At the moment I’m getting really bad night sweats, I wake up so many times soaking and shivering. Is there anything I could take for this? I have been taking evening primrose oil? My periods have gone a bit haywire recently and when I have a period I feel really sick and ill. Does this sound like I’m on the change? Help.

You can usually sort night sweats out using an extract of sage. It comes in tincture or tablet form and I suggest starting with the tincture form, as it often gives swifter effects than the tablet and you don't want to wait one more night than you have to without sleeping well! Take 15 drops in a little water or juice at tea time and then 30 drops before you go to bed. You don't need to eat anything with it.

You may also find that avoiding eating a heavy meal late at night reduces the severity of the flushes, so maybe consider eating your main meal at lunch time and having a lighter evening meal, finishing it at least 3 hours before bed time.

Caffeine sometimes triggers flushes, so keep caffeine intake (coffee, tea, fizzy drinks) to a minimum and ensure that you are drinking plenty of water to rehydrate yourself.

Dehydration can cause feelings of anxiety, which then makes flushes worse.

Some women do suffer from nausea and this again is often caused by falling hormones, you may find drinking ginger tea helpful and acupuncture can often be effective for helping to balance the hormones and reducing symptoms at this time so worth looking into.

Eileen Durward