No sleep with having night sweats

I can't give you any particular advice. Sorry. All I can say is that you won't always feel like this which is hard to believe when you're in the thick of it. I wonder if any of the GN gang can advise on herbal remedies? Women have been going through this stage since the beginning of time (if they lived long enough!). I bet they found things that helped long before HRT came along.
Well done for that terrific weight loss by the way!

Try reading this alternatives to HRT it’s a useful starting point.

I used to have awful night sweats, having to get up and dry myself three or four times! I also worked night shift and managed well when at work. Sleeping during the day was fine, but as you say, nights off were horrendous. I'm 66 now and things are much better. I decided not to have HRT as there is a cancer risk in my family. Bear with it, there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Coll62 I was just like you at your age and when it had been going on for three months solid and I couldn't do my job I asked for HRT and was given Tibolone which worked brilliantly - no more day time hot flushes and only a few at night, no weight gain and reduced aches and pains. Did have to come off it after ten years though.

I still suffer from night sweats at the age of 71! I have a selection of gel cooling mats which I have under the pillow and lined up at the at the edges inside the bed. I find rolling onto them is bliss! However they do warm up after prolonged contact, so I alternate sides of the bed through the night. Luckily I sleep alone so am able to use a whole double bed. The mats are available in a large range of sizes from Ebay, Amazon etc.

It rather shocks me that a fellow GNer is younger than my D, however, she is getting some relief from the sweats with Black Cohosh tablets from the health food store.
I went onto HRT but then developed BC so that was a no no for her.

I’d recommend seeing a homeopath. I am one so I’m biased of course! But I can’t take any hormonal preparations at all and the treatment worked for me.

I find wild yam (pills) v. helpful. I take just before going to bed.

I’m 54 and have had just about every symptom associated with the menopause.
I take black cohosh and have had a course of acupuncture that has worked wonders. Walking has also made me feel a lot better.
Regarding HRT there are pessaries available that you can use when you feel the need, I have a friend who swears by them.
I feel like I’m winning the battle and will only do HRT as a last resort.

I totally sympathise with you Coll66 . I have been suffering these debilitating night sweats for over a year now. I can’t remember the last time I had more than an hours sleep at any one time . Getting up for Work is very hard . I am totally miserable . My GP has refused HRT (took it for a short time ) as I have other health issues . I saw a consultant recently who suggested maybe the Mirena Coil could help but I have read so much negative information I’m confused and desperate . I’m 56 by the way.

I am 55 and am now post menopause (after 10 years of hot flushes etc!). I know herbal remedies work for some so worth looking into but I found the pillows that stay cool and a big fan by the side of the bed at night really helped me. I just worked my way through the rest as already on medication for chronic pain condition so didn't want to take more. I hope you find something or combination of things that help you. It does end even though it doesn't always feel that way!

Having worked my way through all the usual advice for menopausal night sweats, I eventually hit on my own self-help measure. I strictly control what I eat and when. No heavy protein within four hours of going to bed i.e. absolutely no meat, cheese, fish etc. Eggs are OK, otherwise I eat veggie as my last meal before bed. I worked it out through trial and error. Alcohol before bed isnt great either. Its made a lot of difference and actually I think eating your main meal when you still have hours of awake time ahead is actually supposed to be better for you in general (just difficult to achieve when you are at work!).

Bio identical hormone troches work for me

HRT is wonderful. I have been on it for ten years and now I'm down to the minimum dosage. I have flown through the menopause. I haven't put any weight on, and had no other side effects. Maybe I'm just lucky. Give it a go, you can always come off it. The scaremongering stories are just that. My Dr says don't believe all you read.

You could use (prescribed) hormone patches for a limited time. Have a fan by your bed. Self-medicating with 'natural' remedies can be hazardous: if they have any effect at all, then they can have side-effects e.g. liver damage, and they can interact with other medications. If it is homeopathy, then it has placebo effect only. Read 'Bad Science' by Ben Goldacre, if you want to see the arguments

HRT was great. Asked for it for bone density, my mother has a pronounced widows hump. Got my energy back, skin and nails and flexibility came back and a waistline. Stayed on it for 10 years, very rare hot flushes ever. Please give it a try, when the learned man resigned from NICE it was because of the scaremongering that was being accepted. Minxie is spot on.

Woman’s Hour is about the menopause all this week, a doctor has a website all about the subject. Might be worth listening on catch up.
www.menopausematters.co.uk

Women's Hour covered this on Monday and Tuesday of this week you can hear it on a podcast you might find it useful.

After over 10 years of night and day sweats...i changed my diet to low carb! No joint pains, loss of two stone, sleeping all night and no night sweats! Could not take HRT so tried all other remedies mainly with little success...although black cohosh really helped with the sweats.

I used Serenity natural progesterone cream to help me through this - I found it better than being on HRT and actually lost weight on it.

I agree with Susie.......watching what you eat and drink later in the day is a real help. I’ve carried this on after menopause and find it helps with maintaining my weight and feeling good.

Forgive my ignorance but why would sleeping during the day and sleeping at night make a difference? Does your body know when it's night and day when you're asleep? I'm being serious about understanding the difference. Thanks.

Was determined to go thro' menopause without HRT but after stopping alcohol & caffeine, trying black cohosh, soya milk, even a magnet the hot flashes and night sweats continued exactly the same so went on HRT. Wonderful! BUT considering apparent health risks decided to limit use to 2 yrs. OBGYN said to reduce dose gradually and symptoms might not come back but once got down to 3 tabs a week as opposed to 7 all symptoms flooded back. 67 now and still have at least a couple of daily hot flashes although don't 'drip' as I used to years ago.

SussexGirl60
An interesting profession and a form of treatment that is so often ridiculed.
I rely on Shuessler as these can be used in conjunction with the traditional and while waiting for hip replacement and the pain I am feeling, at present, prefer them to a GP prescription which had given me side effects which needed another 'drug' to counteract.