Night Sweats - help

I am 7 days post op and have consistently been waking up in the middle of the night SOAKED. SOAKED. and FREEZING cold. Shivering. I can't get warm, but I'm sweating profusely. Soaked (I hate to keep repeating myself, but my clothes, hair, bed everything is soaked).

Could I be having hot flashes? If so, is there anything I could do? I'm afraid of taking estrogen because of endo returning. Does this end?

Thanks,
Geana
TAH BSO 2/14/08

I am 9 days post op and have also experienced the same thing. But I am on Vivelle dot and just started experiencing both hot flashes and night sweats... its ridiculous. I was told that its normal to go thru all this craziness b/c surgical menopause is worse then natural menopause. I have a bucket of ice cubes and a wash cloth next to the bed to place on my head when I feel like I am getting hot or start sweating.. I also have the fan on in the room- just not on me and at the same time an extra blanket handy. I am just as confused at whats goin on with my body as you. Any advice would be helpful.

Good luck to you.

Hi Geana
I am sorry that you are having to deal with this so soon after surgery.
You are more than likely experiencing Hot Flashes/Night Sweats. Or what I like to call Surgical Hellopause. I am in the same boat as you with no estrogen. I am taking 100 mg of Prometrium (progesterone) 1x a day. Not sure if it is helping. I am still having power surges at anytime day or night I have resorted to sleeping with an ice pack (apparently my DH is not allowed to touch me if I have one. As he said I looked pretty miserable sleeping, and went to rub my back. In my sleep I held up the ice pack and said "Can you not see this ice pack? I am having a hot flash! Do not touch me it is too hot!" Poor DH!) And I love playing the cover game of on/off.
By the end of the day I look like a train wreck from all the sweating
Hang in there this too shall pass. I am just not sure when

Yes, you can be having severe night sweats! I had my TAH w/BSO on Feb. 12th, and I started getting soaked every night on my second night in the hospital, it was gross...... I talked to my doctor and he started me on the Estraderm patch super low amount 0.1mg, and all night sweats are gone. Can you take HRT? I would talk to your doctor.

Thank you for your replies. At least I'm not crazy. These started in the hospital as well, but I just blamed it on the hospital... I guess that was misplaced anger!

Anyway, I haven't felt hot yet - just the sweating at night. I haven't talked to me doctor about it yet. I see the nurse practitioner tomorrow to have staples removed, I will mention it to her.

My gosh, I'm just freezing in the middle of the night, but soaked. Does anyone put like an extra sheet on their side of the bed to strip off once it is wet?

Thanks again,
Geana
7 days post op TAH BSO

I had them in the hospital and the first few nights at home. Then my Climara patch kicked in and they ended. Good luck!

Girls, I wish there was something I could say to make it better.. I went thru normal menopause and it was not fun... Can't say I still don't get hot flashes but they are fewer and farer between.. Learn to dress in layers (daytime) I usually have a sleeveless shirt topped with a sweater/or jacket and at night, just a sheet on with maybe an afgan or something you can pull up if you get cold... For a while, my DH and I had to do separate beds cause I was freezing him out. Best of luck to you all

OK - I think some of the night sweats immediately post op also have to do with flushing out all the anesthesia and pain meds. After my first surgery, I kept my ovaries and I had the night sweats - terribly soaking ones for about 2-1/2 weeks and then they went away completely. I had a test on my hormones and my ovaries were working. In any case now this second surgery I am 12 days out from losing my ovaires. I am on hormones and have been since the operating room. I am having the same soaking night sweats but they seem to be getting a little better the last few nights.

In my experience this can happen right after surgery and then go away. I'm wishing that for all of you and myself too!!

Starbgirl

I am having the exact same thing happening, I do not have hot flashes during the day just the night sweats.

I kept my ovaries.

Yep, I was having the hot flashes and night sweats before surgery and NOW the sweats is like having pins and needles! It's normal, at least that's what I keep hearing. Today I had my 6 week post-op check up and the doctor gave me a prescription for Estradiole, a "natural" estrogen hormone? Any of you ladies had experience with that?