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[zelda]

Its now 2 months since I have come off HRT. I am coping with the hot flushes during the day but night time is proving a huge challenge. I can't remember the last night I had a decent night's sleep. I have constant terrifying nightmares and wake up about 6/7 times during the night. Despite being in bed for at leat 10 hours most nights I wake up absolutely exhausted, frightened, my heart racing and feeling panicky, its awful. I am giving it 1 more month then I may have to go back on HRT as I can't live like this. I am 57 and had been on HRT for 5 years.

I already take Fluxotine for my depression and this helps but I just wonder does anyone know of anything to help with the Night terrors?

[clare663]

Hi Zelda. How were you when you first started on HRT, did you get side effects? I would imagine that you will get similar side effects coming off Hrt as you would from starting it. I have just come off Evorel conti patches, but was only on them for 6 weeks but I am getting the adrelanin rush /anxiety that I felt when I first started on them. I havent got my hot flushes back yet (been 12 days off it) so that just prooves to me how long the hormones must stay in your body. Maybe you need a different type of HRT (what was the reason for coming off it?) From what I have read, the night terrors are one of the symptoms of the meno. x

[zelda]

I was fine when I started HRT no problems at all. I wanted to come off after 5 years because of financial reasons (I live in ROI and we have to pay for medicine here)  and the fact that the NHS recommend you come off after something like 5 years.

[Hurdity]

Re NHS recommendations - this is not a reason to come off HRT! You can stay on HRT as long as you like now - NICE no longer recommends any specific time for stopping provided there is no medical reason why you should not stay on HRT. I understand financial pressures may make this difficult.

Sorry to hear about your night terrors - unfortunately these sort of symptoms - disturbed sleep are common in menopause and for many women after stopping HRT. In some women they do ease after a while - although personally the longest I stopped for was 3 months before going back on it.

Hurdity x

[CLKD]

Why wait?  Go along to your GP for a chat about returning to medication which helped?

[Cazikins]

Sorry Zelda that you are going through this.
It must be awful not being able to afford a medicine that you know helps you. I can't suggest anything to help. The only thought that springs to mind is to stay up a bit later, or get up earlier, as 10 hours is quite  a long time to be in bed. .
If you have less time you just might get more deep sleep & not wake up so much.
Cazi x

[zelda]

Thanks all....

I read somewhere yesterday that Prozac can cause night terrors (although I took it years ago and it did not affect my sleep, the opposite actually) so yesterday I took the Prozac in the morning instead of before going to bed but to be honest it did not make any difference I still feel shattered this morning.

Thanks Hurdity, I thought that you had to come off after 5 years I am trilled that this is now not the case, so if I do end up going back on it which is likely thats a relief that I can stay on it. Regarding the finance bit, yes its a nightmare but I think I would rather skimp on food than cope with sleepless nights.

[bramble]

When I stopped hurt it took a few months for my sleep to return to normal. But it did eventually.
Bramble

[zelda]

When I think about it I am two months off HRT now, don't know how long I can stick it out. I am trying for 3 months to give it a proper go.

[CLKD]

Prozac made me really really angry!

[zelda]

Prozac made me really really angry!

That's a shame thankfully it suits me mostly.

[CLKD]

Fortunately other ADs have suited, not a cure but they do enable me!

[zelda]

Back on HRT 3 weeks now and flushes have stopped but sleeping still very poor. I to sleep easily but wake up about 4/6 times a night and then feel exhausted next day and sometimes it takes about an hour to get back to sleep. The only saving grace is I am able to have a nap in the afternoon otherwise I would be completely shattered.

I hope HRT will work its magic on my sleep soon. I was sleeping fine until I came off HRT... ahhh!

[Taz2]

Ah zelda - I feel for you. Hope that you get some good sleep soon.

Taz x

[CLKD]

Well done and thanks for the update.

I had problems sleeping for years until the night in 1982 when I was awake yet again, I thought "Oh well, not having a good night's sleep hasn't killed me yet" and promptly dropped off - very rarely have 'bad' nights these days ;-)