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[Jaquiw]

Hi I’m new and would love some help please? I’m 67, bladder problems over several months, over active bladder. No infections, scan was fine. I was prescribed Ovestin which really helps to reduce the toilet trips but symptoms return as soon as I reduce the dose. A menopause GP advised that I continue using daily for now. My problem is that it appears to be causing insomnia. I wake up around 4 am every night and then can’t sleep. I feel alert, wide awake. I’m also getting hot flushes which were pretty much ok until recently. Has anyone else experienced this as a side effect of HRT vaginal cream?

[Joaniepat]

Hello Jaquiw, welcome to the forum. Glad to hear the Ovestin is reducing your symptoms. It can take a while to work.

Insomnia and hot flushes are symptoms of menopause rather than side effects of Ovestin. If you are on systemic oestrogen (patches, gel or spray) as well as local, maybe your dose needs increasing.

JP x

[CLKD]

It is unlikely to be the VA treatment.  At that time of day cortisol is rising so is likely to disturb sleep especially if the bladder is full.

Keep on with the 'ovestin' as often as required.  If you wake do you worry ?  I think that when you wake, if you go to the bathroom/back then lay quietly, you will drop off again.  Or doze. 

[Ayesha]

I think it's a coincidence and you are experiencing typical menopause symptoms. Whatever you do don't stop using the Vaginal Atrophy treatment or your symptoms will get worse, and a lot of women do require daily use.



 

[CLKD]

Sometimes I wake in the night to see whether I've been asleep  and certainly my bladder wakes me often. 

Is the treatment relieving vaginal symptoms Jaquiw?

[Jaquiw]

Thanks everyone, the Ovestin really helps my bladder symptoms  with more frequent use which my menopause specialist has agreed to. However, the 4 am waking is since I’ve been using it. I feel so alert. Vaginal HRT isn’t supposed to work systemically but it feels like the increased oestrogen is the cause, a possible side effect? Night time hot flushes have also returned.
I thought I was way past all this   

[CLKD]

Nature has a way of surprising us  .   Once symptoms have eased and you drop to maybe every 3rd night, you may notice a difference in your sleep patterns.  VA treatment isn't likely to help flushing etc., HRT may do.

[Ayesha]

Vaginal HRT isn’t supposed to work systemically but it feels like the increased oestrogen is the cause, a possible side effect? Night time hot flushes have also returned.
I thought I was way past all this

It very possibly could be, you can’t rule it out because the body is a complicated piece of machinery, and anything is possible.

Have you thought of using the pessary, Vagifem, it’s slow release and might suit you better if you do think it’s the Ovestin causing your symptoms.
All trial and error at this stage unfortunately!

[flutterby]

Hi Jaquiw, I’m 70 and I’ve been using Ovestin since I came off HRT 6 years ago. I only need to use it once a week but for some strange reason I sleep far better that night. ( Don’t have problems getting up to go to toilet multiple times anyway). I do struggle with insomnia generally.
The hot flushes have definitely become more frequent in the last six months and I despair that I’m stuck with them for the rest of my life.
Hope your 4am waking settles soon Flutterby x

[Petra]

I’m 70 and I’ve been using Ovestin since I came off HRT 6 years ago. I only need to use it once a week but for some strange reason I sleep far better that night. ( Don’t have problems getting up to go to toilet multiple times anyway). I do struggle with insomnia generally.
The hot flushes have definitely become more frequent in the last six months and I despair that I’m stuck with them for the rest of my life.

Oh, gawd, it's depressing to hear hot flushes coming back 6 years later. I'm 60 and just 'trialing' coming off HRT, with twice nightly hot flushes starting to return after about 5 weeks. I am keeping a diary and have also noticed that the evening I use Ovestin cream, I sleep better, though probably not quite enough data to be certain yet. (I use it twice weekly.)

The lack of sleep just kills me. Arrrggghhhhh.

[flutterby]

Hi Petra sorry I don’t think I was clear in my post. The hot flushes came back as soon as I came off HRT. During the day I sometimes have one every hour or so. I can cope with feeling hot it’s the sense of dread that is sometimes overwhelming that precedes the flush. At night I nearly always have one as I drop off to sleep which wakes me up and quite often that will be it. Odd nights I am hot all night.
I hope your sleep improves soon Flutterby x

[Petra]

Can I ask Flutterby (but you don't need to answer) why you didn't go back on HRT? No way could I stick this situation out for years...

[flutterby]

Hi Petra sorry for the late reply but I’ve had a difficult last few days
I always said I would come off HRT when I retired (nearly 64) I’d been on it for over 16 years. I’d had problems with the continuous HRT spot bleeding all the time. They eventually found a polyp which was making it worse, also a small ovarian cyst.
The polyp was removed and the cyst disappeared a few months after stopping HRT.
I suppose the only symptom is having hot flushes.
I am still an advocate for HRT though it got me through my last years of work.
I’ve been on Mirtazapine 15mgfor anxiety and insomnia for about a year it helped with flushes at first.
I can easily cope with becoming warm it’s the feeling and creeping skin that happens sometimes that perturbs me
Flutterby x

[Petra]

Thanks Flutterby for your answer to my nosey question. Sorry to hear you've had a rough few days. I'm still hoping to hold out for another two months off HRT, though today started researching herbal/alt remedies, haha.