Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Jo g]

Hi

I would love to hear from anyone who has experienced insomnia, particularly the inability to get to sleep, whilst going into peri menopause. My periods have just started to be irregular, and had lots of pmt symptoms, which is usual for me. By body reacted by being hyper alert and not being able to shut off, but very random, some nights were okay. This has really thrown me and now I have many nights of no sleep. anyone else have this?

[Meadowblue]

Hi Jo G

Oh yes, I can confirm this has been one of my main problems since hitting peri.  I am 52 and started with insomnia and joint aches when I was about 50.  The insomnia (inability to get off to sleep) has been the worst sympton until recently.  I tried everything herbal with no success.  Doctor eventually prescribed sleeping tablets as I was at my wits end as some nights could be 3am/4am before I managed to sleep.  She said only to take them when I had quite a few nights in a row and was desperate.  I have to say I really didn't want to take them but they do work.  Suffice to say my original packet of 6 tablets prescribed over a year ago still has 3 left as I only take them so occasionally.  I have now been period free for 9 months so perhaps have hit the full meno. now and also now have the dreadful flushes which wake me.  I have to say on average the getting off to sleep has become slightly easier but I still have bad patches.

I really do sympathise as it is awful, particularly when your husband is snoring away beside you 

[Hurdity]

Meadowblue - have you thought of HRT? It would make you feel heaps better!
Ditto Jo g but maybe a bit early for you if periods still fairly regular - maybe a bit further down the line or when you start to get flushes etc or other symptoms?

Until I started HRT I had many broken nights hot sweats and tossing and turning - but it didn't happen without the sweats (ie insomnia/difficult nights)

Hurdity x

[countrybumpkin]

Yep my sleep problems got alot worse once peri hit 4 years ago. I knew they would as when I had regular periods about 5 days before my period started I would have awful sleep problems, not be able to get off to sleep then wake up every 2 hrs and be awake for hour or so each time. I would then have a good nights sleep and bingo my period would start next day. It was quite useful as i knew that my period would start once I had a good nights sleep   Once my periods went haywire most nights are like described above!  It does vary enormously but I never sleep more than 3 hrs at a time.

[Chrislm]

Hi Jo G

This is exactly my experience too. For many years I had found it more difficult to get to sleep and stay asleep for a few days before my period. When I began getting perimenopause symptoms about 18 months ago, I started having problems most of the time. More recently I started getting hot flushes at night too, although the insomnia started first.

I started taking HRT four months ago even though my periods were still pretty regular. (I started getting a few symptoms that I decided were affecting my life too much). Since then, most of the time I have been sleeping extremely well - at times I worry I am needing to sleep too much! For about 5 days before my period starts I don't sleep quite so well, although still very much better than before the HRT.

Not sleeping properly is absolutely horrible because it has all sorts of knock on effects. I hope you find something that works for you Jo

[Dana]

Yes, insomnia was always my major symptom. It hit me like a bolt from the blue back in 2010 when I was 51. I never had any problems at all prior to that. My periods had been irregular for a few years, but no other symptoms. Then suddenly BAM absolutely no sleep whatsoever. The only thing that saved me was HRT.

[Jo g]

Hi Jo G

Oh yes, I can confirm this has been one of my main problems since hitting peri.  I am 52 and started with insomnia and joint aches when I was about 50.  The insomnia (inability to get off to sleep) has been the worst sympton until recently.  I tried everything herbal with no success.  Doctor eventually prescribed sleeping tablets as I was at my wits end as some nights could be 3am/4am before I managed to sleep.  She said only to take them when I had quite a few nights in a row and was desperate.  I have to say I really didn't want to take them but they do work.  Suffice to say my original packet of 6 tablets prescribed over a year ago still has 3 left as I only take them so occasionally.  I have now been period free for 9 months so perhaps have hit the full meno. now and also now have the dreadful flushes which wake me.  I have to say on average the getting off to sleep has become slightly easier but I still have bad patches.

I really do sympathise as it is awful, particularly when your husband is snoring away beside you 

[Meadowblue]

I am still considering HRT.  Not anti at all and when I feel the symptoms overall are just too much I will certainly consider.  However, I have found something which is helping quite a bit with the flushes.  Early days etc. but am trying one of the A.Vogel tinctures (Menosan) which is Sage.  Didn't have very high hopes but came highly recommended and I have tried others of his which have been useful.  So far (first week) the flushes have reduced considerably. Only 1 last night.

So, worth a try I think.