Night sweats - part 2

Well, I have decided to see my sleep doctor about my ongoing sleep problems. If you looked at the data (I use Sleepyhead), it looks like I am a model cured apnea patient. My AHI is below 5 (usually between one and three).

My problem is that I keep waking up at multiple times each night and the night sweats (which went away when I started apnea treatment) have returned. I also know that my quality of sleep has diminished. I have also returned to taking Zolpidem in order to get as much uninterrupted sleep as possible.

I have an appointment with my sleep doctor this Wed morning. I want to be well prepared for this meeting. What kind of questions should I be asking? What kind of data should I bring to this appointment? I have printed out from Sleepyhead some typical nights from before and after I started taking the Zolpidem. Should I expect to have to go through another expensive titration? Shouldn't my current machine have enough data to go on?

I sure could use your help.

Thank you

Ron

rmeyer23 wrote:Well, I have decided to see my sleep doctor about my ongoing sleep problems. If you looked at the data (I use Sleepyhead), it looks like I am a model cured apnea patient. My AHI is below 5 (usually between one and three).

My problem is that I keep waking up at multiple times each night and the night sweats (which went away when I started apnea treatment) have returned. I also know that my quality of sleep has diminished. I have also returned to taking Zolpidem in order to get as much uninterrupted sleep as possible.

I have an appointment with my sleep doctor this Wed morning. I want to be well prepared for this meeting. What kind of questions should I be asking? What kind of data should I bring to this appointment? I have printed out from Sleepyhead some typical nights from before and after I started taking the Zolpidem. Should I expect to have to go through another expensive titration? Shouldn't my current machine have enough data to go on?

I sure could use your help.

Thank you

Ron

If your AHI is under 5 when using XPAP treatment DOESN"T mean you are cured, it means you are TREATED. Night Sweats can be one of the markers for Sleep Apnea that's not successfully treated. It would pay to use a Recording Pulse O2, to check for destats in your O2. Also for the software to work correctly you must have a normal leak level, too much leak, junk data.... Jim

There are several things that can cause night sweats. Some are harmless. Many are not harmless. For example, night sweats can be a symptom of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) during the night. Or it can be a symptom of an infection, or ... There are too many causes to adequately list. Of course, with the name of "Ron" we can exclude one set of symptoms that would not apply to you (or about 1/2 of the population!). Regardless, I highly recommend you talk with your doctor about this. And don't assume this is due to sleep problems. For more information, see:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/night-sweats/MY00576

could be AIDS, or an overheated bedroom or electric blanket left on too high

I used to have night sweats. Mostly related to serious lung issues. I have ILD and when it was active I would wake up soaked and had to change clothes. I agree that Diabetes also can cause night sweats. But that comes with a bunch of other symptoms. Night sweats can also be harmless.

As I recall, Pneumonia comes with Night Sweats too.

I look at them with a suspect eye because of my own health history.

It's probably menopause.

If you were female the doctor would probably tell you exactly that, pat you on the back and send you on your way. Be glad you're male, the doctor may actually try to see what's wrong and offer some help.

JohnBFisher wrote:There are several things that can cause night sweats. Some are harmless. Many are not harmless. For example, night sweats can be a symptom of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) during the night. Or it can be a symptom of an infection, or ... There are too many causes to adequately list. Of course, with the name of "Ron" we can exclude one set of symptoms that would not apply to you (or about 1/2 of the population!). Regardless, I highly recommend you talk with your doctor about this. And don't assume this is due to sleep problems.

One reason I am concerned about my night sweats is, back in August/Sept, when my new apnea therapy was working well, I had no night sweats. After have lived with this condition for years, I was elated not to have to deal with the dreaded night sweats. Now that they are back...well, it is just depressing.

So definitely it will be a subject that I am bringing up with my sleep doctor tomorrow. Wish me luck.

Ron M

Guest wrote:... One reason I am concerned about my night sweats is, back in August/Sept, when my new apnea therapy was working well, I had no night sweats. After have lived with this condition for years, I was elated not to have to deal with the dreaded night sweats. Now that they are back...well, it is just depressing.

So definitely it will be a subject that I am bringing up with my sleep doctor tomorrow. Wish me luck. ...

I rather expect that your doctor will want a new titration sleep study. It sure sounds as if your symptoms have started to reappear. It is not at all unusual to need to retitrate every after a while of being on xPAP therapy. But fortunately, once the second titration occurs, it seems to last for years (unless your health changes significantly, such as from loosing or gaining weight).

