..to think that I actually might die from exhaustion?

[Wahooooooo]

Bloody fucking bastard peri-menopausal insomnia and all the bloody sweating. Am on HRT (4 pumps of oestrogel per day) which has helped the worst of the night sweats but the insomnia, OMG the insomnia.

I can’t help thinking if men had to live this bloody half life of existing on snatches of sleep and permanently exhausted it would be addressed more sympathetically and supportively (and quickly). I’m honestly more tired now than I was when dc were newborns (not underestimating that tiredness btw, I’m with you fellow sleep-deprived sisters - at least you have a scrumptious baby to look at in the morning. I’ve got the reflection of a fat bag lady, ungrateful teenagers and endless chores).

Anyway I don’t care what you vipers say. I know I ANBU to say I might die of exhaustion and I’ll fight anyone who says otherwise

Zzzzzzzz.

I'm 47, no hot flushes, mood changes or sweating but I cannot bloody sleep. I slept for 3 hours last night.
I am really struggling with it. It takes me a while to get to sleep but I do eventually only to waken up an hour later. It then takes me hours to get back to sleep and I might get 2 or 3 more hours.
Nothing has helped. I'm thinking of seeing my GP.
My sympathies to everyone in the same boat.

@HemanOrSheRa That's interesting that it messes with the adrenal system, given that waking at 4.30am is often linked to adrenal fatigue/out of whack hormone systems.

I'm very tense with tight neck/back muscles, I have young children and they are driving me crazy. I'm going to go back to yoga and especially meditation to see if it helps.

[quote reddays]@HemanOrSheRa That's interesting that it messes with the adrenal system, given that waking at 4.30am is often linked to adrenal fatigue/out of whack hormone systems.

I'm very tense with tight neck/back muscles, I have young children and they are driving me crazy. I'm going to go back to yoga and especially meditation to see if it helps.[/quote]
I wish I could find the article I read. Sigh. I've found taking a decent triple magnesium supplement has helped with getting to sleep, muscle aches and pains and tension. Not much help for the bloody awful joint pain though.

Have you tried nytol? Not every day, but I find it works as well as lower dose prescribed sleeping tablets.

I've embraced it and read in the middle of the night wake ups now.

Occasionally I resort to a herbal nytol if I'm struggling to get to sleep. But mostly I fall asleep ok, but then wake up.

6 1/2 years since last had a period. Sleep not been too bad up to now, apart from being permanently hot.

However the past week has just been stupid. Not getting to sleep till 3.30, or alternatively go to sleep, wake at 11.30 and then 1.30 for toilet. Then lay there, just drifting off to sleep and dh’s alarm goes off which wakes me up again. Even though I wear ear plugs. Eventually drift off, then my alarm goes off and another day begins.

I’m considering going for a massage to see if that can help break this cycle.

Wondered why coffee in a morning just wasn’t working any more. Dh didn’t realize he’d been making decaf!

Don’t have caffeine after 1pm, rarely drink, don’t smoke. Omg, getting tired just writing this, but just can’t nap during the day.

I used to be such a good sleeper too….

Welcome to the Insomnia Club, fellow Marvel fan. I've been here for 48 years, so don't think I'd even notice if peri came my way, but it is about as unwelcome as a can of Raid in Hank Pym's lab aircon.

You might not feel like it in the slightest, but if you could force yourself to exercise, it can improve the quality of the sleep you do get. And a column fan all night/portable aircon might help not just in maintaining a relatively constant cool temperature but in providing some white noise to block out the sort of things that can go on at 4.30am that might also be waking you just as you're in light sleep - foxes, people leaving for work, the odd bloke in an iron suit crashlanding on the high street, that kind of thing.

It's definitely time to refresh your DCs' training, though. Cold hard cash might help if reminding them that with Great Power comes Great Responsibility (and they have the great power of sleeping all morning and functioning on zero sleep on other days) doesn't quite convince them.

Yeah I thought the Mirena was the answer too but went for blood tests due to galloping anxiety and insomnia. Was then prescribed oestrogen patches. Within a fortnight anxiety practically disappeared and sleep is back on track. Hurrah for HRT say I.

