Over the counter solution for insomnia

[didireallysaythat]

So I'm 49 and maybe I'm approaching menopause - on the mirena which has been a life changer.

But I would do anything for a full night's sleep (I wake up hot but not flushed). I've emailed the gp who suggested exercise, losing weight, dropping the caffeine and alcohol and trying over the counter solutions.

Like what? Currently seeing what Amazon offers for menopause .....

I find over the counter sleeping remedies very affective. No need to go for the big brands- own brand pharmacy stuff works just as well.

@PurpleFrames anything in particular?

Currently got camomile powder, red clover leaf, melatonin and magnesium in the basket.

I use "LloydsPharmacy Extra Strength Sleep Aid Tablets" the ingredient to look for is Diphenhydramine Hydrochloride👍🏼

@PurpleFrames - thank you. I was feeling a bit like Alice - gone down a hole and couldn't find my way back. I'll go search for that instead. Many thanks

Wishing you a long and restful snooze!

I've been prescribed sleeping tablets in the past and I've tried Nytol and over the counter remedies, but nothing has worked.

I'm 47 and struggling to sleep again. A friend recommended Phenergan Night Time , which I bought from Tesco.

It worked! You can take one or two. I took one (on a couple of nights now, only when desperate) and I found I don't wake in the night and even if I wake too early, instead of my brain going into ruminating thought mode, I go back to sleep.

Due to work though I have only taken of a weekend/day off as I don't tend to wake until 10 and it leaves me a little drowsy.

@didireallysaythat Is there any reason why you and your dr are not considering HRT?

Insomnia is one of the main peri symptoms and if you are waking with this, it's worth thinking about HRT.

You can try all the usual OTC stuff like antihistamines, suggested by @HandsOffMyRights but they won't stop the feeling of being hot.

As you have the Mirena already which gives the progesterone part of HRT, all you need is estrogen which would be gel to rub on your arms.

Honestly, it's not worth faffing about with herbal stuff as your symptoms are down to loss of estrogen and the answer is to replace it.

I found cutting out caffeine and chocolate after lunch helps. As does an evening walk.

However to get a decent night's sleep I use phenergan. It's an old school anti histamine. I take two of the 25mg tablets about half 8, drink chamomile tea in the evening and I'm usually asleep by 11pm

Sominex is amazing.

Sominex has the same active ingredient as phenergan. Phenergan is much cheaper.

@JinglingHellsBells - I'm certainly open to all things.

I'm currently guessing that I'm menopausal on the basis of my sex and age - would this need to be confirmed first, and how is that done?

I think the advice I got from the email-GP service probably isn't bad (lose weight, do some exercise, drink less caffeine and alcohol) and all will probably help with my sleep, but I also get that even if I do all of that (and let's face it, it's not going to happen overnight) I might need some assistance. I hadn't realised that a gel might be a little help as I need.

In your experience, is it best to present (=email) a GP with your proposed solution?

I've had insomnia since early 20s and have been on many sleeping pills either over the counter or prescribed. I had a scare of taking too many pills that ended me in A&E.
I got used to not sleeping now, I don't use anything to aid me sleep, but less caffeine and less alcohol and natural remedies do definitely work. And I know I do sleep so much less than others and wake up easily, but I feel way better when I am awake than the days I was reliant on pills.

@didireallysaythat You won't know you are menopausal with the Mirena if you don't have periods BUT you are likely to have more symptoms as years go by.

The average age for menopause in UK s 51/52 so you may well not be there yet- but in peri meno now.

At the moment it sounds as if you are in perimenopause - the transition stage before menopause. Menopause is when you have not had a period for 12 months (and no more after that.)

The advice of your dr is great- we all need to do all of that anyway! It's not going to do any harm.

However, the idea of using anti histamines or other types of sleep -inducing potions, is really masking the underlying issue. All those drugs and herbs can have side effects too.

If you are very hot at night, you could tell your GP that you have started to get peri meno symptoms and would like to try a low dose of estrogen for a few months. At the moment, patches are in short supply, though they tend to be the combined patches- estrogen only patches might be available.
Otherwise it's a gel which you apply to your arms once a day.