Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: edelweiss on April 30, 2017, 08:33:56 PM
-
Anyone got very bad insomnia?
I just posted on another thread that I do not feel sleepy at all ever - at least for the last months - since my HRT stopped working.
Before that I could could 'sleep on a clothes line'. as they say.
Now I have to take a pill, and that puts me out for about 3 hours - so 2am until 5am. Otherwise nothing at all.
It's so extreme. I only realised quite how bad it is when I wrote it down.
I just don't want to believe it will always be like this.
Has anyone got any positive experience to share, please? xxx
-
I have trouble dropping off to sleep and no matter what time I actually do drop off I wake at 6am
Now for non work days it doesn't stress me but when I know I have a 9 hr day ahead where I have to be on the ball I really do stress and Tempest bless her suggested Phenergan, I only use it on a pre work night and it's heaven !
-
Hey! I'm glad it's still working, Annie! :) :) :) xxxxxx
-
I have some Phenergan in my cabinet. Haven't tried it yet. Have tried melatonin (nothing).xxx
-
Maybe more gentle exercise in the fresh air? Also have a bed-time routine. Write down chores for the next day however simple and routine; out of your head, onto the paper. Begin shutting down anything that activates the brain at around 8.30 p.m. - that is TV, lap-top, no telephone calls, mo texting and choose soothing music instead. Deep bubble bath with a cuppa. Warm bed to get into. Well aired room. It may take 3-4 months to get into a routine but as my Victorian Gran would say, 'sleep heals. if one can't sleep at least the body is being rested.'
I couldn't sleep for years properly. Until I thought early one morning 'well not sleeping hasn't killed me yet' and promptly dropped off ::). I was in a stressful full in-your-face job at the time. Now I get nights when I wake after 1-2 hours and can't get back ...... or I can't get to sleep until the early hours but they are rare. Sometimes I wake in the night to see whether I've been to sleep yet ::)
-
Thanks CLKD. But honestly it's in a different league of sleeplessness. I've had insomnia now and again in the past but this is completely different. Literally nothing makes me feel sleepy - the sleep hygiene stuff makes not a bit of difference. And I hate being awake because the tinnitus is so bad.
I'm having a right old pity party here aren't I? xxx
-
Great post CKLD
My sleep is very erratic - I do The breathing meditation and try to relax. DG x
-
Yes I agree DG, and I should say sorry CLKD I didn't mean to sound ungrateful at all, you were kind enough to write all that out to try and help - thank you very much. i will make sure I don't overlook those important things. Hope you all sleep well tonight xxx
-
(((Maybe try a Phenergan, just for tonight)))....... (It was recommended by a Psychiatrist. Long story).....xxxx
-
Yes I agree DG, and I should say sorry CLKD I didn't mean to sound ungrateful at all, you were kind enough to write all that out to try and help - thank you very much. i will make sure I don't overlook those important things. Hope you all sleep well tonight xxx
I totally get what you're saying though. It can be a bit frustrating when people say just do so and so, when you know yourself it won't work. Sleeping shouldn't be hard work and you shouldn't have to jump through all sorts of hoops to achieve it. Sleep should be one of our most natural bodily functions.
I was always a perfect sleeper until I suffered really severe menopausal insomnia and none of the suggested things worked. HRT was a godsend for me. I'm not sure what your HRT routine is, but perhaps it could be as simple as changing the type you're on or the dose.
Sorry, I wish I had another suggestion, but from experience I know it's probably just a lot of trial and error.
-
Is phenergan prescription only? Just googled it ,sounds like it's just what I need for my severe itching and insomnia. Couldn't work out if it's available over the counter though.
-
Cecilia it's a double whammy for me as I'm a terrible allergy sufferer, all sorts from asthma to hives to swelling and anaphylaxis so phenergan gives me both benefits
Personally , I couldn't be bothered with a 3-4 hr bedtime routine, I have a busy life and couldn't think of anything worse than winding down hours before bedtime, no one else in my personal life does it and I'm not willing to be a slave to something that's meant to be natural, so phenergan 2 nights a week is my saviour x
-
Good old phenergan! My gp prescribed that for my non sleeping toddler in the 80's 😁😁 bet that would be frowned upon now!!!!!
