Still can't sleep despite hrt and magnesium

[cleo333]

Hi any ideas ? Still can't sleep despite patches and progesterone tablets and magnesium ? Any ideas welcomed. As it's ruining my life ? I've tried breathing techniques etc

I found a wool duvet really helped regulate my temperature, I'm still waking up but not soaked in sweat.

Also exercise helps.

In your head ! Sorry !

How long have you been on it? You might need more. I went up to 5 sprays (like a 125 patch). Also testosterone has helped with the insomnia

Wool duvet really helps. It doesn't mean you don't wake up or have hot flushes but it helps.

I didn't think it did until I realised every time I stayed in a hotel with a polyester duvet I'd wake up drenched in sweat, cold and soggy.

Sounds like you’re not absorbing enough of the estrogen through the patch I was the same and have been fine on Oestrogel. I’d definitely recommend the no caffeine after 2pm. My menopause specialist actually said midday with the caffeine intake as it can take up to 12 hours to leave you system.

I found Feather and Down's sleep butter helpful. It's got lavendar and chamomile in it. I don't sleep well - but I tend to sleep better if I slather this on my chest and arms before bed time. It's available on Amazon.

https://featheranddown.com/products/feather-down-sweet-dreams-sleep-butter

I'm on HRT and have just been given the go ahead to have testogel too. I sleep very badly, magnesium glycinate hasnt made much difference either. When I am totally exhausted i take Boots Sleepeaze tablets. Its not ideal, but at the moment its all that helps.

I guess you already know to cut out alcohol and sugar? We just don’t metabolise them as well now and they can really impact sleep

@cleo333 my specialist would suggest a change to Estrodot or gel as she thinks Evorel doesn't have as good absorption. Which is likely true as they fall off on a hot day.

For me:

no caffeine after 1pm
no eating after 7pm
no alcohol
exercise
reduce carbs and keep inflammation down.

it is everything! And even then I still have bad patches with restless legs, anxiety, and hot flushes at night.

I've been recommended by 2x doctors to use Phenergan OTC tablets. I can get to sleep no problems but wake in the night and struggle to get back to sleep. The Phenergan has helped me sleep through, they are pretty strong, I'm a little groggy in the morning.
Its amazing what a full night's sleep can do.

@DetOliviaBenson I have exactly the same pattern with my sleep. The 2 weeks after my period are amazing and the 2 weeks before it are hell. Only thing that helps me is the over the counter sleeping aids like boots Sleepeeze. HRT makes no difference in those weeks whatsoever.

I buy melatonin online and it is shipped from USA. I find the odd dose of Night Nurse brilliant for sleep too. I agree with PP about trying everything, even a smallish amount of alcohol hugely affects my sleep.

@LaWench I didn't find Phenergan particularly helpful but it is in my sleep stash so will give it another try.

Why are you buying thyroid medicine at all? Needing it usually gives you free prescriptions (in England as obvs they are free in Scotland and Wales anyway) for all your medication, not just the thyroxine. Or is this for a different thyroid condition? Don't feel obliged to answer or justify btw, I just thought I'd mention it in case somehow you'd missed out on this.

@LookingFab people buy liothyronine (T3) or NDT from elsewhere as these are really difficult to have prescribed from a UK GP.

Ah thanks @pharmachameleon I didn't know that. Glad to learn. 😀Sorry to have gone a bit offtopic.

I'm going through an aching legs/hot flush phase at the moment. I bought a "cooling blanket" from Amazon after seeing them in a shop. It is amazing. Think it will be useful also in the summer heat.

Yep totally agrees, it’s the only thing that definitely works for me. 2x 25mg tablets - yes you do feel a bit groggy when you wake up but I find that wears off quite quickly 😊

@LookingFab Levothyroxine doesn't work very well for a lot of people who are hypothyroid and the NHS won't prescribe the more expensive NDT or T3 alone.

I've been hypothyroid for 25 years and was on 200mcg levo.

As always, look for the why. What's stopping you from sleeping? Is your mind busy? Are you fearful of not sleeping? Start with the reason and work with that to find the resolution.

@Eyesopenwideawake I think in perimenopause it is usually purely hormonal.

Menopausal sleeping problems are due to hormonal changes. Thats what stopping her from sleeping. It’s physiology rather than psychology.

Have you tried tryptophan or 5htp at bedtime?