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Having Night Sweats And Getting Hot Flushes. Is This The Symptoms Of Perimenopause?
Question: Hello,
I'm 44 and still having regular periods (cycle length in last 6 months varies from 31 to 26/27 and sometimes 23/24 days long). my cycles are normal/light to on the light side.
In July of last year i had my first-ever episode of night sweats and chills in an air conditioned hotel room. i awoke with warm sweat and then got waves of chills periodically. the sweat did not soak the sheets, it was like after a hard walk, and i think confined just to my torso/neck.
since then i have had the same kind of sweats (usually without the chills) once a month, sometimes skipping months, and two months i've had them 3 times.
they sometimes occur on the day or days leading up to the start of my cycle, sometimes on day 3, they cluster around the middle of my cycle, and occasionally are a whole week before the end of my cycle.
i've been having blushing/flushing associated with emotion and possibly food and am currently being evaluated by an endocrinologist and will also be assessed by an allergist if, as the endo predicts, i come back negative for indicators of carcinoid (i also have irritable bowel symptoms, occasionally soft stools, but no watery diarrhea or other blood pressure changes/symptoms).
i've had over the past 8-ish years 'mittleschmerz' on the same (LEFT) side where the bowel achiness (and more recently, gurgling) is. intravaginal ultrasound, pap, ob/gyn exam negative.
are my type of night sweats and occasional dry heat feelings typical for perimenopause?
please also note that in recent months, concurring with the increase in bowel noises, i've also got a preponderance at times to get goosebump "waves" going down my spine during the day quite easily. this morning i also awoke several times just feeling hot, no sweat.
thank you very much for your advice!
I'm 44 and still having regular periods (cycle length in last 6 months varies from 31 to 26/27 and sometimes 23/24 days long). my cycles are normal/light to on the light side.
In July of last year i had my first-ever episode of night sweats and chills in an air conditioned hotel room. i awoke with warm sweat and then got waves of chills periodically. the sweat did not soak the sheets, it was like after a hard walk, and i think confined just to my torso/neck.
since then i have had the same kind of sweats (usually without the chills) once a month, sometimes skipping months, and two months i've had them 3 times.
they sometimes occur on the day or days leading up to the start of my cycle, sometimes on day 3, they cluster around the middle of my cycle, and occasionally are a whole week before the end of my cycle.
i've been having blushing/flushing associated with emotion and possibly food and am currently being evaluated by an endocrinologist and will also be assessed by an allergist if, as the endo predicts, i come back negative for indicators of carcinoid (i also have irritable bowel symptoms, occasionally soft stools, but no watery diarrhea or other blood pressure changes/symptoms).
i've had over the past 8-ish years 'mittleschmerz' on the same (LEFT) side where the bowel achiness (and more recently, gurgling) is. intravaginal ultrasound, pap, ob/gyn exam negative.
are my type of night sweats and occasional dry heat feelings typical for perimenopause?
please also note that in recent months, concurring with the increase in bowel noises, i've also got a preponderance at times to get goosebump "waves" going down my spine during the day quite easily. this morning i also awoke several times just feeling hot, no sweat.
thank you very much for your advice!
Hello,
Thanks for writing to us.
Night sweats and hot flushes are typical of the perimenopausal age. Your hot flushes seem to be caused by peri-menopause. They are caused by the increasing circulation of blood to the skin surface. They may subside after some time or they may persist for a life time but they become less severe with time.
Hot flushes are triggered by certain predisposing factors like caffeine, alcohol, cigarette smoking, stress, heat, tight clothing and spicy foods. You may try to keep the symptoms at bay by avoiding these triggering factors. Also, you may practise XXXXXXX breathing for 15 minutes in the morning and evening and at times of the symptom. You should do some regular exercise. Wear a light, loose clothing and keep your surroundings cool.
As you are already being evaluated by your endocrinologist, you can follow the doctor's prescription regarding any hormonal replacement therapy to alleviate the symptoms. In addition, you may use vitamin and mineral supplements, use Evening primrose oil, soya products and flax seed , if they do not cause diarrhea.
Please remember, this is a transitional phase similar to puberty when you have to face certain discomforts, but, with proper precautions, they are manageable pretty well. Training the mind to be positive at this stage goes a long way in the treatment.
You should get treated for the kidney stone also. Drink plenty of liquids and avoid food items that are the cause of the stone after analysis of the removed or flushed stone.
Hope I have answered your query. If you need further clarifications, please feel free to contact me. I will be happy to help.
regards,
Shanti.V.
Thanks for writing to us.
Night sweats and hot flushes are typical of the perimenopausal age. Your hot flushes seem to be caused by peri-menopause. They are caused by the increasing circulation of blood to the skin surface. They may subside after some time or they may persist for a life time but they become less severe with time.
Hot flushes are triggered by certain predisposing factors like caffeine, alcohol, cigarette smoking, stress, heat, tight clothing and spicy foods. You may try to keep the symptoms at bay by avoiding these triggering factors. Also, you may practise XXXXXXX breathing for 15 minutes in the morning and evening and at times of the symptom. You should do some regular exercise. Wear a light, loose clothing and keep your surroundings cool.
As you are already being evaluated by your endocrinologist, you can follow the doctor's prescription regarding any hormonal replacement therapy to alleviate the symptoms. In addition, you may use vitamin and mineral supplements, use Evening primrose oil, soya products and flax seed , if they do not cause diarrhea.
Please remember, this is a transitional phase similar to puberty when you have to face certain discomforts, but, with proper precautions, they are manageable pretty well. Training the mind to be positive at this stage goes a long way in the treatment.
You should get treated for the kidney stone also. Drink plenty of liquids and avoid food items that are the cause of the stone after analysis of the removed or flushed stone.
Hope I have answered your query. If you need further clarifications, please feel free to contact me. I will be happy to help.
regards,
Shanti.V.
Note: Revert back with your gynae reports to get a clear medical analysis by our expert Gynecologic Oncologist. Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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