Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => Other Health Discussion => Topic started by: kerrieann on June 06, 2015, 11:18:59 AM
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hi all i wonder i could get an honest opion from some of you please, iam having real trouble sleeping surviving on around 4 hours a night and its making me feel awful :( i have tried small dose of amitiptyline didnt work but felt rotten the next day, i have tried kalms nightime, they didnt work and some people have suggested having a drink at night, well i dont drink,anymore havent for years, not because i dont like it but couldnt cope with the headaches it gave me, so what i was wondering was is it worth me trying a glass of something before bed ? would it stop the waking every hour ? opinions if anyone has any thanks kerrie
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Alcohol is said to help you go to sleep because it's a relaxant but it disrupts your sleep later in the night so overall you lose out (also it seems to make some people, me included, pee more so they're up going to the loo more than usual). I often have a glass of red wine with my evening meal but have noticed that if I don't match the quantity of wine with the same or more of water then I definitely get a headache the next day.
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thanks freda, thats a point i do need to wee in the night, so yes it could make it worse :(
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The quality of sleep after alcohol isn't good as freda says although it can make getting off to sleep easier. What is the main problem you have re sleeping? Is it that you can't get to sleep or that you wake up and then can't get back to sleep?
Taz x
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i can usually go straight off but then wake every hour to hour and half, then from around 6 my stomach starts churning with anxiety for no reason and i cant go back to sleep >:(
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I don't think alcohol would help much and could make you feel awful the next day especially if you are not used to it.
I'm sure you have tried all the usual stuff....warm milk and honey before bed. Some people say a lettuce sandwich is also good although I have not tried that myself. A warm bath.
Have you spoken to your GP. He might be willing to give you some sleeping tablets to help you get back into a better sleeping pattern.
Valerian drops can also help.
I hope you get it sorted soon. It was/is one of my worse meno symptoms.
Honeybun
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I wake every forty five minutes or so just enough to know I'm awake, look at the time (don't know why I do this but sometimes the night seems to go on forever!) and go back to sleep. This has happened for years even when on HRT. I just assumed it's my sleeping pattern but I can see that if you're used to sleeping the whole night through - something that I can only remember happening three times - then waking up a lot must be difficult.
Taz x
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gp did very reluctantly give me 2 weeks sleeping pills, but iam scared to take them as i think if they work, then i stop them i wont sleep again, he said only 2 weeks thats all, i feel so low and anxious :(
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Are you anxious because you feel you are not sleeping enough? That may sound a daft question but it is easy to begin worrying that not sleeping enough is impacting on your health and then you get more anxious etc etc.
There is an article here about sleep and women which I found interesting - not sure if it will help or not but at least you will know that you are not alone! http://sleepcenter.ucla.edu/body.cfm?id=64
Taz x
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The churning tummy feeling can be hunger as low blood sugar does funny things to your stress hormones making you feel jittery/anxious for no reason. You could try having some milk or a cracker or something (try to avoid sweet things), when you're awake a little before your 6am waking, it might prevent the churning from starting and allow you to go back to sleep.
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i have no idea why iam so anxious, starts roughly same time waking me and i have to go straight to the loo, no 2, then the anxiety is there most of the day :( has anyone got thoughts on Amitriptyline 'took a few doses at night, some nights it helped a little others it didnt so i gave up, but iam not sure if its one of these meds you have to take for a while or if it just works each night ?
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I would give the sleeping tablets a go for a few days. My sister is the worlds worse sleeper and when she reaches the end of her tether and is completely exhausted she pinches a couple of my mothers mild sleeping tablets and then is so much better for quite a while.
Honeybun
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I found that amitryp took around three weeks to properly even out and give me better sleep and then I could take it without feeling so sleepy in the morning that it was difficult to get up to go to work. What dose have you been given?
Did you have a look at the link I posted - it does mention that anxiety is also part of the whole light sleep problem.
Taz x
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honeybun, when you say low dose of sleeping pills do you know what they are and what dose ?
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taz2 yes i have been reading the link thanks its helpful, i have been given 10 mg but took half and it still made me feel awful the next day
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If you take a sleeping pill around 8.00 you may drop off to sleep in the chair - but it will be good quality sleep! because your body/brain are ready for it. Or have a nice warm bath, tuck into bed and swallow the pill. 3 nights should break your pattern. Worked for me and I never got addicted ;)
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Zoplicone (sp) and although I'm not sure of the dose....I can look tomorrow if you want. I'm pretty sure it's the lowest available.
