Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => Other Health Discussion => Topic started by: countrybumpkin on June 09, 2015, 12:07:23 PM
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I've never been a good sleeper always waking alot in night and prone to panic if i don't fall asleep quickly. It was bad during peri meno but past year or so have been good untila bout 6 weeks ago when I went to bed early and not tired, big mistake, when I didn't fall asleep in an hour panic set in and I spent all night awake :o AFter 2 nights I saw Gp who agreed I could have 14 sleeping pills in the hope the fact I had them would calm me down and it did.
Last night was wide awake at bedtime but went to bed and sure enough was still twiddling my thumbs at 2am so I took a sleeping pill which got me to sleep but I woke up as normal at 6am feeling like death warmed up - I still feel grim in fact worse than not having any sleep at all.
I know what i am like, I now spend all today worrying about not sleeping again or stupidly thinking what if I never sleep again ::) etc which of course just makes me so panic stricken I won't sleep!
Do others suffer from totally sleepless nights?
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Yes I used to ! I swear I went a whole year without any ( well it felt like it ) probably managed a couple of hours per night
Tried all sorts valerian,nytol etc no good for me,eventually got Dr to perscribe zopiclone which were great but they don't perscribe them long term ,I really don't think they understand how debilitating insomnia is ! Now I'm taking mirtazapine which has stopped all anxiety,palps,etc and it is sedative as well and they will perscribe on repeat basis.
Do feel for you.
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Yep. If you do a search you will see it's a real problem.
I spent years worrying about not sleeping then woke again 1 night and thought 'well I haven't died yet from lack of sleep and I get through my job OK' and went straight back to sleep. A kind of 'so what' attitude ::)
I still get nights when I don't sleep through but accept that there aren't as many. This too will pass!
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Stress plays a big part too :P
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I wake up several times a night. Don't have any trouble going to sleep, its staying asleep. My GP gave me some sleeping pills to try but they didn't work for me and I felt like a zombie throughout the following day. There seems to be quite a few of us who have the same problem.
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My insomnia was debilitating but progesterone has brought it under control (first of all natural progesterone cream, then I was prescribed Utrogestan 100mg). I tried Valerian but it just knocked me out the next day, I was prescribed sleeping pills by my GP but binned the prescription.
Although a complete cynic when it was first suggested by a friend, I've actually found "sleep hygiene" has worked very well for me too:
- Gadgets off at least an hour before bed time and not allowed in the bedroom. Going to sleep with a book (or a sexy man ;) ) works so much better
- Not eating after 7-8pm We went for a meal out last night and it was late and boy did I suffer for it. I try not to drink too much after 8pm either as it gets me up during the night
- A dark room. This was the hardest for me as I like to sleep with my curtains open (I overlook fields). It's worked though.
- Lavender oil on my pillow
- A notepad by my bed so if I do wake with something important, I'm not tempted to get my phone or pc, but simply jot it down to deal with the next day.
Have you looked at melatonin at all? It helps regulate the sleep and is a kinder solution than sleeping pills.
GG x
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Thanks everyone. I slept perfectly normally last night! I always wake alot in night because of pain etc so thats normal for me. I didn't go to bed last night until I was properly tired.
I have tried all sorts over the years. I can't take mitrazipine as I get bad side effects and the sedation part wore off after 2 days anyway. I have tried melatonin tablets and had no effect even at higher dose. I also tried drinking sour cherry juice as its natural melatonin. I have been using natural progesterone cream for past 5 years maybe I would be alot worse without it!
CKLD I laughed at your description of suddenly realising that you had not died from lack of sleep, in my more irrational moments in middle of night this is what I also fear ::)
I tend to find that I can sleep normally for me for 6-7 months or even a year then I will suddenly go through a bad spell.
One interesting thing is the last time I had bad times with it was 20 odd years ago when I was dieting and lost 5 stones in weight and strangely since last NOv I have lost stone and half ( much slower now!) so maybe the losing weight effect on your body can affect your sleep???
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Don't know about the weight loss link but when I had problems sleeping in my thirties, I took a homeopathic liquid supplement for insomnia made by Weleda - it had coffee in it (on the homeopathic principles of taking something that is opposite to insomnia!). It worked really well but I did find it used to make me a bit groggy the next day - worth considering maybe?
I think exercise also helps - while I still struggle to get off to sleep - when I've exercised I always go to bed with a physically relaxed body which helps. I also lie in bed and do relaxation CDs when I can't sleep which helps pass the time if nothing else!
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ooh never heard of the homeopathic remedy so will look into that one. Thanks
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Greenfields I have just checked weleda website and there are 5 insomnia remedies as follows arsen alb/coffea/nux vom/lycopodium/aconite
Can you remember which one you took? Guessing coffea?
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I think it was this one:
http://www.weleda.co.uk/stress+amp-tired-eyes/avena-sativa-comp-drops-25ml/invt/206005
-it was a liquid tincture and i think thats the only liquid tincture that they sell for help with sleep? (double check that with them).
