Night Sweats

[loonybin]

Hi all, new here and finding this site quite positive as I am reading through other peoples symptoms and experiences with Health Anxiety. So many symptoms seem to tie in with mine and its frustrating as hell when it happens, and when you have the worst fears implanted even further in your head by Dr. Google.

I have so far read that the majority of my symptoms are all present and correct in these pages, the usual ones like tight chest, breathing, shakes, dry mouth, continual need to urinate, weight loss, tingling hands and feet, cold hands and feet... yup, all very common and actually quite reassuring.

I am currently waiting on blood results back from my doctors and have a fasting test to be done tomorrow, but all that aside, I was wondering if many people experience night sweats? I've been having them for about a week now (5 out of 7 nights so far I have had sweats that wake me up, I feel like I am boiling over and sweating quite a lot) and wondered if this was common with anyone else?

Obviously, I know what google thinks of these symptoms and that scares me to death when I have my irrational head on.

Having recently discovered that one of my friends has also been suffering with HA and Depression, I have decided to take up counselling and have a first session today, so I will be trying to tackle this, but just wondered if it was a common thing associated with HA as well?

thanks

[Catherine S]

Hi there, well if you were a female of a certain age I would suggest symptoms of the menopause! However, perhaps the male menopause can create the same symptoms...? But obviously, not knowing your age nor much about the male menopause I can't comment on that :)

You mention that you're waiting on blood results and are having a fasting test coming up, are these routine tests or has your doc mentioned anything in partic that he/she is looking to rule out?

[loonybin]

I think they are tests to rule stuff out based on symptoms I have been having, I am a male and late 30s so menopause isn't likely :blush:

I guess they are looking at everything on the blood front and diabetes on the fasting one?

[Catherine S]

I think diabetes is looked at through both blood and urine tests, and a fasting blood test is usually to check cholesterol levels in the blood, whereas a non-fasting test looks for most everything else. I'm afraid I'm not much use to you on the night sweats front, sorry....but i'm sure there will be other chaps on here who have that problem too. I would suggest though, that you wait and see what the results are from all the tests just in case there is a connection there.

[RoseEve]

How much are you sweating? I wake up often in a sweat. In fact I sleep in the buff (tmi) because my shirt gets wet around the collar. I've had this since I was a teenager.

[loonybin]

enough to wake me up in a hot panic, the top of the duvet feels wet as does my back, I've never had this till about a week, maybe 10 days ago? its quite disconcerting to be honest and when it happens makes me panic a lot

[Phuzella]

The nights have got a lot milder over the past week, could it be that?

[Fishmanpa]

Most folks sweat a bit. It's not unusual. It's the soaking through to the mattress, having to change the sheets sweating that would be concerning.

Positive thoughts

[RoseEve]

Fishmanpa is right unless you wake up in an ocean don't worry!

[loonybin]

last night was the first night where I haven't had sweats in a while, and I woke up feeling fine and dandy this morning, then I got a call from the doctors saying there was a problem at the lab and my bloods need to be taken again - so I am now in a full on panic that something is seriously wrong and they need to retest for confirmation of such.

[Phuzella]

The lab probably messed up?
Let us know:)

[RoseEve]

They can't lie to you. If they said it was a lab screw up it was. It's very very easy to contamient a sample. Don't worry it doesn't mean anything.

[loonybin]

ok, hopefully thats all it is, I can't help but wonder what is going on, and obviously, last night I had the sweats again... what is wrong with me?

[emlica]

If it's just 'feeling a bit sweaty' then really all sorts of things can cause it, most of them pretty harmless. I find I sweat more at night if I've had a rich meal (especially if I've eaten later than usual), and I've read that it's because your digestive system is having to work harder, making you hotter. Even if you're not eating richer/heavier meals, being anxious can make your digestive system struggle a bit, so that might be making you sweat more. But also just plain old anxiety can do it. When I'm anxious I know I sometimes have very odd/vivid/scary dreams, and I reckon I probably have them even when I'm not 'aware' of them. So I think sometimes the sweating is just anxiety. The fact that you had a sweaty night again after worrying about what the doctor had said suggests that might be the case.

Mine are also hormonal, but I guess that's less likely to be the case for you!