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[collymeno]

Hi everyone,
I am post menopause and went on to 2 pumps of oestrogel and continuous utrogestan 8 months ago. The chronic insomnia  was my worst symptom to the point it was unsafe to drive, initially I couldn't even get to sleep, no naps in the day and it went on for 6 months.  For 5 months the  insomnia improved  to a once a night awakening and 5 hours sleep when I went on this regime.. This was a huge improvement for me. However  I am now back to only sleeping 3/4 hours. I did have problems with the oestrogel going to a strange consistentency , bits in it and runny, the doc and I thought it may be condensation in the bathroom, so now I keep it in my bedroom. I have upped the dose to 3 pumps to see if it helps my sleeping, two on inner thigh and 1 on arm. It does not seem to make any difference. I have had no side affects on this hrt,  no breakthrough bleeds, sore boobs or weight gain. I am slim  and exercise in the morning about 4/5 times a week. Is there anything I can do that would improve my sleep. I would be most grateful for any responses as I am at the  end of my tether.

[Liz]

Having the same problem myself (in fact I've posted about this yesterday).  I wake up around 4am and can't get back to sleep.  I'm on Oestrogel and Utrogestan.  Wish I had the answer for you....

[Elizabethrose]

Ladies, I'm still eating a banana just before bedtime which must be maintaining my overnight blood sugar levels. I still get the adrenal surges that wake me suddenly before the night sweats but instead of lying wide awake for hours after them I can go back to sleep now. When I forget to eat the pesky thing I'm awake most of the night! 3am is definitely the witching hour!!

Give it a try, it's not going to kill you!

[Hurdity]

Hi collymeno

  !

Sorry to hear about your insomnia while on HRT.

May I ask do you have flushes or sweats or did you before you started HRT and has it eliminated these? Also how long was it since you last period before you started this HRT and how old are you? This helps give a picture of where you are in menopause.

Also I hope you don't mind my asking if you are waking to empty your bladder - as this happens with me while taking progesterone? It may well be that continuous progesterone is not agreeing with you. Although it has a sedative effects generally - it doesn't necessarily enable a perfect night's sleep. Perhaps there are other reasons for your insomnia and there are lots of self-help techniques which might improve things?

It is easy to look to HRT as the perfect solution to everything that goes wrong for us but it cannot make you feel perfect all the time - the main thing is to be able to feel better than you did before for most of the time. I think that's the best we can hope for!!

That being said - maybe you need to change your regime a little? Depending on how old you are you might find it better to go back to a cycle and have a withdrawal bleed?

Hurdity x

[collymeno]

Thank you everyone for your posts.
In response to where I am on the menopause, I am about 14 months post menopause and age 53. I had sweats pre menopause mostly at night  and then with the sudden drop of hormones  towards the end came the  hot flashes in the day after eating something hot mainly or hot drinks, heavy sweats at night  and the dreaded insomnia, initially not even being able to go to sleep but after 5 months being able to fall asleep but still not staying asleep, waking around 3 times a night, so constantly dreaming. I was in a good place mentally so this did not account for the insomnia
. I went on an amazing holiday with my boyfriend  to South Africa when I had the really bad insomnia so i had to take sleeping pills every night just to be able to cope with the holiday. Whilst I was there I was subjected to very hot weather suddenly changing to cold and windy one day, my body didn't cope with the temperature change well and I got the symptoms of heat exhaustion, nausea and shakes. It was undoubtedly  problems with regulating my body temperature. I could only put it down to the menopause. I am fit and healthy otherwise.  I was recovered in 24hrs.
The  hrt has improved any bladder urgency I had and I don't need to get up to go to the toilet.
I knew sleeping pills was not going to be the answer hence I went on bio identical hrt.
I have just upped my oestrogen dose to 3 pumps, 2 in morning and 1 at night and my sleep has improved at the moment but early days to say whether this will continue. I may reduce it to 1 and a half a pump  in the morning and the one full pump at night to try and keep it low as possible, no sweats at night either. If this is the answer then I can only assume my oestrogen drops in the evening and that is why using it in the evening may have helped. I do have a bit of a heavy head in the morning on waking  but rather that than the constant waking up and light sleeping.  I would come off the continous regime if this does not work but I am hoping this is the answer.  I will keep everyone posted if my sleep is still improving after a couple of weeks, as it may help others splitting the oestrogen.

[Ms Saucy]

Hi ladies.
When my sleep was hard to achieve I put lavender oil drops on my pillow . Should you not like the smell put it in an oil and rub into the soles of your feet....it has the same calming effect/ avoid all caffeine and alcohol too- if you smoke don't in the last two hours before bed.
May help Ms Saucy xx

[Liz]

Thank you everyone for your posts.
In response to where I am on the menopause, I am about 14 months post menopause and age 53. I had sweats pre menopause mostly at night  and then with the sudden drop of hormones  towards the end came the  hot flashes in the day after eating something hot mainly or hot drinks, heavy sweats at night  and the dreaded insomnia, initially not even being able to go to sleep but after 5 months being able to fall asleep but still not staying asleep, waking around 3 times a night, so constantly dreaming. I was in a good place mentally so this did not account for the insomnia
. I went on an amazing holiday with my boyfriend  to South Africa when I had the really bad insomnia so i had to take sleeping pills every night just to be able to cope with the holiday. Whilst I was there I was subjected to very hot weather suddenly changing to cold and windy one day, my body didn't cope with the temperature change well and I got the symptoms of heat exhaustion, nausea and shakes. It was undoubtedly  problems with regulating my body temperature. I could only put it down to the menopause. I am fit and healthy otherwise.  I was recovered in 24hrs.
The  hrt has improved any bladder urgency I had and I don't need to get up to go to the toilet.
I knew sleeping pills was not going to be the answer hence I went on bio identical hrt.
I have just upped my oestrogen dose to 3 pumps, 2 in morning and 1 at night and my sleep has improved at the moment but early days to say whether this will continue. I may reduce it to 1 and a half a pump  in the morning and the one full pump at night to try and keep it low as possible, no sweats at night either. If this is the answer then I can only assume my oestrogen drops in the evening and that is why using it in the evening may have helped. I do have a bit of a heavy head in the morning on waking  but rather that than the constant waking up and light sleeping.  I would come off the continous regime if this does not work but I am hoping this is the answer.  I will keep everyone posted if my sleep is still improving after a couple of weeks, as it may help others splitting the oestrogen.

Hi Collymeno - just wondering how you are getting on with splitting your oestrogel dose?  I'm going to try mine at night tonight, as I keep waking up in the night? (just seen that you only posted this yesterday, so may be too soon to ask....)