. The duvet itself has been to the laundrette on more than one occasion and quite early on I bought a water-proof mattress cover as otherwise the mattress would be beyond use in a very short space of time. I have no idea how DH puts up with it. I am repulsed at myself. Then sometimes I think this is perhaps a reverse psychological thing where i am trying to get him to leave me? The cause of my babies' abnormalities lies in a chromosome issue they've found out I have (a balanced translocation), and I know that if DH was with someone else he would no doubt have a large family by now. 

Anyway, i decided it would be good to keep a diary of it all - i should have done it from the beginning really. FYI since December i have gone on the pill to regulate my cycle ahead of an IVF in early Feb so i'm guessing it can't be the usual cycle hormones.

Dec 15 & 16 - hot, uncomfortable night. Waking at between 4-5am and not going back to sleep
Dec 26, 27, 28 - hot uncomfortable nights. Three sets of new pjs go straight into the washbasket, one night after the other. Waking at between 4-5am and not going back to sleep
Jan 3 - majorly hot night. bedsheets immediately stripped and changed, bedroom aired.
Jan 4- 6 - more hot nights

Am knackered. I normally manage to get to sleep ok, but often wake up 4/5am with my brain whirring, whether or not I've had the nightsweats. 

Sorry, I don't feel like i want to be coming across as complaining. I'm almost certain it's probably all psychological but I can't have an impartial perspective...


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## rory2011 (May 31, 2011)

So sorry to hear about your journey. Hopefully the endocrinologist can rule in or out any reasons for the night sweats and then if they can't find any reasons...perhaps it is psychological. You have been through so much our brain and bodies do funny things when we're stressed.

Hope you get your endocrinologist appt soon xx


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## EssieJean (Aug 11, 2011)

Hi mb2512cat. I couldn't read & run after such a post. I don't have any answers I'm afraid but will say that I've heard alopecia can be triggered by a traumatic experience like bereavement. As for the night sweats I also suffer those although not to the extent you have & mine was down to the men. I hope you find the reason behind them. It would be a great coincidence if it wasn't all linked to the heartbreaking loss of your child and your ivf journey which in itself comes with it's own stresses and anxieties.  I hope you find answers soon.

Essie  
x


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## Ellie.st (Mar 11, 2005)

Hello
I am so sorry about the hard time you have been having.    I had night sweats for a good while after my IVF cycles (not as bad as yours sound but still a pain in the neck) and also after being pregnant. My hair got thinner and more brittle too for a while too. Things did settle down eventually and I came to the conclusion that it was down to hormones taking a while to settle down, and/or maybe stress related to the whole IVF process too.  I think it is good you have been referred to an endocrinologist to get an expert opinion.  Depending what he/she says, it might be worth considering having acupunture too as it can be good at rebalancing your system, and can also be very relaxing. 

I hope that things get better soon, and good luck with your next tx.    

Ellie


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## Ipomée (Oct 30, 2012)

Hi mb2512cat,
I was just reading your post. I think it's good that your GP has referred you to an endocrinologist. It is possible you're having thyroid issues? Hair loss is a symptom and so are body temperature issues. If they mention thyroid tests, make sure they test thyroid antibodies too! They don't always do this, they often just test the TSH and T4. I've had autoimmune hashimotos thyroiditis since I was a teenager, but my thyroid didn't go "hypo" until I had a fourth of it removed because of an operation for a tumor two years ago, but I've suffered symptoms for a long time. One can go years suffering symptoms because they may only test TSH and T4 and say everything is "okay." Even though my antibodies are over 2500, my thyroid still says it works according to the TSH test. Just some advice in case this comes up. 
Courage to you!


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## mb2512cat (Sep 12, 2011)

Hi ladies, thank you for your replies, I really appreciate you taking the time as this is something that is really bothering me. Just writing it down has helped me acknowledge that this IS an issue, and I've got to stop thinking 'oh, next week it will get better' as I've hoped that every week for a year so far to no avail!

Rory - yes, definitely in my case my brain/body can react quite strangely under stress. Hopefully when this appointment comes through it might help.

Essie - thank you, it's good to know how other people experience nightsweats as I have no idea where I am in the normal/abnormal range. Guess my nightsweats can be a bit extreme. Yes, in terms of hair loss, in many ways I am lucky, I do have plenty of hair, but I noticed two quite serious bouts of hairloss, both totally down to stress. The first was when I reached the due date of my first baby/second pg. I lost him at 20wks and his due date hit me like a ton of bricks. So weird. It co-incided with redundancies at work (I kept my job), but the stress of everything made my hair fall out and it was particularly noticeable around my forehead and sides. When it grew back I had tufts of hair sticking out in those places for ages! My second bout of hairloss was not at the duedate of our second baby, as I was more prepared this time, but when we finally got the diagnosis of the balanced translocation. I was just so relieved to know what it was as I was convinced I would go to my grave without knowing what was causing our babies' abnormalities. There was so much stress in my head, that when I found out it's as if the follicles relaxed and 'let go'. Cue more bare patches followed by a 'tintin quiff' as it regrew. But to be honest ever since while the short bits have regrown, I still find it wispy. But I put this down to the natural effects of getting older. But I hardly feel ancient!!

