Menopausal insomnia crippling me

[Scottishescape]

Hoping HRT is the answer but wondering if anyone has any words of wisdom.
My sleep has steadily gotten worse over the past 6 months or so. It’s taking me ages to fall asleep and then I’m waking after about 3 hours, need a wee and then although I do feel like I nod off, it’s more like dozing and then I’m awake again fully after about 2 hours. I don’t have night sweats but do feel hot randomly. This is the same in the day. Not hot flushes like some have, but really really warm and flustered. I wee way more in the night. Have a feeling of anxiety/impending doom/knotted nervous feeling pretty much most of the day and feel low and weepy. I’ve had a coil in that’s now due out as the nurse said it will no longer be giving me any progesterone and I’m not sexually active. I’m 55 and due to having coils for 15 years and no bleeding I’m not sure if my periods have stopped but everyone seems to assume they would have.
I have good sleep hygiene, no caffeine after 12 and get regular exercise.
I start HRT today (oestrogel and utrogestan) and hoping so much they help as the sleep deprivation pretty much means my quality of life is overall rubbish just now.
Can anyone relate to this and give me an idea on any likelihood of the HRT helping and when it might kick in 🙏

Bumping for you as I know insomnia is a bitch. Had it since I was a teenager so I sympathise.

A little different in that I had a nexplanon still in at that age. But the anxiety and sleep disturbance due to being hot and cold was awful. Nexplanon out then periods returned 😮 Then a few months later started on HRT anxiety stopped within a couple of days if I remember correctly. Felt like a different person within that first month of sandrena plus utrogestan.

Edited to say sleep disturbed by just generally feeling hot no real classic hot flushes at all.

HRT will nip this in the bud for you, OP, for sure. I now get seven blissful hours of sleep every night. Wishing you sweet dreams very soon.

Yes I’ve been struggling since last year, started oestrogel it all improved then since January it’s gone steadily down hill again to the point I take prescription sleeping pills.
yesterday my gp advised me to double my gel and has referred me for CBT-I.
I’m finding it a real struggle and hoping the gel increase will help again

HRT helped my insomnia a lot but it didn't cure it completely. I also take magnesium glycinate and ashwaganda just before bed which helps.

Insomnia was my worst perimenopause symptom, I could cope with the hot flushes and the itching but not having any sleep or having poor quality sleep nearly broke me. I started HRT a couple of years ago and my sleep improved almost immediately. I sleep deeply again and stay asleep all night. Good luck, hope it works for you

HRT can take up to 12 weeks to fully kick in, so stick with it. My sleep (and all other symptoms) has been so much better from about 8 weeks in. Also recommend magnesium glycinate just before bed, that really helps too

I have early menopause (I’m 33, had it since I was 27) due to cancer treatment. I’ve been on HRT since I started but the insomnia creeps up occasionally still and I’ve tried EVERYTHING from prescribed sleeping tablets to herbal and the one thing that works for me is a cbd drink called medahuman and it’s particularly for night time as it has valerian root and 20mg of cbd. It works everytime! You drink one can before you go to bed and I don’t wake up but also I don’t wake up on the morning feeling groggy. You can buy it at most supermarkets I get it at Sainsbury’s!

I’m glad HRT has helped some people and hope it does for you OP but unfortunately for me it hasn’t helped with anything except hot flushes.

HRT will probably sort this out but you could start taking some magnesium tablets as well

Insomnia is the worst - my HRT helps but not gone completely. On days when I have to be 100% on it I take phenergen or Sominex which you can get over the counter

I feel for you OP, the disrupted sleep is just the worst. Utrogestan is wonderful for sleep, take it at bedtime. Also agree magnesium is really helpful for sleep too. Hope it helps you.

You have my sympathy op, insomnia is awful. Mine improved after starting HRT and I also take magnesium glycinate and ashgawanda (sp?) before bed which seems to help. It’s still not 100% where I’d like it to be, but better than it was.

HRT helps with my insomnia (also with anxiety and low mood). I now help a bit more for the sleep with clorphenamine malate which is an antihistamine. A lot of them say on the pack that they are non drowsy, but this one isn't, I specifically got it for being drowsy! I take one when I go to bed and drop off quickly. It doesn't last all night, if I'm having a bad night I'll wake up again but I have a lot fewer of them. Theoretically I could take another at that point but that's much too sensible for the middle of the night!

I haven't used hormonal contraception for 14 years (I'm 54). I've never taken any HRT either but I do use over the counter sleeping tablets during the week when I have work, due to the same insomnia symptoms as you. I use the 25mg tablets from either Boots (Sleepeaze) or Tesco (Sleep Aid). They aren't for long term use but my GP was useless in helping with insomnia symptoms.

I also cut out all caffeine and alcohol after 6pm, sticking to herbal teas, water, squash.

Like other pp’s insomnia has been the hardest menopause symptom to crack. I also recommend magnesium glycinate and utrogestan. If you’re using oestrogen gel make sure you apply it all in the morning- that was advice from a specialist menopause doctor and it did make a difference.

No sleep improvement for me at all. I’m permanently knackered and surviving on 5ish hours a night. I take a sleeping tablet once a week which gives me a drug induced 10 hours sleep.

I am on HRT and it helps, but…

If I have any alcohol, eat after 7, eat too many carbs at dinner, caffeine after noon, don’t exercise, work or do stressful things after 8pm. I will wake at 2am for the duration.

It requires vigilance.

Melatonin is your friend - at 55 I think the Gp can prescribe it or you can buy it from abroad

Thank you ever so much to everyone for your insight and advice. You’re all amazing. I have everything triple crossed that I see some relief soon.

My GP gave me citalopram at half the smallest dose after I read it somewhere. It doesn't work if you are taking it for depression but it sorted the insomnia within a few nights.

I've ordered some magnesium glycinate so thank you to everyone that recommended that. Cheaper than the tablets I'm currently buying too.

Yes! Alcohol 100% ruins my sleep. Even one drink knocks me sideways for days. I don’t drink hardly at all now, twice a year at the most. It’s just not worth the consequences.

Yep I dared to have a few glasses of wine at a party last night. Was awake from 4 and didn’t go back to sleep.

But HRT in general did sort out my sleep - I think specifically the Ustrogestan I take it just before bed. Also take magnesium glycinate.

HRT helped me too. I'm nearly a year in, I've just realised. I'm less anxious as well. I also find listening to audiobooks very helpful. Two pronged approach here! I can't listen to audible for long before I nod off.