Insomnia and feeling tearful but wired

[Mumteedum]

I should prefix this by saying I also have ME/CFS so not sure where symptoms overlap, and I tried HRT but it didn't help and pushed up my BP as I am sensitive to hormones.

So my most recent symptoms are waking up every night at 4am and not being able to go back to sleep. I need to rest with my CFS but I have had about 5 hours a night all this week. I still feel wired now so can't nap but feel like I'm going to cry all the time. I did cry yesterday at work.

Work is really stressful.

Can anyone suggest anything to calm me down that is not HRT and won't interfere with high BP meds?

Hello Mumteedum,

I have gone through the same thing. Mine may be or may not be perimenopause, but tests have said I'm not apparently. Anyways, I was prescribed Amitriptyline 20 mg per night and to be honest it has saved my life. I was like you, I couldn't sleep for very long - went to sleep early and then awoke after two hours; sometimes I would go to sleep but be in a very light unrestful sleep all night or I would not get to sleep at all. I felt wired and really weird, like I wasn't on the planet. When I GP prescribed me this I was skeptical but it has really worked, and now insomnia is only something that happens every now and again.

Aw thanks..I had amitriptyline for the CFS and I couldn't cope with side FX 😩

@Mumteedum How long did you take the tablets for? In my experience the side effects tend to last anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks, then you don’t notice it

I'm sorry to hear that - you could try taurine and magnesium glycinate. I found it helped after a a week or so if I took it regularly. Spray magnesium during the day too.

www.larabriden.com/benefits-of-taurine-for-womens-health/

Have you had a recent thyroid check? Hyperthyroidism can have those symptoms.

There's also a book I read once called tired and wired www.wob.com/en-gb/books/nerina-ramlakhan/tired-but-wired/9780285638778 which had some good ideas for insomnia but possibly not if menopausal.

Be really strict with v dark room no screens from 8 and fan if you're hot.

I heard that they can last a while before it gets better but it was so awful I couldn't function. I'm a single parent with a demanding job and I probably stopped after a week..it was so bad for me. 😥

@WarriorNewAgain thank you..I remember ages ago someone suggested those supplements. I have tried magnesium and use the spray all the time but I forgot about taurine and magnesium together. I am seeing a nutritional therapist soon so maybe they'll have some thoughts on supplements too.

I can't remember last time they checked thyroid but I am pretty sure it's my ME and meno. O could do with seeing GP though so I will see if they might check again.

I feel for you. I'm also perimenopausal and have ME/CFS and never know what to attribute my symptoms to. It's really hard to navigate. I don't have as much on my plate as you though, so I can't imagine how difficult it must be for you. At least if I don't sleep I don't have to go to work. I've just started taking magnesium in the vain hope it'll help with sleep.

I do hope you manage to find something that helps.

@PunishmentRoundupWithJoon thank you, I feel for you too. It sucks! Misery loves company though they say. I do find fb groups for cfs helpful for that too. I slept quite well last night. Woke at 4 (all week.. On the dot 🙄) but managed to go off again. Trying to rest this weekend.. Among the chores! At least it's sunny so I've just been laying outside.

Have you had Covid in the last couple of months? Could be a ‘long covid’ type of symptom