Do keep us updated. And here's hoping your appointment goes well !!

Hopefully I can help, I had this problem a little over a year ago. I had been given a CPAP and was set to a certain pressure and started getting better sleep but never really felt like I would call it "restorative". I had many tests ran from my General Practitioner and also my pulmanologist. They weren't able to find anything other than my pressure had changed a little through a sleep test (but my ahi's were low as well). We upped the pressure on the CPAP machine but I was still having night sweats frequently and not feeling rested. This worried my a lot. I finally convinced my doctor to write a new prescription for an Auto CPAP and ended up getting the S9. Let me tell you it made ever difference in the world. I started to sleep better immediately. Within a couple months I felt so much better I started exercising more and was able to lose weight which in turn lowered the needed pressure that the S9 used from a 14 down to around 9-10. At least see if you can borrow one to try it out but I'm telling you it was what changed my life.

lali0020 wrote:Hopefully I can help, I had this problem a little over a year ago. ... I finally convinced my doctor to write a new prescription for an Auto CPAP and ended up getting the S9. Let me tell you it made ever difference in the world. I started to sleep better immediately. Within a couple months I felt so much better I started exercising more and was able to lose weight which in turn lowered the needed pressure that the S9 used from a 14 down to around 9-10. At least see if you can borrow one to try it out but I'm telling you it was what changed my life.

This is EXACTLY the reason this forum works so well. We have users who share their own experience to help us all learn and help others with a similar situation. Thank you!

JohnBFisher wrote:

Guest wrote:... One reason I am concerned about my night sweats is, back in August/Sept, when my new apnea therapy was working well, I had no night sweats. After have lived with this condition for years, I was elated not to have to deal with the dreaded night sweats. Now that they are back...well, it is just depressing.

So definitely it will be a subject that I am bringing up with my sleep doctor tomorrow. Wish me luck. ...

I rather expect that your doctor will want a new titration sleep study. It sure sounds as if your symptoms have started to reappear. It is not at all unusual to need to retitrate every after a while of being on xPAP therapy. But fortunately, once the second titration occurs, it seems to last for years (unless your health changes significantly, such as from loosing or gaining weight).

Do keep us updated. And here's hoping your appointment goes well !!

Went back for the second appointment. Here is what I found out:

- Will go to family doctor for physical and see if there is another cause for the night sweats. Want to see if it is something else besides the apnea that is causing it.
- Leak level are considered low and not having have an effect
- Keeping a sleep log and have made a new doctor's appointment.
- Started process to ween off of the Zolpidem

Just started this approach this week and I will let you know. I like the idea of a sleep log.

Ron M

rmeyer23 wrote:... I like the idea of a sleep log. ...

Ron, glad you talked this through with your doctor. Even if it's "nothing" it's a good idea to rule out other possible causes.

The sleep log is quite helpful in sorting out odd other things that might contribute to the night sweats.

And here's hoping you soon get to enjoy sleeping like a log! 8^)

Guest wrote:

JohnBFisher wrote:There are several things that can cause night sweats. Some are harmless. Many are not harmless. For example, night sweats can be a symptom of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) during the night. Or it can be a symptom of an infection, or ... There are too many causes to adequately list. Of course, with the name of "Ron" we can exclude one set of symptoms that would not apply to you (or about 1/2 of the population!). Regardless, I highly recommend you talk with your doctor about this. And don't assume this is due to sleep problems.

One reason I am concerned about my night sweats is, back in August/Sept, when my new apnea therapy was working well, I had no night sweats. After have lived with this condition for years, I was elated not to have to deal with the dreaded night sweats. Now that they are back...well, it is just depressing.

So definitely it will be a subject that I am bringing up with my sleep doctor tomorrow. Wish me luck.

Ron M

I am having the same issues recently. A couple weeks ago, I was sleeping like a rock, no night sweats. The last week or so they are returning.
I had to buy some of those Dri Nights sheets, ruined a set of cotton sheets from excessive sweating lately.
Same thermostat setting, same sheets/blankets...
Let me know what you find out.

i wish i knew what causes my night sweats ? not every night but more frequent lately. woke up from a dream last night soaking wet after only four hrs sleep . i just got up and took a shower. ...maybe i waited too late in the evening to take my methotrexate
wish i knew

One of the things they tell women during menopause to help them cope is to sleep in the nude. Your body is able to adjust its self better and faster that way.