Night Sweats, Part II

[MikeHeim]

I posted a question about night sweats several weeks ago, but now I have another. I am still getting them every single night (almost 7 weeks post-op) and it's really beginning to get frustrating. I go to bed at about midnight or so, and like clockwork I wake up two hours later completely drenched. I then change my clothes and move out the the couch, where I spend the rest of the night. Usually without a second bout.

How long did the rest of you go before the sweats started to subside or at least decrease in frequency? I've tried everything to see if it would help (taking pain meds vs. not taking, low salt diet, no caffiene, etc.), but obviously nothing has. I feel like my recovery otherwise has gone very well, but it is EXTREMELY frustrating to have some of these lingering problems.

Perhaps on a related note, I'm still getting an increased body temperature in the evening. It's not uncommon to hit 100 or slightly higher than that by 9-10PM. Shouldn't this have subsided by now? I've talked to my Cardiologist about it, and he said as long as I feel OK (no chills, good appetite), I shouldn't worry about it.

Anyways, any input would be appreciated for question #1 or #2. Even a good old-fashioned "suck it up and quit whining". :)

Thanks!

[Granbonny]

I think maybe a standing fan.....Have it to rotate..Not blow directly on you..may help?I never had the night sweats..but have read on forum..many people do.....7 weeks out..I would think that it is more of a regulating your bedroom temp..I'm sure you will hear from others. Bonnie

[Lynlw]

I would be concerned about temps of 100 or more daily when you are 7 weeks post op, It doesn't really sound normal to me, Lyn

[geebee]

OK - here goes: "Suck it up and quit whining".:D ;) :D

Seriously, maybe it has to do with the fevers. I usually get sweats when I have a fever and it starts coming back down to normal. Have you checked your temperature after the sweats to see if it is back to normal?

I agree that regular fevers are NOT normal. There has to be some reason for them to be recurring.

You may not want to hear this but I still get nights sweats sometimes and I am almost 12 years out from my last OHS. They are very occasional but still happening.

[Glenda]

Mike I had night sweats for months after my surgery. I still get them once in a while but I'm a diabetic and my sugar counts are high. I also run a fever at sometimes, mostly at nights but it can come on all of a sudden. I was a church last Sunday and my fever spiked. My husband said he can always tell because my cheeks get real red. I do sleep with a fan blowing right in my face. It does seem to help. I also sleep on the divan a lot!

[rbl1999]

Mike, I am 6 months post op and still getting night sweats!!!! My doctor said they could stop at any time or they could last for a while!!! I hate them, I have a ceiling fan, plus a small fan on my nightstand and that does help. I don't think I have a temp at night. Let me know if you find the magic cure!!! Rose

[MikeHeim]

Last night I decided to try to put together everything I could think of to stop the sweats. And it worked! Here is what I did:

1. Took Tylenol 3 hours before bed to make sure I wouldn't have any type of fever at bedtime.
2. Went to the gym 2 hours prior to bed and rode an exercise bike. One thing I failed to mention about my higher temperatures is that I can usually cure them temporarily. I've found that if I go for a walk or do something else to move around, my temperature drops by over one degree (sometimes close to two degrees). I've talked to my doctor and he has absolutely no explanation. I think this is one of the reasons that he's never been very concerned with my "fevers".
3. Took a cool shower about one hour before bed. Mostly to get the sweat off, but also to make sure my body temperature wasn't in the fever range.
4. Low sodium diet for dinner. I've noticed that I get more skipped and irregular beats if I eat too much sodium. Probably not related to the sweats, but I was desperate.
5. Left a fan on my face all night.

Anyways, I woke up this morning and I had not sweat at all! Thanks for all of your suggestions (I obviously stole some of them). Now, being the engineer that I am, I will try some different combinations of the above and see which ones really made a difference. In a few days I'll report back what I've found.