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[Artmouse]

Hello all,


I'm wondering if anyone has found that HRT has helped their insomnia? 

I went to the Doctor's quite a while ago and she agreed to try me on Ellest Duet but I felt nervous about taking it (silly I know) and stopped after a couple of days.  Now I'm thinking I need to try again as am getting desperate.  I actually feel like my life is being wrecked by insomnia, it's affecting everything, especially work making it really hard to get through the day sometimes... I've always had a tendency to insomnia but now it's hitting me like a ton of bricks and I think it's hormonal.  I'm 53 and periods are still there but more like every 2 to 3 months now.  Help!

[Salad]

It's pretty much cured it 

I always struggled to get off to sleep, even as a child. I think my preferred sleep time would have been 2am to 10am.
It got worse when the menopause hit as not only would I take a good couple of hours to get off to sleep but I would wake after a couple of hours and then take an hour or two to get back to sleep again!

With my HRT I go to sleep by midnight and wake with my alarm - 8 ish. I might get the odd night where I'm still awake at 2 ish but that's normally a sign that my oestrogen is a bit low.

I love sleeping 

[Artmouse]

That sounds so good!!  Can you remember how long it took to have an effect?  And I'm really jealous...

[dazned]

Sadly my hrt didn't help my insomnia 😕

But we are all different in how hrt will/won't help us. I think as we get older quality/quantity of sleep changes immensely. Gone are the days when I could sleep 9 hours solid,I think I'm lucky if I can get 5hours !

[Callisto]

Hi there Artmouse,

HRT has saved me from terrible insomnia, which was my main symptom alongside anxiety which has ratcheted way down too; it took at least 4 months of indecision before taking the plunge and starting the HRT (had the hormones in bathroom for three months before taking) but I haven't looked back.

Callisto

[Artmouse]

Hi Callisto

That's good, HRT seems to be very variable in how it affects insomnia...  I worry a lot about the side effects but I am getting desperate - and have anxiety too.  Maybe the GP can offer something different.  Have had sleeping pills but they make me feel awful the next day.

[Callisto]

Yes,
Sleeping pills made me feel awful too. I have had no side effects at all from the HRT..
Much better that the depressing effects of menopause which I intend on avoiding for as long as possible : ) C

[Salad]

That sounds so good!!  Can you remember how long it took to have an effect?  And I'm really jealous...

I felt a difference within a week for all my symptoms - I started on 2 pumps of Oestrogel and increased to 3 pumps after a month.

[Artmouse]

Sorry, I'm not much up on this, by pumps how is it applied/taken?

[Hurdity]

Oestrogel is dispensed by means of a pump canister where 1 pump delivers 1.25 g gel containing 1.5 mg estradiol. This would be a low dose and the standard medium dose is 2 pumps. Of course only a small proprtion of this is absorbed - women vary in how much estradiol is absorbed from the gel. 4 pumps would be a high dose. If you are post-meno and in your 50's or 60's then the usual would be either 1 or 2 pumps but some women do need more to relieve symptoms and to feel good.

Hurdity x

[Artmouse]

Ah, OK thanks.  Think I'd feel better about HRT being absorbed through skin rather than taking pills but I'm guessing the pills are cheaper.

[Dana]

HRT certainly fixed my insomnia, and I had it BAD!!! No side effects from it, except lovely 7 hours of sleep every night.

[Artmouse]

7 hours sounds like a dream to me!  I'm beginning to think this sounds like a solution...

[soniad]

Hi Artmouse,

It's a resounding yes from me.

HRT really fixed my insomnia

It's worth giving it a go, but you have to do it for at least 3 months.

cheers