Menopause Insomnia and Arthritis

[Oliversmumsarmy]

For the last few years my insomnia has been getting worse. Looking back I think it started around the time I was going through the menopause. Used to sleep for between 8-10 hours per night. Felt great in the morning. Now I wake at 4am-6am feel tired all day then crawl into bed around midnight -2am usually get around 4 hours sleep then it all starts again. Feel like a zombie most of the time.

Borrowed dc's fit bit which moniters sleep and that is saying I am getting nearer 3 hours as I am awake for times during the night. I am getting 14 minutes of deep sleep, 17 minutes of dream/REM sleep and the rest light sleep. Has anyone gone or is going through this.
Also just been diagnosed with arthritis. Is there a link between menopause and arthritis.

Really feel my body is falling apart

[QueenoftheNights]

Write to your MP and the Minister for health.

[Oliversmumsarmy]

I have complained to the Practice Manager before. Nothing gets done. I have asked him about things before but he just looks at you blankly.

Dp wrote a letter to his doctor.

He dropped it off at reception.
Realised he had forgotten to pick up his prescription and quickly returned to the reception desk only to find the receptionists had opened the letter and were reading it and discussing its content.

They even called the police on dp. Dp has a very common name. It was bizarre but apparently there are 2 men in the general area with the same name and DOB. Instead of realising this they called the police to find the imposter.
Dp had to show his passport, driving licence etc and presumably the other man did.
Only problem is if the other man uses his doctor then dp is deregistered and his file is sent to the other guys doctor and vice versa.

[Oliversmumsarmy]

I don't know many people who use the doctors surgery. Most go private now.
Or are registered near where they have family.
They have all had problems with them.

They have a text service which you give them a rating.

Overall there rating is Poor

[LighthouseSouth]

your practice sounds awful generally.

have you complained to the Practice Manager? Do you know anyone else who uses it? Also ask for their policy on HRT and sleeping pills.

if you can afford it, for temporary relief, you can try one of those pushdoctor services to get a prescription for sleeping pills. I've just had a full 8 hours sleep on a sleeping pill. I have had a battle with my GP to get use of 2 a week but after showing them studies of the effects of chronic lack of sleep, they gave in.

it shouldn't take this level of persistence, I know. It sounds like your DC are adults - could you go with one of them?

if you get a prescription for sleeping pills - obvs use with care - that will help build some energy to tackle the HRT.

[QueenoftheNights]

I tried to argue with her but she was not having any of it.

what did you say ?

I think you need a script...

'I understand HRT might help my symptoms. Unless you can give me a medical reason why it is not right for me, I'd like to try it.'

Your other option is to make a formal complaint which you are fully entitled to do.

[Oliversmumsarmy]

I think I am so used to going and coming out no better off.

Same doctor who when I asked for allergy testing told me that there was no such thing.

I tried to argue with her but she was not having any of it.

Seemed to think I should not be going on google and coming up with things that don't exist.

We have been here 20 years and my ds summed it up.

He said why do you waste your time going they have never diagnosed anything. You go, you come back and nothing changes and you are still living with any problems. You still have eczema, you still cant sleep. The only reason you are walking around is because you went private.

[QueenoftheNights]

Ok so you need to go back and be assertive. You've not said how old you are, but apart from the insomnia you maybe have other meno symptoms you can mention?

Unless you challenge this dr, nothing will change.

It's your right to have treatment (for anything) unless she can say why it's not medically safe. So read all about HRT so you can have an educated discussion. Do't be bullied.

Failing that, you are going to have to go outside the system, find a private gynae and take it from there. But you need to challenge this practice first because their attitude seems to say that they never prescribe HRT for anyone, which is a nonsense.

[Oliversmumsarmy]

Unfortunately this is the norm at this practice.

The practice have all the surrounding neighbourhoods under this practice so going elsewhere you just get the same doctors.

This is the same practice that failed to diagnose dp with bowel cancer and mistook a cyst attached to his spleen that was about to burst. (It had grown to the size of a big balloon) for a hernia and tried to wrestle it in to place

[LighthouseSouth]

this is crazy!

there's no response there whatsoever

ask about practice policy, if this isn't practice policy, then ask to see someone else.

there is a terrible doctor at my GP who is avoided by everyone because he doesn't believe in medicating anything, sounds like one of those. The others are fine though.

Also, if you get an appointment at the same place, could you take a friend with you? I have noticed GPs tend to act differently if someone is with you.

I had a battle getting anything to sleep - not menopausal related but I have anxiety and depression. It was a battle but I got there in the end.

this really is a disgrace. I hope you get solutions soon.

[QueenoftheNights]

You may also want to write to the practice manager and complain.

Does your practice have a 'no HRT' policy?

This is a disgrace.

[QueenoftheNights]

I suggested HRT

She said "We don't pursue that route"

What a patronisng reply!

you sat there in silence and accepted this?

She meant SHE didn't want to offer you it! FFS don't take crap like that from a dr.
You ought to have said 'why not, I want to try it'.

I am so angry you have been treated like this.

You do know she is completely ignoring the NICE guidelines which say it is a joint discussion between dr and woman?

Find another GP. Or go back and have a discussion where you aren't treated like an idiot with no mind of your own.

[ParisUSM]

Swimming might be a better idea and the physio should be able to help you with exercise which is at least a start.

Might be worth looking for a new doctor too,.

