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[Bluebell]

Hi ladies, wondering if anyone out there has a successful cure for insomnia?
I came of HRT in October after 5months due to having a reaction to the progesterone...it stopped me from sleeping and gave me extreme anxiety.
However I now have really bad insomnia and sometimes going for 3 days and then the next night I might sleep - feel like I'm going insane sometimes. I exercise throughout the day and eat well. I've tried various remedies but to no avail. I'm also now having bouts of constipation even though taking Lepicol and eating all the right foods. 🤷🏼‍♀️ I was told the transit time for food to leave the body gets slower as you get older?!?
If anyone has had success with insomnia I would love to hear.
I'm 64 and 5 years post menopausal...🤯

[Sammas]

Although I haven't got any answers, I just wanted to send you a hug xx

[Optimist]

Hi carol lister, may be worth giving magnesium a trial?
I've been taking 300mg for about a week now which possibly has helped with insomnia and constipation. I say possibly due to having time off from progesterone also which may have helped my symptoms.
Magnesium citrate are best absorbed and are known to have a mild laxative effect. I got mine from Holland and barrett.
Maybe worth a try-good luck x

[Bluebell]

Hug gratefully received Sammas. 😉

I will go and check out Michaels book, thanks Sparkle.

Hi Optimist, I have been taking magnesium citrate for a few weeks now and also spraying the oil on my skin - it has definitely made me more relaxed. Unfortunately though it hasn't helped with my sleep or with the constipation.  Thanks for suggesting it though ... I just love to hear how other people cope with their symptoms.

[Mary G]

Carol, insomnia is a tricky one but definitely linked to hormones.  My mother started suffering from insomnia when her periods stopped at the age of 51 and she hasn't had a full night's sleep since.  She manages to get off to sleep but wakes up every night and then can't get back sleep again.  At one point she was only getting one hour's sleep per night.  My grandmother also suffered with insomnia. 

Have you exhausted all HRT possibilities?  What type of HRT were you taking?  Progesterone is a real menace for those of us who don't tolerate it well but it can be managed by taking a much lower dose and having regular uterine scans.  If you were taking a high dose of progesterone that was ruining your sleep pattern then it could be worth looking at a different type of HRT.

Don't struggle for too long, do get some help because sleep deprivation can really affect your health. 

[Bluebell]

Hi Mary G...your poor Mum how on earth did she function. I was on Evorel Conti patches and they had me waking up after falling asleep for an hour. I would be totally wired and have to use the loo near enough on the hour because it was like I had ants in my pants. I felt zombified with it. I've been told that maybe I have learned behaviour from the experience and that's whats keeping me from falling asleep now. I don't want to go back on HRT. I've been on Vagifem for a couple of years so I think I'll just have to ride this out. Been trying mindfulness, magnesium etc.
I agree with you if it continues I may be forced to try something.
Thanks for replying it's much appreciated. 😉

[Roseneath]

I really understand how you are feeling. I got insomnia out of the blue last April (2 years into peri) which may have been triggered by a huge family bust up some months earlier. I had 3 days when I couldn't sleep at all then I paniced about it (don't Google Insomnia!) and got into a cycle. Be reassured it WILL get better, I am sure it is hormone / stress related and your body WILL get back to a more normal cycle.  Two things helped me. I found a great GP who said the first thing is to get a good sleep to get out of the cycle. I tried ' Z' tablets (Zopiclone) but they didn't work then Nitrazapan. (I am not keep on sleeping tablets but am glad I took them as after that 8  hours I felt a different person). I only took them for 2 weeks and during this gradually tapered them down to zero.  I also changed our bedroom; blackout blinds, move the bed to darker spot, new bedding, painted the walls mushroom (were magnolia) and got ear plugs.  I got an alarm clock that has a faint buzz as background noise. My GP said not to stay in bed and stew about not sleeping so I try and make myself get up after 30 mins and do some stretching. Best tip was when you get in bed to not shut yr eyes; just stare at the blackness for 15 minutes and tell yourself you are not allowed to go to sleep; this more than anything makes me sleepy. It will pass though, try not to worry. Have a chat to a sympathetic GP; there are ' sleep schools' around the country you can be refered to.