Mum takes one every night. The GP was reluctant to give her them on a repeat prescription due to them becoming addictive. We pointed out she was 92 ::) so what was the harm. GP laughed and agreed.
Sis finds if she takes them for just a few nights it resets her sleep pattern and then she sleeps naturally quite well for weeks.
She says she gets into a bad routine and needs something to reset the bad pattern. She is not menopausal though...very long story short...she hadn't had a menopause due to a brain tumour.
Honeybun
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Try soaking in a bath with Epsom salts before bedtime,it really relaxes all your muscles and helps relieve anxiety..
My insomnia was horrendous ,one of my worst meno symptoms,now take a low dose AD for anxiety and insomnia works well for me.
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My nephews partner uses Zopiclone as she is a nurse in ITS unit doing strange shifts through the week and needs to sleep properly. She gave me some and then doctor prescribed them for me short term. I have a stash of them ;)
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I remember years ago my mother took Mogadon. They were really strong. She has taken sleeping pills off and on most of her life. At one point she was taking codeine. Trying to wean her off that was a nightmare. We couldn't figure out why she was so unwell....hubby made the connection so we weaned her off very very slowly.
I have never taken sleeping pills. I'm a warm milk and honey girl.....and I hate it but it seems to do the trick.
Honeybun
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Zopiclone is one of the new sleeping tablets ,it's start dose is 7.5 mg ,no awful grogginess on waking either. I never had a problem stopping them . Desperation drove me to them ,don't use them now but I would use again if required.
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thanks all zopiclone is the 1 i have, will check the dose when i go upstairs.
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dazned, which ad do you take at what dose, where there side effects at the start ?
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Hi Kerriann
Don't forget good ole 'sleep hygiene ' may do the trick......what do I mean?
darkened room
not too hot or too cold
Soft bedding/clothing.
Does that partner snore etc.
I use lavender on my pillow, but you can put it in base oil and rub into the soles of your feet, absorbed that way too.
Relaxation/meditation exercises
Avoid caffeine ...I only drink green tea and water.
Look at what is happening in life around you , kids, work etc etc.
Go steady Mrs January
xx
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Hi Kerriann, I use 15mg mirtazapine, for me it stopped all the anxiety,palps,etc by day one ! Also I slept well straightaway. There was a settling in period of about 10 days which took the form of extreme tiredness during the daytime but each day it got less,so by day 10 it was fine. As I d been so bad with anxiety,palps,etc for so long this didn't unduly bother me it was a welcome relief ! All people will be different though but it worked for me and as gp will not perscribe sleeping tablets long term this sorted out 2 issues for me anxiety and insomnia.
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thanks for the replies, another rubbish night :( taz2, the zopiclone the gp gave me is 3.75g
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Insonmia can be dreadful. Tossing. Turning. Feeling hung over the next day ……
Instead of thinking about falling to sleep try listening to soft music ….. I had years of not sleeping properly due to a busy involved job one night I thought "Oh I'm awake again, but I haven't died yet!" and promptly went back to sleep ::). After I managed to sleep most nights though after DH retired I slept even better - no alarm clock to listen out for ;)
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3.75 its very low try it a couple of times I'm sure you will be fine ,you won't be addicted on a few ;)
It might just give you some much needed rest. Let us know how you go.
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clkd, did i read that you took citalopram ? i have them in the cupboard was afraid to take them as it says you may feel worse for the first 2 weeks and i feel so low and anxious already, dont want to risk feeling worse :( OH half thinks the depression and anxiety is down to lack of sleep but iam not sure, how did you feel when i first started taking them ?
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I have taken various ADs over the years. Most packets tell the patient that it takes 10-14 days before the medication kicks in, well those that I found useful made me feel better within 2-3 days. It did take 3/4 months before I realised that I was actually coping and not as depressed. Citalopram currently suits. I take 5mg at night and 5mg at breakfast.
Prozac made me furious :cuss: all the while ::) - some made me queasy so I had to stop taking them. You may find that they help you sleep better but you need to take them for at least 4 weeks so that the brain gets the support. Some ADs help anxiety too.
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Do you have an iPod? If so, download a few of the relaxing apps and plug in when you wake up.
This makes you focus on something else other than thinking about the anxiety and not sleeping.
Regarding the alcohol, I'm not suggesting this is the answer but, have you tried different drinks as there are different types of alcohol and whilst one type might give you a headache another one might not.
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My problem with alcohol is that I sleep at the wrong time. If I have more than a couple of glasses then I would be asleep in the chair within half an hour. It really makes you feel sluggish and just off.
Honeybun
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