Elle - very good idea, thank you. I've had acupuncture before and it worked for me, so I will definitely consider it again. 

Ipomee - thank you about your suggestion about the thyroid. I didn't know about the tests. I don't know if my GP tested it as part of the blood test I had initially, but I will ask about the antibodies. When I google, stuff comes up about the adrenal glands too, but I can't pretend to have the right knowledge to take a view. I will definitely google more about your condition and the thyroid more generally. how are you affected & get diagnosed?

I will have to get to the bottom of this otherwise much more and DH will make me sleep in the bath!!


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## seemedlike4eva (Jan 26, 2010)

Oh my love, you've really been to Hell & back.
This is a long shot, I see you had a chest Xray, but has TB been completely excluded Only asking because my DH has just been diagnosed with it, and he is getting the same horrendous night sweats as you - I keep getting up because of the heat coming off him, and the bedclothes are soaked. Night sweats are one of the classic symptoms. It's really prevalent in all the big cities with immigrant and homeless populations, a doctor friend told me that the BCG vaccination isn't 100%, and can delay diagnosis if you're unlucky enough to have a vaccination failure.


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## mb2512cat (Sep 12, 2011)

Hi Seemslike. Thank you for your reply. You have been through the mill too. I'm sorry about your DH's diagnosis. I have had the bcg but know its not full-proof as I have an aunt who is a radiologist and got it despite the vaccination. Is your DH being successfully treated for it? I thought I'd ask my GP again and hence my original post as I'd heard on the radio from a woman who had been treated for the menopause for 6 years - hrt and everything - but it turned out to be TB of her lymphatic system. It wasn't in her lungs. Even after she found a doctor who didn't think her symptoms were the menopause, it still took them nine months to find where in her system the TB was lurking! I have an appt with an endocrinologist in early Feb, so I'll see how that goes. My nights have been better so far (early Jan was the last time it was very bad) but I can't rely on it lasting. Well done for putting up with your DH's nightsweats. It's really beyond the call of duty. Are you having to have treatment too because of it?


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## weeble101 (Sep 2, 2010)

Hi Emb, 
Just saw your post and from all you've been through wondered if you have been put onto any kind of anti-depressant? I had them for a while last year, and as I began to improve and not need them as much, I began to have terrible night sweats/ morning sweats just like you describe. Totally soaked each am.
Just a thought.
xx


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## weeble101 (Sep 2, 2010)

Useless me - sorry said your name to myself as m.b. then got it alll wrong. Apologies!


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## mb2512cat (Sep 12, 2011)

Thank you. I'm not on them but probably should be! I took them for a year between autumn of 2009 and 2010. After pg3 went wrong I had seven months off work and a lot of therapy. I've stopped that as it was getting very expensive but it was very helpful while it lasted. I did still have the nightsweats during this time (whole of 2012) but not while I took anti -ds during 2009/2010, so I don't think it's a reaction to them unless it is very delayed. I even thought they might be the cause of the abnormalities in my last baby but I was told that it was very unlikely. And then we found out it was my chromosomes causing the issue so I was clutching at straws! I will actually cut and paste my board entry and show it to whoever I see in a couple of weeks. Only then I will have started ivf/Pgd no2 so that will probably slow down the whole thing while that lasts.


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## knickerbockerglory (Aug 10, 2011)

Hi

I know this might sound a bit random but do you have a memory foam mattress? My DH suffered from terrible night sweats just like you describe, he was sleeping on a towel and changing it in the night - eventually we found out it was the mattress! got a pocket sprung one and he's fine now. Memory foam uses the body's heat to mould the mattress to your body and as a result traps your body heat it. 

my heart goes out to you and what you've gone through over the last few years, you must be one hell of a tough cookie to have come out the other side . Really hope you find out whats going on so that you can get a good nights rest.

Nicxx


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## purplepeak (Jan 31, 2012)

Hi,

I'm really so sorry to read your story. 

This is perhaps a long shot but it might be worth considering seeing an alternative medicine person (alongside or after the conventional, obviously)? I understand night sweats can be a sign of hormonal imbalance in both men and women. My dh had them and Chinese medicine seemed to make a difference. It's important to see someone good, though, as it's not very well regulated. We saw Michael McIntyre in Oxfordshire. 

P.


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