Anxiety and insomnia

[Goldrill]

I'm fed up! I've been awake since 330 and spent the whole time worrying about one thing at work. It happens a few times a week now, sometimes with a hot sweat/panic and sometimes just the crippling worry. It's always about something different but always work, and the things I've panicked about have rarely actually happened. Most nights I get between 4 and 5hours of sleep; occasionally none at all.

I can't go on like this! I am not worried about my kids, despite them not doing great at this stage of lockdown, or about moving house!

I'm 45. I have a mirena so no idea about periods. I was prescribed anti depressants a few months ago after phone call with gp, but have not been brave enough to take them because they can make insomnia worse to start off with. (And also I do have work stuff to deal with).

I mainly don't want to take them because I suspect more likely to be peri menopause, and I don't want to just treat the symptoms. And now I am second guessing myself on everything.

Someone just sort this out for me please! I have run out of coping.

I went through this before I started HRT. I was very much anti-HRT and tried everything but became really desperate when nothing seemed to help. I finally conceded and started using Evorel Sequi patches which were a game changer for me.

Same with me, tried 3 different hrt and that made no difference at all, if anything, my sleep was worse during that time.

It just got a better gradually as I went from peri to actuel menopause and change jobs to a less stressful one.

I have few symptoms now and I can manage with them when they worse,but insomnia remains the only issue that affects my life but it really is getting better month on month overall.

If your issue is early wake up feeling your brain is all wired up, amitriptyline might be helpful. Its an antidepressant but not at the low dose you'd take for sleep disorder. It has the benefit of drowsiness but after a few hours rather then sleeping pills that oy work for an hour or so. It is also non addictive so gps are happy to prescribe for sleep problems.

Like all meds, it comes with some side effects. Some get awful dreams with it, I never did on the opposite. It can make you feel drowsy the next day, not an issue for me. The main problem for be was increase in my appetite, so I dropped it to twice a week. It doesn't work so well for be anymore now, but was quite a life saving for about 12 months.

HRT was the main reason for my using hrt. I had flushes on the hour too, but my sleep patter changed completely.

As you have the Mirena, all you need as HRT is estrogen- gel is great as you rub it on your arm and can adjust how much you need.

I really suggest you try it- your GP ought to be on the ball too and recognise this could be peri meno.

Sorry- meant to say insomnia was main reason for HRT!

Thank you. That's really helpful. I feel a bit off for going back to the dr and basically saying I think she's wrong, but the more I read the more possible it sounds. I was prescribed sertraline and have read some fairly brutal side effects are normal and that's what scared me off. Amitryptyelin sounds worth remembering if hrt is not helpful.