Hi, I have low grade non Hodgkin Lymphoma, due to start treatment in a few days. Night sweats are pretty horrendous. I keep trying all sorts to try and stop my sheets from getting saturated. Any suggestions.
I hope you will hear from others who have been affected by Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma and that they will share with you some tips to help you manage these night sweats which I can imagine must be so uncomfortable to you.
We have information on our website on sweating which you can read here and which mentions Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma as one of the frequent causes of the type of sweating you are experiencing. You will also find some useful tips to help you reduce sweating on this page. In particular, regarding night sweats it is mentioned there that it might be a good idea "to lie on a soft towel to soak up moisture and keep your sheets dry". I am sure there are other things you could try and perhaps you could ask your consultant whether they have any useful advice for you to help you with this.
Our nurses are also always happy to answer questions you may have so don't hesitate to give them a call on this free number 0808 800 4040 - their line is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm.
I hope things improve for you very soon and that you can get comfortable in your sleep.
I cant give any tips for lessening the night sweats but can tell you how I dealt with it on a practical level.
At the beginning of my diagnosis and treatment I was having terrible night sweats. I put two additional sets of nightwear out and so would get throigh three per night. One of my in-laws, who had experience of family/friends with similar issues, brought me a set of six sheets that had been folded in half and sewn up ito make a sort of sleeping bag type afair - the 'open' side being open almost two thirds of the way to the bottom. Also the top part had a sort of cut out so that the bit underneath you could go under the pillows, and the bit on top of you could be folded back like a normal top sheet. I'm not sure how well I explained that but hopefully you get the idea! Anyway, I would get through two-three of these a night as well, but it did at least mean there was no need to replace the bedsheets every night.
I think the root cause of my night sweats was the mets in my liver. I found once my treatment started, after around two cycles the night sweats started lessening and eventually stopped altogether. I now get them very occasioanlly at the start of new cycles.
I hope you find a way through them - both dealing with them when they happen, and stopping them!
Hope you don't mind me butting in but im on hormone therapy for my prostate cancer,and to start with was changing every hour Day and night, luckily I didn't smell or so the wife said sent to Dr who put me on clonidine tablets weather they work same on ladies I don't know but certainly helps me maybe something that does work is at Drs should be worth trying.
I am little off tangent coming in on this, but I am well versed with night sweats:
my husband is the cancer one, me = menopausal! I know the meno is not the same as non Hogkins, but after a LOT of trial and error with hrt etc, which didn't really help I continued to be absolutely drenched, tried all the cool sheets etc and tbh none of it made any difference. In about January this year my long term back problems resurfaced again so I went back on meds that I hadn't used in years. I was/am taking amitriptyline 50mgs at night, for my back pain. Bingo- totally stopped, nothing ,dry as the sahara.
i think Billy goat mentioned he is using clonadine, so sort of the same family of drugs.
I have been having drenching night sweats for 3 months or so now - on and off.
It is my only symptom but now I am super worried it might be cancer. I have made an appointment with my GP today. There is a lot of cancer (including hodgkins lymphoma) in my family and I am now scared.
Seeing your GP is essential. Particularly if there is no other probable reason such as hormone changes with menapause. Some medications can also have this side effect. Wishing you all the best
It was very strange with me. When I was diagnosed after my spleen ruptured I was asked if i had them and i didnt have them. I was in hospital 3 days for bone marrow biopsy. Almost as soon as i got back home they started, with a vengeance - some nights not quite as bad as others but it wasnt a build up. They were there! Thank God they went almost immediately after my first cheno/immuotherapy treatment. Wouldnt wish them on anybody
I have had mega night sweats since my had my daughter in 2020. Every night changing the bed and completely wet through got told It was hormonal from having my daughter then breezy feeding the 8 months later and mentioned I had swollen glands in neck but wasn't poorly got referred to hematology
Had scans done showing enlarged lymph nodes In neck and groin and enlarged spleen, bloods slightly raised platelets otherwise normal
Had a lymph node biopsy done which only showed inflammation and nothing sinister they said so they would just monitor.
I have continued to have night sweats and my lymph nodes in neck amd groin are still swollen- I've had only telephone folloq ups due to covid. Finally saw the Dr on Thursday- she said my bloods looked OK- low foliate and vitamin d but gp started me on meds for them slightly raised platelets but nothing of concern
I explained I still had big lymph nodes in neck amd groin which she felt amd found some under my chin too... I said my main concern was my night sweats and I just need to sort them and stop.. changing the bed every night when I run a business and have 3 younger children is a nightmare. It also wakes me up freezing when I'm wet through - I have to tell my partner not to come to cuddle me or anything or he'll get wet through. It doesn't smell or anything I just feel gross.
Anyway they have booked a fast track repeat scan and review again in clinic after but what I'm worried about although will he a good thing, the scan doesn't show anything major... how do I get rid of these night sweats which seemingly have no cause????
