Not sleeping through the night despite meds

[ILoveJoeBrown]

Is it normal to be waking several times a night to pee? I am menopausal. Periods stopped over 15 years ago. DH now has a CPAP machine and sleeps right through like a baby which has been a real godsend for him & me. I have tolerated his snoring for over 10 years.

However, I'm still walking up to wee 3-4x a night. This morning his alarm went off at 6am & I had to get up & turn it off as he wouldn't. It's now 0805 & he is still asleep but I couldn't get back to sleep after that 6am alarm & tossed and turned until my alarm went at 0715. I take amytryptiline supposedly to help me sleep but doesn't seem to make any difference. I don't drink anything after 8pm but when I do wake I feel so dehydrated.

Is it just another stupid effect of menopause?

I should add that last night I woke to pee at 12, 1230, 03:40, & 6 (alarm).

It sounds as if you have urogenital atrophy- this is down to loss of estrogen which makes the bladder more irritable. Getting up that many times is not normal, no. But it can be helped.
The treatment is vaginal estrogen -a cream or small pellet inserted at night. Have a google about bladder issues and vaginal atrophy - lots online.

Thanks. I don't think the amytryptiline is working as I'm still getting up. If I don't take anything at all, it's the same (but has been up to 8x a night which is just stupid).

Can I still use vaginal oestrogen though? I have a history of breast cancer so can't use HRT.

Looked it up. I don't have any other symptoms. Just the getting up in the night. I do pee a lot too, so it isn't just the feeling that I need to go.

Just getting so worn out & don't look forward to bedtime any more. That and zero sex drive doesn't help.

Maybe see your GP or a specialist? Some women who had BC can use vaginal estrogen with no problems but you need expert advice.

Are you passing a lot of urine during the day? Have you been tested for diabetes? Worth popping to your GP and doing a glucose test maybe?

I saw a physio for pelvic floor excercises. I've been much better since I did the excercises. I need to keep them up...if I miss for a while, I am more likely to have to get up in the night to wee.

There is an smart phone app called “Squeezy” - produced by physios. Costs about £3, but it has been a godsend in making me do Pelvic Floor exercises.

Since starting to use it my bladder control has really improved. I don’t wake up at night anything like as much. Mine is part Fibromyalgia and part menopause.

Pelvic floor is fine. I don't have any problems during the day and I can run for up to an hour with no problem. I can also go all morning or afternoon at work without needing to go. This only happens at night.

Last night I counted 10 times [3 times in first hour]; also woken up by trigger finger where my thumb sticks at 90 degrees and I have to pull it back straight [yes it hurts] and DHs CPAP machine leaking air on the back of my head! And then the dog starts barking to go out...

Saw GP on Friday, who advised decaff'd coffee after 8pm, double up on sleeping tablet dose and take the tablets later. If I forget to take the tablets, my symptoms are no worse/no better, so I'm not sure sleeping talets are the answer.

I completely forgot to mention oestrogen pessaries [sorry other poster], so have filled in an online consultation, so hope to hear during the week whether I could try those.

DH wanted to cuddle me to sleep, but that gives me hot flushes and makes me sweat - he also twitches his hands when he sleeps, which doesn't help me to sleep at all! Additionally, if I throw the covers off because I wake hot, I then wake up because I'm cold.

Sorry - bit of a rant but I haven't slept well for months.

JinglingHellsBells no diabetes by the way.