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[ceridwen]

Hello for the first time. I'm hoping for some help and I will give you a potted history.
Hysterectomy at 38, one ovary left. A few years later evoral patch, very successful until G.P. advised that I came off it aged 55. A few years later required vaginal oestrogen as very painful vulva and urethra. Succesful although if I do not take daily urethral irritation resumes and I can end up with a U.T.I.

My problem is that I am still having nightly hot flushes, 4 times a night, after 10 years and I am very sleep deprived. I have them during the day as well but I can cope well with them . I just ignore them. I have tried every herbal remedy, acupuncture and relaxation therapy, all to no avail. My G.P. can't help. Any ideas PLEASE. I have no other symptoms - anxiety etc and have no problem sleeping, but the constant waking and an inability to get back to sleep after the early morning one - 5.30am - has me beaten.

[Dancinggirl]

Hi ceridwen and welcome to MM
You don't say how old you are now? If you are 60 or under there is absolutely no reason why you shouldn't still be using HRT especially as you have had a hysterectomy so only need oestrogen.  There is a slight issue with starting HRT after the age of 60. It is now accepted that provided women are basically healthy and are aware of the slightly higher risks involved with taking HRT then there is no reason you should not continue well into your 70s or beyond!!!!
DG x

[Hurdity]

Hello ceridwen and 

How old are you now?

Sorry to hear about your problems but no reason why you should not re-start HRT, and what a pity your doctor said you should come off the patches.

There are quite a few of us on here still taking HRT over 60 ( I am a few days short of 61) and members with hysterectomies still taking oestrogen in their late 60's or 70's.

You should find that the additional systemic oestrogen means that the local oestrogen that you take deals with the vulval and urethral problems and you may be able to go onto the twice weekly maintenance dose.

Nothing like insufficient sleep to make you feel less able to cope....

If you need any information eg about the latest thinking etc before you go to your doc, or to quote any papers etc - then please ask!

Hurdity x

[ceridwen]

Oh thank you so much for replying. I am aged 65 and have been off systemic H.R.T. for 10 years now. I have benign breast disease - cysts and fibro adenoma, I think this is the main reason for the reluctance for resuming systemic H.R.T. that and the length of time I have been off it.

Thankyou

[Dancinggirl]

At 65 it may not be advisable to start HRT again, so you do have a dilemma.
I have stopped using HRT now (I'm 58)and my flushes etc are not that bad but I do wake quite often in the night - usually because I need to pee - and like you i often find it hard to go back to sleep.
I do take Nytol (the proper one not the herbal sort)every so often as I find it can break the habit of waking up.
Also I have a 4.5 cotton filled duvet which helps with any 'hot' episodes at night - I recently slept under a normal duvet and felt really hot and flustered.
BTW, I use Estring for my vaginal atrophy which I'm finding the best option - you just pop it in and leave it for 3 months and it gives a continuous small amount of oestrogen,
DG x

[ceridwen]

Mmh. This is to be my lot then. Oh dear. I look after my baby grandchildren and it's dire some days. I have tried Nytol and I still wake sweating like a pig. I have a 3 tog duvet as well, nothing helps. The estring however sounds a great thing. Do you insert it yourself?

[Dancinggirl]

Yes, you just push the Estring up inside the vagina - I find it seems to hook around the neck of my uterus.  After the first couple of days, when I was slightly aware of it being there, I now don't feel thing.
Night sweats are miserable - I do sympathise - but I'm out of ideas.  Maybe others will be along with thought and advice. DG x

[tiger74]

Ceridwen - you do have my sympathy, night-time hot flushes are horrible and the sleep deprivation does take its toll.  I also get these and wake up several times a night (I also can't take HRT because of breast disease).

Apart from the suggestion of a very thin duvet which I see you've already tried, the only other thing I can recommend is a 'Chillow' (available from Amazon, Ebay etc.).  I keep one (in a pillowcase) on the mattress beside me and roll onto it to cool down when the night sweats wake me up.  Doesn't prevent it happening but I'm more comfortable more quickly which hopefully means I get back off to sleep more readily.

Best wishes.

[Linsey44]

Hi Ceridwen

This is all fairly new to me (surgical meno) but as i was expecting symptoms i stocked up on a few things.

The chillow helps, i have just bought a 2.5 tog duvet which is good.  I use the physiocool spray and take 400iu of vit e morn and night, i get flushes etc and am on hrt.

What i have found out very quickly much to my dismay - wine makes mine worse and im talking a couple of small glasses. Im gutted

Pre op i took sage complex if u like i will email you a link for where i got it. 

Take it easy think they get worse when we are stressed.

Would your gp not give you low dose anti depress which helps hot flushes - my gynae has just prescribed them for me in addition to hrt.  See green menu on left

[Joyce]

Aw  Ceridwen, every sympathy. I came off HRT cold turkey 4.5 years ago, then started looking after GD, who was 15 months at the time. Between her terrible 2s type tantrums & my meno madness....... Well you can imagine. I was completely exhausted. Would grab a nap in the afternoon, when she had one. I was wiped out most of the time. Thankfully GP put me back on HRT! However, I was younger than yourself.

Currently looking for lowest tog duvet to purchase. Gutted than 1 togs are no longer available. So guess 2.5 it'll have to be.

Chillows and chilling neck scarves are great.

[Linsey44]

Hi cuba girl

I got my 2.5 tog from john lewis in case you are interested.

[ceridwen]

Thank you all for taking the trouble. I have been too busy to get here to read your reply's until today. It looks very much as if I am stuck with this problem, even complete exhaustion fails to prevent the flushes waking me up.
On the face of it hot flushes seem such a minor complaint but the resulting sleep deprivation is life changing.

Thank you all.
C

[honeybun]

I have a friend in her mid 60s who no longer takes HRT but gets great relief from sage tablets.

It might be worth a try and it certainly can't do any harm.


Honeyb
x