I put a couple of drops in some water I seem to recall - it tasted disgusting but it did work - but it made groggy in the mornings the following day. It also has valerian in it - and valerian (when I've drunk it as a tea) has given me very vivid dreams in the past so I avoid it now. That said, I don't recall having vivid dreams with it.
The tea I used to drink to help me sleep which gave me vivid dreams was a Dr Stuart one - it was very powerful. Note I didn't drink the tea and use the weleda tincture at the same time - pick one!
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Huge thanks for the link. I will give it a try
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Odd that - when I saw a homeopath he told me no coffee and nothing minty ::)
We used to give nux vom to kids when they had swallowed something that they ought not to have done - then stood well back!
I'm in bed now. DH is trying to sleep ……...
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Just to say I found this article on insomnia which I found helpful:
http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/too-early-to-get-up-too-late-to-get-back-to-sleep
At the moment - over the last 4 or 5 days - I've been waking at 4 or 5am and having trouble getting back to sleep and then being really tired on getting up at 7.30 or 8 or sometimes 9!
Think I'm going to try and go to bed a little later than I normally do and see whether that does the trick.
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CKLD I laughed at your description of suddenly realising that you had not died from lack of sleep, in my more irrational moments in middle of night this is what I also fear ::)
Please don't underestimate the need for sleep - it's the time our bodies recharge and insomnia can have debilitating effects, both in mind and body. How much better do we feel after a good night's sleep?
If you're not getting sleep at night, try and have a little nap during the day to catch up, but watch out it doesn't prevent the night sleeping but rather add to it.
GG x
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I never have problems sleeping if I've had a nap in the day time. Last night however, I was ages dropping off ……. I was on here until 11.30., then I needed a wee, then my mind got going over 'stuff' and I knew we were getting up early again ::)
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I'm just like you CLKD. The first 2-3 times I suffered with insomnia (genuinely didn't sleep a wink all night) I was terrified. I didn't know what on Earth was happening to me? How would I possibly get through the next day at work? At 3am it honestly felt like the end of the world and I would be filled with panic.
Of course NOTHING actually happened. Okay I didn't fall asleep. But I still got up the next morning. I went into work feeling crap. I felt crap all day. I didn't die and the world didn't end. The next night I would usually sleep normally again, or if my insomnia lasted 2 nights I would definitely sleep (pass out with exhaustion) on the third night.
So the 4th and 5th time I had insomnia I was sort of more resigned to it. It was still grim, but the extreme fear/panic had gone because I knew from experience that life would still go on regardless. I would go regardless.
More recently when I have insomnia I just get up quietly. Pop downstairs and get myself a snack and a drink and collect a book then I go and get in bed in the guest bedroom. I get comfy and nibble my snack and read my book and pretend that I'm camping.
I had insomnia at the weekend. So I did the usual and went and 'camped' in the guest bedroom. I actually eventually fell to sleep around 3am and got 4 hours sleep! I think this is because I'm far more nonchalant about insomnia now and it has lost it's power to frighten me so much anymore.
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I don't think I have actually gone a whole night with no sleep at all. I have felt as if I did but I suspect I napped at some points.
Why do the night time hours seem so very very long. And why could I cope so much better with little sleep when my kids were young and needing fed every couple of hours.
Remember those days....up all night with a little one and then still having to get up and get another out to school.
Guess that's what being young and fit does for you ::)
Honeybun
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I have had 2 nights with no sleep due to dreadful situations. The first was due to shock :'( …….
I woke in the early hours with my mind having it's own party …….. >:( - eventually dropped off again. I love falling asleep in the bath, until the water turns cold ;D
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On a recent holiday I was sharing a twin room with my friend. After the first night, both of us were convinced that we had hardly slept a wink but that the other one had slept right through and snored a bit too! ;) I usually get off to sleep but then wake up around 2.30-3am and can't get back to sleep. I always find that anything which is bothering or worrying me at the time seems ten times worse during the night. By the following morning i feel more relaxed about it.
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That was several years ago. I still wake with a jolt at the memories though :'( …… some things never really go away and have the ability to wake me ……..
Off for my bath soon ……. warmth, bubbles, good book
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The effects from those incidences left their mark ……. in the day I'm OK but at night ::) not every night fortunately.
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Those times are for the box in my head that's filled with things I don't want to think about.
It takes a lot of practice to have a box that works but once you get the hang of it it works really well.
Honeybun
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Thank you for these posts, most of which were made last week whilst I was away. It is reassuring that this insomnia is normal, nasty but normal. It really got me down in holiday but I always sleep better in my own home in my own bed, not well but better.
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I can fill the box Honeybun :-\ but the lid won't stay down.
I slept heavily all night but oh those dreams ::) ;D
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Took me a long while to close that lid CLKD but it can be done.
Things in there that I don't want to think about......so I don't.
Honeybun
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It's as I am dropping off to sleep that the lid pops open >:( ……. then I can be awake again, dwelling :-\ when I drop straight off I am OK!