Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Prostate Cancer / February 2008
Night Sweats
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skeptic - 18 Feb 2008 15:38 GMT I think I've always had these to a small degree here and there but the last week has been something different...totoally drenched requiring a changing of clothes in order to go back to bed/sleep. Can't change the sheet in the middle of the night but it needs it. Usually the upper part of my body is drenched and the lower part is somewhat normal. Is this related to the RP or are things advancing along? :( On the other hand, the constant low grade fever seems to have subsided (I have been taking handfuls of tylenol for it...maybe related?)
colophony - 18 Feb 2008 16:53 GMT I do not know what kind of medicine you are taking right after RP, I had same problem years ago: the cause of my night sweats were due to a medicine called Plavix. When I quitted the sweats disappeared. Gook luck Colophony
>I think I've always had these to a small degree here and there but the > last week has been something different...totoally drenched requiring a [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > On the other hand, the constant low grade fever seems to have subsided > (I have been taking handfuls of tylenol for it...maybe related?) Heather - 18 Feb 2008 17:18 GMT That is an excellent description of the night sweats menopausal women get. Both of my sisters drenched their bedclothes. I was either the lucky one, or adopted, grin. I had one mild hot flash, I think.
Are you on any sort of hormone therapy?? That would most likely be the cause. And there is medication for that.
Heather
>I think I've always had these to a small degree here and there but the > last week has been something different...totoally drenched requiring a [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > On the other hand, the constant low grade fever seems to have subsided > (I have been taking handfuls of tylenol for it...maybe related?) skeptic - 18 Feb 2008 17:30 GMT > That is an excellent description of the night sweats menopausal women > get. �Both of my sisters drenched their bedclothes. �I was either the [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > > - Show quoted text - No., nothing yet, although it looks like that is where things are headed. In the meantime I googled acetaminiphen and night sweats and they are related, so maybe all the tylenol I was taking for the low grade fever was to blame. And, yes, I empathathize with menopausal women now very much!
I.P. Freely - 18 Feb 2008 20:55 GMT > I think I've always had these to a small degree here and there but the > last week has been something different...totoally drenched requiring a [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > On the other hand, the constant low grade fever seems to have subsided > (I have been taking handfuls of tylenol for it...maybe related?) I hope you're aware that Tylenol and alcohol overtax the kidneys, to severe levels if overdone.
And be aware that hot flashes are also a symptom of carcinoid syndrome, caused by carcinoid colon cancer, which is a far more immediate and grave threat than some little old case of Gleason 10 prostate cancer. I got lucky and arrested my carcinoid-induced hot flashes before my carcinoid colon cancer evolved into the full-blown carcinoid syndrome. Don't worry, because I think carcinoid-induced hot flashes are far more likely to be a day-time, activity-triggered event, but also do not just assume they are harmless nuisance. Find out what's causing them.
I.P.
I.P. Freely - 18 Feb 2008 20:55 GMT > I hope you're aware that Tylenol and alcohol overtax the kidneys, to > severe levels if overdone. Oops, I just noticed your "handfuls" comment. You *are* joking, right? Jeez, man, drinking to much *water* can kill us. The max daily dose of Tylenol is a limit to be taken seriously and for only for a few days; it ain't candy.
I.P.
I.P. Freely - 18 Feb 2008 22:17 GMT And don't forget that fever is an important weapon in our anti-infection armory. Last I heard, we're supposed to let mild fevers do their thing ... baking germs and viruses. Suppressing them with drugs isn't always wise.
I.P.
skeptic - 18 Feb 2008 22:54 GMT > And don't forget that fever is an important weapon in our anti-infection > � armory. Last I heard, we're supposed to let mild fevers do their thing > ... baking germs and viruses. Suppressing them with drugs isn't always > wise. > > I.P. The fever is mostly under control. I haven't taken any tylenol or anything else today. I'll give it a shot and let you know if tonight's any different. (I do take a sleeping pill, tho....ambien) And yes, I was probably taking about 12-15 (reg strgth) tylenol a day.
J - 18 Feb 2008 23:46 GMT > > And don't forget that fever is an important weapon in our anti-infection > > � armory. Last I heard, we're supposed to let mild fevers do their thing [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > (I do take a sleeping pill, tho....ambien) > And yes, I was probably taking about 12-15 (reg strgth) tylenol a day. Skip the wine and chocolate or anything else sweet. On the 10th you reported pain when breathing, pain on the left side and temperature of 100. 100 is okay, unless you were taking tylenols at the time. Temperature increases at night.
If you aren't better tomorrow, 1) call the radiation oncologist - seems to me that the radiation oncologist on sci.med.diseases.cancer told us fevers aren't uncommon after RT. It's too complicated to get you over there and I haven't seen him posting for quite a while anyway.
