Hello I am a newbie on here. I have had profuse sweating since the menopause - I am now just turned 60. I started in the menopause at around 49 and it was horrendous. I was working in gheneral practice as a practice manager and the sweats got so bad they were around two an hour and I would be liteally soaked in sweat. I would try not to rise from a chair as I left a wet mark where I had been sitting - especially on plastic or leather chairs. It just added to my stress levels - I felt colleagues would think I had weed myself. Anyway it was not something I could talk to my GP’s in the practice about as they would have climbed over me if I was dying - only kidding but the last thing they need is their manager becoming full of symptoms like a patient. I left my job after a year and the sweats continued with a vengeance. I got them under control with HRT but was only given it for 3 years…I would love to still be on it. I now get sweating but its strange as I can have a completely dry left hand side of my body and the right is wet through. I often say to my husband - feel my left leg or left arm and then fell my right - one is dry the other soaking. It is embarrassing when I am out but over time I have sort of adapted to it. I have been told by opthalmologists that I have MS - but the neuro referred me to a colleague who specialised not only in MS but in Devic’s disease. I am now told I probably have MS due to my visual symptoms and previous attakcs of optic neuritis. I want to stop sweating - anyone got any advice on this? Could itbe MS or is it still the menopause? I take Pregabalin which helped a bit initially but been on it about two years now and not much benefit at all I don’t think anyway. Am also on Amitripyline, Omeprazole for hiatus hernia, Losartanfor high BP, ezetimibefor lowering cholesterol as couldn’t tolerate statins and Solifenacin - for bladder control. My arms are tender and painful to touch - especially the upper, muscle parts. I often drop things as my right hand in particular loses its grip…I sound like a wreck with all the meds but I have just taken them for ages and got used to them. I have been given one huge dose of steroids in the past - last year when the opthalmologist said I was having another attakc of optic neuritis. How often can these occur? I have no idea but he said I could not expect any long term inprovement and that my eyesight would just continue to decline. Anyone else the same? I can stand everything but not to lose what sight I have left. I need magnifiers for almost everything and my left eye is virtually useless. Anyone else have these problems? Thanks for listening - and sorry it’s such a long post. MARY
Hi Mary
There is only one word to descibe it - pants. Temperature control can be a nightmare but at least I am not wet though. I often have one part of my body which is frozen whilst everywhere else is a normal temp. Or I am overwarm and end up standing inside the freezer door.
Sensory problems make my arms painful to touch which can make life very difficult. I try to keep my neck in the correct postural position as this does help with the pain but neuropathic pain can be a nightmare.
My eyes cause problems as the days progresses and like you a magnifying glass is needed as well as specs. Try ordering special specs to use later in the day.
I think some of use have particular problems with lesions in respect of the cranial nerves which can also cause facial pain, numbness and unexpected tears or a runny nose and sorry to say dribbling. There are others but lets no go there.
The more relaxed you can be the better but don’t expect too much from the neurologist as they are mainly concerned with ability to walk.
Take care
Moira