[Oliversmumsarmy]

But I did get a physio appointment to help with the arthritis in my knees and the recommendation I should try jogging

[Oliversmumsarmy]

I should add I waited a week for that appointment.

I could cry

[Oliversmumsarmy]

Well that was the biggest waste of time.

It consisted of me explaining how I had no problem getting to sleep but staying asleep was the problem. And how I was losing my eyebrows.

She replied with
"I have many women your age coming in with the same problem"

Then saying "It's a hard one" over and over.

I suggested HRT

She said "We don't pursue that route"

I suggested sleeping tablets.

She said "We don't pursue that route"

Then some more of "Its a hard one" Over and over.

Then gave me a leaflet, the same one she gave me last year.

And that was it

[QueenoftheNights]

That all sounds a complete nightmare - I'm so sorry to hear about your DH.

If it's no more than 10 years since your last period, you ought not to have any problems being given HRT. Go and see your GP and lay it on the line about your sleep. if you have any other symptoms as well, say so at the appt.

Can you buy a bigger washing machine? 5 loads a day sounds an awful lot. Are you able to buy in any help? (Cleaner, gardener, DIY?) Are you getting C Allowance for looking after your DH?

[Oliversmumsarmy]

The swan back thing I have had all my life. My dm was supposed to get ballet lessons but she refused.

My weight gain was through pregnancy. I seem to put on 7 stone each pregnancy.
With first it fell off as it appeared to be water weight. I could pee for 5 minutes at full flow and lose 10lb by just going to the loo.

With ds I was also in great pain in my hip and could hardly walk so it stuck.
It turned out despite being under a consultant at an orthopaedic hospital no one looked at my back. Only when I went private did someone look at my back and sent me for an MRI.
I had been hobbling around with slipped discs for years.
I always put on here it was 5 years but I came across something which indicated it was nearer 8 years. It took sometime to get me better and then I seem to start with the menopause symptoms.

I lost some of the weight then in recent times seem to have put on 4 stone.

I feel if there was one thing that could be taken out of the equation I could tackle the rest. Just cant seem to focus on anything as it all seems so huge I don't know where to start.

Add to that a terminally ill dh and helping a friend through a messy divorce, home schooling ds who has dysgraphia, dyslexia and ADHD. He has just done his GCSEs as well as being responsible for all the cleaning, cooking, laundry (38 washer loads per week, we have n impossibly small washing machine) all the diy (house needs painting decorating, tiling and flooring in some rooms etc) and all the gardening including the laying of the new driveway etc it is all too much.

[QueenoftheNights]

Weight gain happens slowly. I know you didn't have a huge amount yesterday but to be honest, if you are almost 60, the amount you had yesterday would maintain your weight now but not be enough (or too little ) to lose it if you are almost sedentary. Also, poor sleep patterns make it easier to gain weight. (Your toast, apple juice and hummus would be around 500 calories ) . It's possible you are underestimating what you eat- try My Fitness Pal where you enter every single thing along with your weight/height/ age etc.

Go and see your GP and ask for HRT . It might help with your sleep and then you can tackle everything else.

[mooncuplanding]

Having a look at your diet might be a positive and relatively easy intervention. There is lots of evidence around the negative effect of a high carb diet and inflammation in your body and hormonal dysfunction - going very low carb and high fat to reduce your insulin levels can have dramatic effects on menopausal symptoms.

I speak from experience as well

[QueenoftheNights]

When you say you have a swan back, do you have a curved spine? You say you are almost 60 so you must be a few years post meno now.
If you have curvature of your spine has it been looked at? have you had X rays to see if you have got crushed vertebra through osteoporosis? It might just be bad posture but you should get it looked at.

[Oliversmumsarmy]

I have tried to go to bed earlier but I just wake earlier.

10pm bed time = 2am getting up

It doesn't matter what time I go to bed I have 4 hours and then I cant sleep.

The thing with readjusting my eating habits is I don't eat a great deal to begin with.

I ate out yesterday 300 calorie starter and 300calorie main (calories on the menu)

I ended up leaving some of my main because I was stuffed.

I had a couple of rounds of toast with hummus in the evening and a couple of cups of coffee and a glass of apple juice which i don't think is a great deal.

I have never been a huge eater. When i was younger i could go a day or two without eating but never seemed to drop huge amounts of weight. But i was very slim.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

How are your vitamin d levels? When mine are low my inflammatory arthritis and my sleep are much worse.

[QueenoftheNights]

sounds like you need an appt with a physio or an Alexander technique specialist to get your posture sorted out. Not being able to walk is not good. They will give you stretches and exercises to do at home to help your posture.

[QueenoftheNights]

Is this osteoarthritis and not rheumatoid arthritis?

Osteoarthritis is wear and tear on the joints. Sadly, a lot of people who are overweight end up with mobility issues. The joints just take so much more wear and tear.

Yes dampness can make joint pain worse but it's not the cause and not the 'cure'. My MIL had terrible arthritis all her life and the treatment was exercise as much as possible; the less you do, the worse your mobility will be.

1 Lose weight and do some gentle exercise ever day to start with
2 Ask for HRT
3 Be checked for diabetes

[Oliversmumsarmy]

My back also gives me pain. I have what is known as a Swan Back which if I straighten it the pain disappears but after nearly 60 years I think i need to wear something that straightens it as me trying to do it myself puts me in a strange position that would make walking very difficult