Menopause Matters

Valli

Trouble is, with my job I need my sleep and going dizzy and flushing was beginning to interfere with it. And 'spending time' with my bloke even HE commented on how 'hot' I was.
*winks lewdly*
Luckily I had no contra-indications for the HRT and decided to go with it. Hopefully it will calm down the problems caused my my 'little passenger' too - I have a little fibroid.
Up until I started the HRT I was sleeping for no more than one-and-a-half hours at a time...

choille

Hi Vali - I thinkmaybe HRT is a bit postcode possibly - depends where you live. Here they give you porridge for everything...only kidding.

I don't get the sweats anymore & my anxiety has gone but don't know if it's the supplements or they just stopped - whatever, I'm glad they have.
I do feel a bit tranced out a lot of the time & that is weird, especially when I'm walking down the steep bit of field & it's a bit dangerous. It's as if I have to keep myself with it by willing myself to 'snap out of it' - if that makes sense.

The sleepless thing is bad. I have alsways hit sleepless times - just glad I work from home as I'd be a bit/lot hopeless if I had to do more than stumble out of bed & throw something on & only have animals to talk to - and OH who is not an animal - honestly.

Hippeechiq

Thank you for the warm welcome everyone, and nice to "see" you on here too wmf

Glad you had a nice time at the meet. Was that the same meet that mardatha was going to?

choille wrote: »

I do feel a bit tranced out a lot of the time & that is weird, especially when I'm walking down the steep bit of field & it's a bit dangerous. It's as if I have to keep myself with it by willing myself to 'snap out of it' - if that makes sense.
.

Perfect sense and being able to read comments like that, makes me realise I'm not going insane :T

I went 3 months last year with a maximum of an hours sleep "some" nights. Others I was awake all night, until I finally couldn't function anymore (and I was working at the time)

My doctor put me on a tablet that is normally used as an anti depressant, but in the dosage that I have it in - ½ the lowest strength tablet - it just stops the mind racing and allows you to switch off.

I'm also on ½ a sleeping tablet. I was taking a 2 of the anti d and one of the sleeping tablet originally, but have cut them down to the dosage I'm on now.

Some may feel that it's not ideal that I'm still on them, I know, but I have a daughter who suffers from a mental illness akin to Bi Polar, and combined with trying to cope with the other menopausal symptoms I simply have to have sleep.

Personally, it wouldn't bother me if I took them for the rest of my life. As someone who has never slept very well, it's simply bliss to know for certain I am going to get at least 4 - and up to 6 - hours sleep every night, as unless you've ever suffered from insomnia, I don't think anyone can fully appreciate how totally debilitating it can be.

By the way - it wasn't my intention to come across as critical of those of you who are taking HRT. My reasons for not taking it are personal and based on my own particular family medical history

joyfull

Hi Hippee,

See you logged off, hope you get some rest. Sooo understand the insomnia thing. It really is tortuous. I'm like Choille in that I can work from home and therefore don't have to present a face to the world that functions, and also I can get a nap in the day too. It's 1am & I've just taken a nib of a sleeping pill and expect it to just tip me off into an off/on napping sleep.

Valli. I totally understand you going with HRT. I was very very close to just trying it for simply a break. Somehow, the flushes have subsided and it feels manageable atm.. Also I've been taking a herbal supp which has really helped with energy and general well being.

BTW I'm simply sharing my journey and not recommending any medical stuff!

My feet are turning to ice, so need to hop into warm bed.

choille

Hi Hippee - insomnia is hell. I hit times of that ^ although I'm getting off to sleep now, I wake early & throughout the night. I wasn't hardly getting any sleep a while back but that soon grinds you down. It's like torture. I've never been offered sleeping tablets by the doc even though i did ask for them once - they obviously don't trust me with them - maybe. Like I say, you just get porridge here.:D.

Hippeechiq

Well - as a southern porridge lover, I have to say, there's a lot to be said for eating porridge, but would be unsure of it's effectiveness in treating insomnia and HRT symptoms :rotfl:

I said that one of my tablets is a sleeping tablet, which isn't strictly true. In higher doses than I take (I only take ½) it's used for people suffering from panic attacks. So it calms, and slightly sedates, which enables me to actually get to sleep - which has been my biggest problem. It usually guarantees me 4 hours unbroken sleep, sometimes 6, which is still not as much as I'd like, but so much better the hour I was getting every 2nd or third night.

I'm mindful of being seen to be offering medical advice here, and I'm not.......Nor am I suggesting that anyone should try any particular medication (which is why I haven't named the medication that I'm taking) I'm just stating what has been helpful, and worked for me personally, which may or may not benefit others

choille

It was a while before I realsied that I was suffering from perimenopausal symptoms. I'd stopped smoking. I was on Champix for a bit - that totally stopped me sleeping - I had to stop taking it as I was having severe panic attacks & couldn't sleep for days. Then I didn't really ever get slept prperly since March. Course in this time my periods started going haywire & I was still hardly sleeping, felt like stabbing people when I went shopping! Well sort of...............
I had a lot of stuff down to nicotine withdrawal until it dawned on me something else was going on.
I started taking a soya supplement that was suggested by my Dr but didn't get a perscription - just told about soya flavonoid {sp?} & bought some over the counter - well from Morrissons actually & have been taking those for a few months. I was having very bad night sweats & quite a few day sweats & not really sleeping. This last few weeks the sweats have stopped completely & I am sleeping better, the anxiety has stopped totally - that was the very worst thing. So I don't know if it is the supplements but I'm keeping taking them.
Bright here but bitterly cold - away to venture out.
All the best.

Valli

ears...
I'm having trouble with my ears
buzzing/whistling/sounds sounding ODD

is it the menopause or just the start of a long, slow and uncomfortable decline?

I feel about 84 now...probably look it, too.

joyfull

Morning Ladies and Lurkers,

Oh Valli - ear noises? menopause? your guess is as good as mine. Unfortunately the meno seems to be the beginning of a decline. Might as well keep a SOH, lots to enjoy still in life.

I went out for the day y'day and for the second time I not only left my front door unlocked but actually ajar. :eek: The good news is I didn't lose much heat as I'm too mean to heat that part of the house.

Had difficult day y'day as sometimes I get v sensitive about others' criticism of me :(even if it's justified and I felt all bruised and wanted to be alone and look after myself. Oh well, it all passes & I'm spending time today doing theraputic cleaning type stuff and pottering. I even have a wash on the line, stiff as a board but actually seems to be drying.

OOh porridge - it's that kind of weather. I like it with a knob of butter and some muscovado sugar.

Do hope you all had a good w/e. Keep those fingers & toes warm.

vwelsh13

ooh girls its ruddy cold!! hope all of you are warm, safe and in rude health xxx