2) see your primary care physician and ask for bloodwork and chest x-ray to look for infection (and/or pneumonia) since you've had surgery and had lymph nodes removed and hospital-acquired infections happen. Get your blood sugars checked as well.
The most likely cause is anxiety, diet and GERD. (which can cause left-sided pain and breathing problems) Spicy foods have also been linked to the occurrence of night sweats, so abstain from eating hard to digest foods near bedtime. There's medicines for GERD.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_hyperhidrosis http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/night-sweats/AN01042 http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=57394 http://www.medopedia.com/night-sweats
There's other potential causes on these webpages. Some causes are duplicated. Make a list of each (without duplications). Take you medicines, herbals, vitamins (etc) and results of any tests you've had since the RT/surgery with you and go through the list with the physician. Doctor will help you cross off the ones that have been ruled out or (nigh) impossible.
I hope to hear from you soon, that you feel better. Best wishes J
I.P. Freely - 18 Feb 2008 23:46 GMT > And yes, I was probably taking about 12-15 (reg strgth) tylenol a day. You are asking for permanent kidney and/or liver failure, and exacerbating the threat with any other kidney or liver stressors, including alcohol and many common prescription and OTC drugs, supplements, etc. Tylenol/ Acetaminophen poisoning is now the most common cause of acute liver failure in the United States.
Quick cut and paste from Google: Some scientists warn that even taking the maximum safe dose for a long period, instead of the recommended day or two, may be risky. An FDA review found that there were more than 56,000 emergency room visits a year due to acetaminophen overdoses, about a quarter of them unintentional. Additionally they found that there were about 100 deaths associated with acetaminophen [it can kill in just days]. However, Sarah Erush, a University of Pennsylvania pharmacist states that those figures are a severe underestimate of deaths because many hospitals don't report unintentional poisonings.
Dr. William Lee of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, contends that acetaminophen appears to be the leading single cause of acute liver failure, the most severe type of liver damage. His database of 395 patients linked 40 percent to the painkiller, more than any other liver-harming medication or disease. Additionally, some babies die every year when parents mix up doses of infant acetaminophen drops with children's liquid acetaminophen, despite warnings on the bottles that the products aren't interchangeable.
Presently acetaminophen packages are required to warn consumers not to use it if they consume more than three alcoholic drinks, because the combination can harm the liver. Many are calling for more harsh warnings to help protect the public.
None of this is news. Tylenol over-use risk was researched, established, and announced almost 20 years ago. Surely your doctor wasn't in this loop ...
I.P.
Peter - 19 Feb 2008 00:45 GMT Hi Skeptic,
I hope you are also asking for information from Dr. S. I felt comfortable getting answers to many questions from "Ann" at his office. If it was beyond her she would question the Dr. and get back to you. I also used the text box on the Dr.'s web page and questioned him, he responded very promptly. Good luck, Peter
>I think I've always had these to a small degree here and there but the > last week has been something different...totoally drenched requiring a [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > On the other hand, the constant low grade fever seems to have subsided > (I have been taking handfuls of tylenol for it...maybe related?) skeptic - 21 Feb 2008 00:12 GMT > Hi Skeptic, > [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > - Show quoted text - I'm glad to report the night sweats are gone (two nights in a row) and I've stopped all the tylenol. I used to be a daily drinker but have essentially eliminated that completely (only 3 drinks in the last 25 days post RP). Still got a huge sweet tooth, so will have to work on that but otherwise, my fever has been gone almost a week now and the night sweats have stopped, so I guess I just have to give my body time to heal...without running to my usual crutches of drugs, alcohol and sugar. So far, so good. Maybe I'll develop a permenent, new life style.
Peter - 21 Feb 2008 02:13 GMT Hello Skeptic,
I am glad that your night sweats are gone! It is tough enough having to deal with all of the other effects of the surgery but the additional wetness from sweating is not needed. Hope that it was the stopping of the Tylenol or just the fact that you are healing but this change is good either way.
You wrote " guess I just have to give my body time to heal...without running to my usual crutches of drugs, alcohol and sugar. So far, so good. Maybe I'll develop a permanent, new life style."
Maybe that will be a good side effect of this PCa involvement. Hope the change goes easy and that it makes your whole life better.
Good luck, Peter On Feb 18, 7:45�pm, "Peter" <plangh...@verizon.net> wrote:
> Hi Skeptic, > [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > > - Show quoted text - I'm glad to report the night sweats are gone (two nights in a row) and I've stopped all the tylenol. I used to be a daily drinker but have essentially eliminated that completely (only 3 drinks in the last 25 days post RP). Still got a huge sweet tooth, so will have to work on that but otherwise, my fever has been gone almost a week now and the night sweats have stopped, so I guess I just have to give my body time to heal...without running to my usual crutches of drugs, alcohol and sugar. So far, so good. Maybe I'll develop a permenent, new life style.
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