Ps sleep deprivation is the absolute pits. It makes me batshit alarmingly quickly so my deepest sympathies.

Thanks for the solidarity fellow evaders of sleep and marvel fans. As a measure of my exhaustion - I couldn't even motivate myself if Thor (first film) strolled in through the door right now . I'm going to try a bucket of magnesium, avoid open flames and see if that helps. Otherwise my GP can expect a pleading email.

Exercise does feel like a good idea but just daily functioning is like climbing Everest so I need a little sleep reserve (and overcoming a life long disinclination to exercise) before I can start that.

I hope everyone gets a good nights sleep . I'm braced for another night of lying awake worrying about how tired I'll be and utter loathing of my perfectly lovely dh who I hate to the bottom of his soul as he lies next to me snoring and sleeping like it's sooo.bloody.easy. The absolute bastard.

How long have you been on coil and gel?

I'd definitely go back and speak to GP about other meds including patch or the pill. It is trial and error though until you find what's right for you.

You are funny as hell, OP 😁

I sleep well if I nod off listening to a soothing audiobook, one to try perhaps? The sleep disturbance is indeed a total and utter bastard.

OP,
I went through the insomnia and was a walking zombie.

One day I felt odd in the car, like I wasn't as aware as I should be.
It was a 4 minute run for a school pick up.
I made an appointment to see my doctor and told him.
He gave a low dose sleeping pills.
Just having them there for the bad nights helped.
I found a drowsey antihistamine to be even better.
I would recommend it.
Sage is great for flushes if they are part of the problem too.
I agree I found it harder tham the neeborn stage.

I'm a fucking balding, exhausted, emotionally-hollowed insomniac weebil.

Second week of Hrt incoming. Hot flushes as volcanic as ever. Skin hot as hell and there are itchy boils everywhere. I am a wreck. Do you know what the worst is? The dizziness that makes me sob. I read that sailing through menopause thread the other day and actually cried. Wally. Weebil Wally.

Fucking hell. Go to the GP, get help. There are drugs … we need the drugs!

One of the upsides of peri meno insomnia - I've just shampooed the lounge carpet. Never let it be said I don't know how to live it up on a Saturday night. It's all Rock and Roll here .

What’s this sleep thing you’re talking about?

OP, try taking old fashioned antihistamines before bedtime - the type that makes you drowsy - I think Piritese maybe?

Also, audio books/sitcoms you’ve seen ten times may help with sleep?

Failing that, daytime naps.

Exercise will help lots with your sleep, but first you need to clear the brain fog that comes from exhaustion. I’d ask for an adjustment to HRT, maybe try patches instead? They work well for lots of women. Then once you’ve started them, start Couch to 5K to help with your sleep.

Also, eat lots of carbs/tryptophan at dinner time, and try herbal tea. It’s probably placebo effect, but I found it helped me.

@floppybit

This sounds awful. How old are you? I'm an insomnia sufferer myself and there is nothing worse. I'm not exaggerating (ok, I might be) when I say being put on a low dose of Amitriptyline years ago saved my life (10mg). Why don't you suggest this to your doctor and give it a try. Really hope you manage to find a way through this

I hope you don't mind me hijacking... long term insomniac here. Literally at breaking point. So tired I feel ill all the time. Is this a drug to treat insomnia or something else?

I've given in and taken a sominex tablet 🙄.

I saw a sleep dr (US so easy to get a referral, no idea if the NHS would care) and OMG, it was great. She specialized in CBT for sleep but also had lots of great advice. Also, just take the sleep drugs. Seriously. The first line is non addictive - often very low dose anti depressants. Not for depression at all and apparently the lower the dose the sleepier they make you. Half a tab now and I literally fall asleep at 7:30 and could sleep till after 9am. Not addictive, you can take as needed and the side effect is… it makes you sleepy!

@worriedandannoyed I believe it’s a very low dose anti depressant. Makes you super sleepy with no other side effects!

Can you get some marijuana? It really helps insomnia

OP.

I have felt this way with my baby DS...even now that he's sleeping better I still am not and I'm already on ADs hey ho