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Menopause question for the ladies - KCap - 11-26-2016
Very new to CPAP therapy, but have experienced night sweats for a while, in just about every weather. I have such a hard time staying asleep due to the temperature of the bed, the blankets too hot, etc. Apneas are going down, which is wonderful, but I still can't get a good night's sleep due to how hot my body feels. Other than the usual: air conditioning, getting a new blanket, cooling sheets, etc., does anyone have any advice for trying to stay asleep with this? Hormone replacement therapy isn't an option for me.
RE: Menopause question for the ladies - Beej - 11-26-2016
First, I would suggest you talk with your doc to make sure this isn't anything other than hot flashes.
If it is "only" hot flashes disrupting your sleep, some women have found relief with a very low dose of an antidepressant, as serotonin (which some antidepressants may increase in the blood stream) is involved in the degree of blood vessels constriction and relaxation.
If it is a matter of sleeping through the hot flashes, you might discuss the use of valerian, or melatonin to help with that. You may need to bring in some info on these to go over with your doc, to make sure it won't adversely affect anything else.
RE: Menopause question for the ladies - chill - 11-26-2016
Not a female, but Sleep Apnea can cause menopause symptoms in males as well! I had horrible night sweats before CPAP and my wife referred to me as Mr. Furnace. I would wake up and need to towel off! In time, your CPAP therapy may lessen this. It has for me, but not fully eliminated it. Dr Steven Park's book Sleep Interrupted has an exploration of this, along with many other impacts of disordered sleep breathing. It is useful reading.
RE: Menopause question for the ladies - trish6hundred - 11-27-2016
Hi KCap,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
Hang in there for more suggestions and I wish you good luck with your CPAP therapy.
RE: Menopause question for the ladies - CPAPAmma - 11-27-2016
I've had some relief taking extra vitamin E. There are several over the counter brands out there that are specifically formulated to deal with menopause. Good luck!
RE: Menopause question for the ladies - DariaVader - 11-27-2016
I took supplements containing black cohosh during the worst years of menopause. It helped a *lot* with the hot flashes and night sweats and I had them in spades. So thankful to be on the other side of that business!!! The supplement I ended up liking best after trying a few was called Meno-Relief, made by Rainbow Light.
RE: Menopause question for the ladies - green wings - 11-27-2016
Hi, KCap. I can tell you about some of the things I did to ease the symptoms of perimenopause.
Firstly, yes, SSRI or SNRI antidepressants are a big help. I was taking Cymbalta for fibromyalgia pain all through perimenopause, and I never had a single hot flash and had only occasional mild night sweats. The side effects of the antidepressant drugs are a pain, though, and ideally, I wouldn't recommend that anyone take one unless they couldn't figure out any other way to manage their symptoms.
I also used natural progesterone cream during perimenopause. I thought it made a difference. The biggest effect that I thought I noticed was on my mood. If you try this and think it helps, then I'd recommend that you find a brand that you like and stick with it, as well as using the same amount each day.
The only other suggestion that I have, which you may already be doing, is to layer your bedding so that you can peel back or pull up layers as needed during the night. I still do this, and I find that I adjust the covers as needed during the night without ever waking up enough to remember it. If you share a bed with someone, you may need to try twin-sized bedding for each of you (at least for the upper layers) so that you can adjust your covers independently of your sleep partner.
If you are having times when you wake up and feel too hot without any covers at all, even during the winter, and lowering the temp in the bedroom isn't an option, I'd probably suggest trying one of those cooling gel mats to lie on. I have been looking at those and am thinking I may try one next summer.
Best of luck!
RE: Menopause question for the ladies - PaulaO2 - 11-27-2016
I'm one of those women that the hot flashes come with intense nausea. I do not vomit often, it is just not something I do. But the closest I come is during a hot flash. Luckily, it is over fast. And I have had very few. I do not have my uterus but do have my ovaries which have never worked well. I was 38 when I had the hysterectomy and they decided to leave them in since they looked decent.
Anyway, the two I have had at night while sleeping, I absolutely could not have the mask on my face. Not even the liners helped. The heat was just too much. I got up and took a cool shower which helped with the nausea (and was closer to the toilet in case I got sick). By the time the shower was over, I was cooler and was able to sleep. I run hot anyway so maybe I am just used to it?
Talk to your doc about it. Mine said to take the anti-nausea pill I have for the migraines. The side benefit of it knocking me out would help, too.