-
Edelweiss - you are really getting it tough at the moment :( I am just beginning to come out of a really bad spell ( assisted by my first flirt with HRT ;) ) I bought a little device few months back when sleep was an illusion - called the dodow- got on Amazon and it was designed by insomniacs for insomniacs! It worked! Anything was worth a go at that point - it basically is a blue light projected onto ceiling - doesn't effect brain in same way as light from phones/ technology etc do - you breath with the light and in the space of 8 minutes your breathing has been slowed to 6 breaths per minute - as it would be normally as one drops into deep sleep. For bad nights there is a 20 min programme but I found 8 was sufficient :) only issue I have is it's a French manufacturer and website is not the easiest to navigate. Otherwise they were very responsive to my emails after purchase so have a look on YouTube if you are interested
DaisyB
-
Hello DaisyB and thank you very much. Sounds pretty too! xxx
-
Hi Dana, thank you, yes I saw your previous posts. You had an incredibly difficult time with sleep before HRT. I'm glad that you are sorted now. What a relief that must be.
Unfortunately for me, my response to HRT has changed. So none of them work anymore. I've tried all kinds of regimes and seen all the top consultants.
So it seems I'm stuck with this never sleepy thing. xxx
-
I've posted about this before so I really feel for you I'm coming up to 4 years in August since my insomnia started bad I can't get to sleep til 3 or 4 am if at all that's EVERY night and no sleep routine works you mame it I've tried it. Sadly phenergan is no good or any antihistamine as it makes my rls worse. I am still unable to take hrt to see if this helps as I'm having tests for other health issues first which are made worse by total exhaustion catch 22...my life is ruined I barely have the energy to leave the house but I do stay active all day and work. I'll keep an eye on this post to see if you have any luck
-
I forgot what a good six hour sleep is like..... Think it happened back in 1998 ! ::)
-
To be honest, I haven't slept decently really since my son was born in 1996.
My son is high functioning autistic spectrum and as a baby and until he was 10 had issues with establishing circadian rhythms. Day was night to him - he really was a wee soul! His paediatrician prescribed melatonin which at that time wasn't widely available. He's fine in the sleep department now but I never have been able to switch off since and since menopause started it just got so much worse! :o :o :o (That's what my eyes look like all the time)!
-
Hi Peroxideblader, Dazned and Tempest. thank you all, but oh no I do feel for you all... and now I'm even more scared. I've only had this 4 months. PB you're talking about 4 years :o and Dazned and Tempest even longer. I feel sick at the thought of it. :-\ :'(
-
PB, reading your posts back it sounds like HRT would help you - with sore throat, GERD, insomnia etc. But perhaps I missed something. If so, I'm sorry. I hope things get sorted for you soon, and you can try HRT and it works for you. You might then start sleeping well again. Wouldn't that be amazing? xxx
-
No offence taken. I had years of not sleeping properly. Other times the old brain gets busy when I want to sleep ......... this afternoon I have slept for 90 mins., now feel queasy but that will pass. I feel rested for a change.
Also - the type of light can make a difference. As can our body temperature.
Restless leg syndrome - we have threads on that too but I do push for people to try bananas: lots of regularly. For me it's a lack of potassium, others magnesium - I have to say although I can feel them pulling in the day if I eat bananas then it doesn't come on at night.
I suggest a sleep clinic appt. as issues that people aren't aware of can be spotted whilst under monitoring.
-
Yes thanks CLKD sleep clinic sounds like a good idea. Take care and thanks for all the tips. xxx
-
You are welcome. It's about sharing experiencing, consideration and deciding which is appropriate to try. It can be SO tiring though.
-
Good thinking about the sleep clinic, CLKD! :) xxxxx
-
Tnx. I think that the waiting lists are quite long so maybe get onto the idea sooner rather than later?
-
How do you get to a sleep clinic? I've started waking up feeling like I haven't been breathing and that my pulse is missing (obviously as it's 2am and everything feels odd at that time!!!)
