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[Robyn]

I'm sorry that you're feeling this way saladgirl.  You need to go with the your doctor's recommendation and hopefully you will feel better soon. Have you discussed HRT with him?

I assume trazadone is an AD? Hopefully splitting the dose to am and pm will help.

[pixie]

I was prescribed trazidone for sleep but it made me completely bunged up so that I would wake up in the middle of the night with a very dry mouth.  I now take 1mg of melatonin which I bought in USA, which really helped.  You can get it on-line but not sure which sites are legal?  It is prescribed as circadian by GPs in the over 55's!

[nightwind]

I've tried Zopiclone, Temazepan, Dormidina, and anything which has "May Cause Drowsiness" on the label. I now use Melatonin which is a supplement I buy in the States. I'm using 5mg.  It was taken off the market in the EU for some reason a while ago. (But then all of our homeopathic and natural remedies are at risk at the moment under the EU) It's prescribed for kids in the UK with chronic sleep disorders by Cons. Paeds. as it has no known adverse effects. By far, its the best sleeping aid I've tried and it seems to complement the HRT.  Try Walgreens or other large pharmaceutical chains in the States. 

[Robyn]

Yes melatonin is one of those "tricky" things to get a hold of. For some reason it is freely available in America, but in other countries it can be harder to get a hold of. I heard it had something to do with a bad batch causing some deaths in Japan, but that had more to do with the manufacturer than the actual product itself. It seems to be perfectly okay to push drugs on to people, but when it comes to something more “natural” they have a hissy fit.

In Australia you can get it on prescription only, so it is freely available, but you need to get it from your doctor. I use it as a compliment to HRT and while I'm reducing my dose of sleeping tablets. I take 2-4 mg for a couple of nights each time I do a reduction in the dose of the sleeping tablet I use to help me get used to the new dose. Hopefully within the next few weeks I'll be able to stop using it, and the sleeping tablets, all together.

[suzieQ]

It is a few years since I posted here but thought I'd just like to say Hi and encourage all you ladies who have trouble with sleep. Believe me I had the worst experience of poor sleep when I was in the grip of the memo. Several years of terrible sleep - sometimes only 2 hours a night. I tried everything and HRT did work for me for quite a few years, but when I started trying to cut it down it would provoke an insomnia episode. I also tried amytriptiline but all that I'd was to eventually cause me to have an episode of irregular heartbeats - atrial fibrillation - which put me in hospital. The only thing that worked was zopiclone which I struggled to not get addicted to.
Anyway, all that is well behind me now and has been for about 3 years or so now. I am 60 now and I sleep well and normally every night. I no longer have the jitters, hot flushes, palpitations or any nasty meno symptoms at all. I am active and feel great and my weight has stabilised. I even have a decent sex life with my hubby  again! Courage ladies - there is life after all the horrors of the menopause and you gradually return to your normal self again. I honestly thought I would never survive it - I was so ill, stressed and miserable but here I am- out the other side. So hang in there - there is light at the end of the tunnel! Love and sympathy to you all xx

[Robyn]

Thanks Suzie. Insomnia is the thing that I really struggle with. It seems to be the most difficult problem to overcome. Hot flushes seem to be easily fixed with HRT, but it doesn't always seem to help the insomnia.

Things aren't too bad for me at the moment, but I still have to take sleeping tablets and have just started on ADs, plus I'm also trying magnesium which seems to help a bit.

I've been going through all this for almost two years (come September), so I just hope I don't have to go through it for too many more years.

[Bette]

Great post, suzieQ. 
Maybe you should post it on a new thread so that more will see it? So many ladies would love to read about meno "success story."   
Bette x

[silverlady]

SuzieQ I remember you posting a few years ago, your post is so encouraging, sleep was my main menopause symptom (though I still think stress has still a lot to do with my periods of not sleeping still, usually to do with OH )

I do think to much estrogen has a lot to do also with insomnia as it it excites the brain, once the hormones settle down to a much lower level a lot of women find they are much calmer and sleep returns. I swear I know when my estrogen levels are higher even now as I get a jittery and caffeinated feeling in my head even without the coffee. I usually end up taking my patch off and it calms down. I have almost a full pack of zopiclone and if I ever do get desperate I would not hesitate to take  "sliver" it usually breaks the cycle too.

It is true you you eventually return to your normal self and I am so glad you posted.

silverlady x

[Sleepless D]

Hi Suzy Q,

Thanks so much for your posting. I too suffer with insomnia since my hyst in June. It is so fantastic to hear that you feel so well now.

My GP said the same thing to me this morning. This will not last forever!

I also have periods where I have to rely on sleeping meds. Not nice but got to survive.

So so glad you feel so well.

Sleepless D

[Christine662]

Hi

Has anyone tried Magnesium OK? Is it any good for anxiety/sleeping issues?

I read somewhere that Magnesium can cause heartburn...?

Thanks

Stumpy xx

[Robyn]

Hi Stumpy

I'm trying magnesium at the moment. It's supposed to be good for insomnia, but I'm not sure if it's working or not. For the last few nights my sleep has been really bad again, so I don't think it's helping. Tonight I'm increasing my AD dose to a full tablet instead of half (the GP said I could do that), so I'm hoping that might make an improvement.

If you try magnesium you might just have to play around with the time you take it.  Apparently if you take it too late in the day it can give you an energy boost. I've been taking about 300mg at breakfast and today I've also taken 300mg at lunchtime. So I'll have to see how I go tonight.

To be perfectly honest with you, I think when it comes to hormonal insomnia nothing much really works - well not for me anyway......

[Christine662]

Thanks Robyn

Heres hoping you get a lovely sleep tonight!!

I stress about my sleep, which to me is bad, but readign how bad it is for some of you ladies Ive got it easy.

I always used to sleep straight through for 8-9 hrs. And have a kip on weekend afternoons...no chance now. I fall asleep ok but its staying asleep is the problem for me. Wake every hour or 2, not for long but its broken sleep.

Stumpy xx

[Robyn]

My sleep was awful last night. I really wish I could find a solution. HRT doesn't seem to be it because I tried all sorts and am currently trying patches.

[Christine662]

Hi Mrs P

Yes loooong nights not good. Feels lonely doesnt it?

Hi Robyn

Bless you I really feel for you, have you tried a cup of chamomile tea at bed time?

Stumpy xx

[Robyn]

Hi Stumpy

Yes I've tried all the recommended remedies, but nothing seems to work. I don't read very much, but the other night I did the old "turn off the telly and read until you feel sleepy" thing. After about half an hour I felt sleepy, but as soon as I turned out the light I was no longer sleepy.

Going to talk to my GP about referring me to a sleep specialist. She mentioned it a couple of weeks ago and I think it's what I will have to do.