[puddlesmum]

Hey Roseneath I've heard something about staring into the blackness before. I've also heard about when you wake up in the middle of the night feeling anxious, think about something really exciting happening (doesn't even have to be true, just something like winning the lottery) and try to trick your body into thinking the anxiety is purely just excitement doing it. Your body then stops waking you up feeling bad anxiety or something. I just wish I knew where I saw it. Swear it was a book launch...

[Roseneath]

good one puddlsemum. I do this visualisation (for want of a better word!) that my anxiety e.g. not being able to sleep, or health anxiety,  is a dog (choose the breed!). I take it out of my brain via my ear as if it were a string of sphagetti (stay with me!), then picture the dog standing in our garden. Then a helicopter comes with a crate underneath and the dog goes into the crate & into helicopter. Image the helicopter whizzing away at warp speed...down UK, over Europe, past Africa etc (or up other way to Arctic). Then imagine it landing e.g. Tasmania and then dumping the dog who wanders off into bush.  Then that is it; bad thought GONE with the dog. Everything I want to think about it I tell myself the dog is in Tasmania... I now have 3 dogs walking around.  I did some CBT for anxiety...cost a packet...but this is the one single one that helps.

[Jojo]

Hi I'm 62 and for the past 4 months I have been having problems with sleeping,some nights I have no sleep at all which leaves me feeling anxious and panicky,also my body feels like it's buzzing.Doctors say its not hormones and have been prescribed several ADs which haven't helped so far,can anyone give me advice as I'm totally Fed up now

[Bluebell]

Hi Jojo, you sound very like me. It's like some nights I go to bed and do and listen to a relaxation by the Honest Guys, I cover things in Lavender and I take magnesium..I put the light off and I am wide awake and won't sleep for even 5 mins. After a couple of nights like this I may have a couple when I do sleep. I haven't gone to the Doctor as yet...I'm just assuming it's hormones because I still have lots of flushes and nightsweats. I use Vagifem pessaries and just read an article today about how some woman have had insomnia using them?!?
I'm 64 and 5 years post menopause. 😬

[Roseneath]

Hi Jojo. I was hit by insomnia for the first time last April which co-incided with starting per-menopause.  I had one bad nights sleep then started to worry about not sleeping which makes everything so much worse. I ended up at the docs after 10 days of this and trying to hold down a job.   I really sympathise as you get in a cycle of tiredness which increases the anxiety and so it goes on. I became obsessed by self help sleep guides and tried all sorts of things. I talked to a lovely GP who reassured me that nothing bad can happen if you don't sleep apart from being stressed and said that eventually your body / mind will get back into its cycle. I did take a sleeping tablet for two weeks which I found  broke the cycle for me.  For me it was totally hormone / anxiety led as since then I have had two short periods when I get the same ' wound up' / not tired feeling. I think at this time some of us will be very up and down and for me there is no magic pill which stops this cycle. I have tried one HRT but not ADs yet.

[Mary G]

For all those suffering with insomnia, it might be worth trying Melatonin.   The recommended dose is 1 x 3mg tablet one hour before bed together with a magnesium supplement. 

Melatonin is also recommended for migraine prevention.

Must be worth a try.

[Mary G]

Sparkle, you can buy it online from places like Biovea and Swanson.   I bought some in a pharmacy in Gibraltar but not sure if you can do that in the UK.

Apparently it works well when taken with 375mg magnesium.   My sister in law finds it very effective.

[Optimist]

I had 2 weeks of oestrogen only everol 50 patches after suffering insomnia constipation increased urine freq & volume, bloating on conti femoston 1/5. I slept like a baby (started taking the magnesium tablets too).
3 days back into combi oestrogen & progesterone and woke at 530 unable to get back to sleep also yesterday back at work and peeing elephant volumnes again !! Coincidence?? Have cut out all caffeine too
Please let me know if you try the melatonin Sparkle x