-
Clkd - thank you for tip on bananas! My legs are goin crazy at minute - day and night - but I'm not complaining as the anxiety and shakiness and weakness etc have settled this week. I use magnesium but wasn't aware of lack of potassium. I love this site and all of you ladies with your wealth of experience. I will say it again - don't know where I would be this last few weeks if I hadn't have found you all xx
DaisyB xx
-
Jorainbow - sorry to hear about your sleep problems, but in my opinion you don't need a sleep clinic, you need that HRT prescription, pronto! I'd be banging down the GPs door tomorrow morning, tell them what the letter says, and ask for it there and then. You could feel so much better by next weekend! You haven't tried any HRT before, so the very strong chances are that HRT will help all your symptoms including breathlessness and sleep, very soon. I hope so. Though I freely admit I will be ultra-jealous as mine worked, then bombed out (don't worry - it's very unusual, but it does happen... to freaks like me! ;))
Good luck getting your hands on the good stuff! xxx
-
I used a private sleep clinic years ago for night faints and they were useless their diagnose was fainting fits and irregular brain patterns ...and no suggestions for help nothing plus my doctor said I won't be suitable for their nhs sleep clinic as they run set hours to set patterns..hospital 430pm assessed and lights out 10pm..you are you sleep until 630 that is when you are assessed and monitorEd which is no good for me as I do not sleep til 4am so sleep being monitored for 2half hours is no good for me. I couldn't be lights out in a hospital room from 10 til 4am unable to get up or walk round...so for ladies on here who can initially go to sleep as normal go for it it could help a lot. Clkd sadly I do not have periods of bad sleep I've had 2 solid years of 3 or 4 hours sleep max it never varies ..bad constantly and bananas don't make any difference or magnesium tried them years ago. It's either hormonal or auto immune I think or thyroid connected...my family history is rife with thyroid yet I'm within normal range as per my doctor. The only thing I've not tried is melatonin as it's not available legit in this country . I've tried all other holistic routes and sleeping tablets ...or hrt of course.
-
Regarding thyroid function tests many UK GPs won't do further investigations when a patient returns 'within normal limits' results >:(. I call that neglect! Is there a UK Group that could give advice on this?
....... the less sleep I got the more I kept thinking that I would *never* get to sleep again :-\ :'( ......... which is self 'funding' (not the word I want) in itself.
My RLS didn't get worse/better during my menstrual cycle .......... fortunately. It was un-related to exercise. I'm aware of the legs 'pulling' all the while and when I sleep in the afternoon it is never present but it would start the moment I went to bed >:(. I tried sleeping with the legs 'up' the wall or elevated with thick blankets under the mattress which did help: until the legs flopped onto my husband ........
-
Clkd..mines not related to anything and diet supplements or extras don't help at all ....not bad for me during the day or maybe I notice it less as I'm not laid still...( sadly can't sleep during the day either ) ...and I agree about the thyroid being normal according to the doctors but with a specialist it's far from normal..my cousins who have spent ten years getting their diagnosis ended up privately being diagnosed and keep pushing for me to go private. It's not an issue but they were way before menopause so were taken much more seriously as they only had thyroid issues to deal with..I'm having repeat blood tests again this Thursday for my thyroid but I've no doubt they'll be Normal no further action required Bla bla bla. I'm not sure what field would look at my thyroid results and discuss my menopause as an endocrinologist deals with thyroid only. I really want one person to look at my long lost of symptoms and looks at the bigger picture...I've just burying my head in the sand right now as I can't deal with these endless bad health issues but yet can find no cure or reason or cause for them and sadly my partner has had enough I'm sure..he is sick of this new me the tired worn out depressed one that has had the life sucked out of her...he sees me smiling coping running the house working and thinks I'm making up being shattered and feeling totally crap....sorry to rant but this is the only place I can come to as I have no contact me my mother have no sisters and the few friends I did have have given up and don't want the new exhausted me 😥
-
Does your partner tell you that he's 'fed up' or is that GUILT talking ? ;).
There doesn't seem to be much joined up thinking these days in the Medical Profession whereas in my day, if someone had problems that impacted on each other, they would be seen by a Team of different specialists who would discuss with and about the patient. I know, I was there ::) and 'case studies' would be arranged so that everyone involved was putting forwards ideas as to the best course of action for the patient.
Maybe get the endo to take over your thyroid function 'care' and ask if he knows of someone who is interested in both conditions? Medics network too!
