I have been having hot flashes/night sweats for about 6 months now. The nurses told me that it could be due to my cancer or menopause or both. All I knew was that I would wake up with a soaking wet shirt, soaking wet pillow and sheets. It is a hassle because then I have to change my shirt and pillow and sheet before continuing to sleep. But I had never felt the hot flash/night sweat in action.....
....until yesterday. I was in a half asleep mode when I felt this liquid fire, seemingly coming from the top of my head, flowing slowly down to my neck, then my arms and torso, my legs and then my feet. My whole body was engulfed in this liquid fire and my body started to sweat profusely. It was the weirdest thing!
So I wonder if any ladies out in the blogsphere could tell me what their hot flashes/night sweats feel like. Does it feel like a liquid fire like this or something else?
I consider myself lucky that I had no hot flashes - I had instead what I called "warm" flashes but they proceeded in much the way you describe except they stopped at about chest level. But that could have been just because they were less intense. Mine felt like I was suddenly blushing for no reason, but in a spreading pattern like yours.
ReplyDeleteI have known other women that have intense hot flashes like yours, and from all accounts they are miserable things to have, especially at night because they are so disruptive to sleep, and at work where they are embarrassing. I've seen advice to actually take wet wipes and a change of top to work, it can be so bad!
I'm sorry you are having to deal with this on top of everything else. No fun at all.
Thanks Jenny for sharing your experience. I can imagine how unprofessional it may look to some colleagues if all of a sudden I'm drenched in sweat. I'm not really complaining about the hot flashes; just curious about my body and want to learn from other people's experiences too! :-)
DeleteMy sweats started in my abdomen and spread up, I was never affected in my arms and legs. I don't know if I would describe mine as liquid fire, maybe a slower burning charcoal? The worst awake one that I remember was one winter. It was -20C outside, I was wearing shorts and a t-shirt and nothing on my feet. I stood on the front porch for ten minutes before I began to cool down. Around the same time my husband sat down in the chair I had just vacated, he immediately jumped up in horror, "that chair is hot!", he said. To which I replied, "no kidding Einstein, what do you think I have been talking about?". LOL. He never questioned/doubted me again about hot flashes.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing I can recommend is fans (lots of them) in your bedroom, and 100% cotton sheets and nothing containing polyester anywhere near your body. I used to put bath sheets under my sheets to help soak up the sweat, it helped a little.
I wish I could help more. 8-D
Thanks Elle for sharing your experience. That tip about the bath sheets makes so much sense! I'll try that tonight. Men can't really empathize with women when it comes to women's experiences with their bodies. We are just made so much more complicated than them!
DeleteI'm in perimenopause so mine seem to come and go with the hormones. I get hot in the torso (not so much hands/feet/head). I had a bizarre patch for 4 weeks in January where I had heat rash (from my own body heat) and had to take quite strong antihistamines to calm it down. I have given up wearing tights/hosiery and sometimes can't wear my normal bras having to wear cotton ones inside out as the seam finish is normally polyester. Trying to explain to the younger shop assistant why I wanted to buy a thin summer duvet in winter was interesting. I turned all my heating down so it never exceeds 19 degree celsius and other people need to wear another layer when visiting. My mother also suffers though only at night, her solution is multiple thin layers of bedding so she can vary them.
ReplyDeleteThanks Ruthie for your suggestions! I can't wear bras right now. Nothing tight to the body. I got a heat rash the last time I wore a bra - a rash developed where the straps and bra bands were.
ReplyDeleteI am in menopause and every so often I still get hot flashes, sporadic. For me the hot flashes started at my neck and then I would feel like I was in a hot sauna and break out sweating, this could occur anytime. Stress and feeling anxious could bring on the hot flashes. I did wake up in the middle of the night sweating, my hair at back neck would be wet and could feel the sweat through my pj's. I found if I stuck one foot out from under the cover and one arm, I cooled off pretty quick and then found myself grabbing for the covers 'cause now I am cold. I cannot say it felt like liquid fire though, just heat.
ReplyDeleteI also had issues with taking niacin and now not sure why I was, but that would cause my neck, face and ears to turn red and I looked like I had a sunburn. I no longer take this stuff as this feeling was unbearable.
Thanks Linda! I agree with you that if I stick my feet out the sweating is less intense. I just have to endure the initial feeling of cold feet so that I sweat less later on in the night.
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