-
Edelweiss I hope so thank you!!! Those words really cheered me up! I do hope I get the good stuff 😊😊😊
-
PB just reading your post - dreadful for you. Firstly I completely get what you're saying about no-one to share this with. My descent started suddenly 3 ish years ago. It's been up and down and I can tell you I have been called a hypochondriac on more than one occasion! Scary is an understatement as mostly I thought medical staff were missing something seriously amiss - yet bloods constantly came back normal :-\ I started to hide the symptoms and emotionally felt drained - often I would swing from a demented woman hell bent on finding answers to burying my head and riding it out. Problem was that as one issue dissipated another quickly surfaced and to the outsider I can see why I appeared to be over exaggerating symptoms etc. Off course I didn't know I had started peri meno as periods were fairly constant - albeit irregular. I went to a private GP who I hoped would see me with a fresh pair of eyes - and as good as she is - bloods contradicted my reported symptoms. Check out Jen Wittman and wellnessmama for info on thyroid. I firmly believe that when it all started the thyroid was also going skew whiff but no-one picked it up as it fell within a range considered normal. I finally got diagnosed last month with underactive thyroid - no meds yet attempting diet changes first and HRT - from what I have read (and I am no expert) we should be asking for antibody reading of thyroid which gives more accurate indication of malfunctioning. I downloaded all free Jen Wittman materials but didn't sign up for paid programme. I intend to ask for this test at next private GP appt. please take comfort in knowing you are not alone - it is an uphill struggle but you will get there - stay strong and lean on the ladies on this forum who have walked this path a lot longer than I have and have such comforting words of wisdom to impart.
DaisyB xx
-
I have always been a good sleeper. But when I jumped aboard the Peri Train, insomnia was one of the first symptoms. It is such a evil thing.
I tried everything. EVERYTHING.
In the end I was prescribed a very low dose of Quetiapine (100mg) which I take at bedtime. It works like a charm, and I sleep like a baby again, always have at least a good 8-9 hours. I do feel quite drowsy on waking, but nothing that a strong mug of coffee can't cure. And, I feel properly rested and refreshed, which I never did taking conventional sleeping tablets.
I really wouldn't be without it :)
-
Thank you so much for your lovely words. I am going to find a private endo to take full thyroid screen blood test and take it from there as I'm sure it's an issue with thyroid and I'll look at those two sites you mentioned. And yes my partner frequently comments on being peed off at me and not being the person he met usually boils down to me not wanting regular sex that's his annoyance men eh! I try to tell him that just because I don't take to my bed crying and that I look normal and seem well in his words it doesn't mean inside I'm not wrecked and about to give up. And the last post sorry I'm not using your name but if I go back it losespecially my post...what is the meds you take I've tried EVERYTHING but not this..are you in the UK?? Thanks
-
Hi sorry I've just Googled the med I know it as seroquel and sadly I can't take it...bummer I had high hopes then but thanks again...I have enquired about emailing Dr currie via Emma on here but it says you can only ask ONE question for your £25 email which is no.good for me as I wanted to send her my symptoms and then ask about suitable hrt so I don't think that's an option.???
-
Better nights sleep last night - tried some horlicks but fell asleep after a few sips. Unless hubby put something else in it!! Rang consultant secretary to see when letter would get to gp and of course she's off all week so I'm guessing not yet!! ¡how are you feeling today edelweiss???
-
Hi Jorainbow, Horlicks is the wonder drug we've all been looking for (joking!) But glad you got some decent sleep.
Do you think perhaps your GP would take your word for it and prescribe, knowing that the letter is on its way?
I don't feel good at all. I feel terrible all the time, unfortunately. xxx
-
Im not sure he would he was quite scathing about me going private! I did eat better yesterday which may go some way to helping the sleep but I certainly didn't wake as anxious though did wake early hours. I fell asleep listening to DARE which is a book for easing anxiety. Hid voice is very hypnotic!!! It took a while to shift the foggy head today though and thats one feeling i hate. I do empathise and wish I could wake a magic wand over everyone of us who feel crap. Xxx
-
Oh I am sorry to hear that. It's very hard to understand why any Doctor would be so unsympathetic when all you are trying to do is get well! Who wouldn't want that, and do anything to get well as soon as possible? I hope you are soon back feeling great and 'your old self' and I am waving my imaginary wand right now just to make sure it comes true xxx
-
Thanks!!!! I'll keep you posted definitely. I really hope you get to feeling the same too xxx