Gayle (Banslug)!!! Aaarrgghh - Insomnia!!

[Worknprogress]

I remember your post about insomnia recently and this week mine is getting worse. I was in bed asleep by 10 only to be up at 2 am. I read that you shouldn't lay in bed trying to fall back asleep so I got up and watched tv. I finally fell back asleep about 4 am.

Have you (or anybody else with this perimenopause/menopause insomnia) gotten any medical help or have anything other little tricks that work? Also, how long does this insomnia thing last? Is it just something I have to deal with for a few months or longer? I cannot imagine living this way for a long period of time with only a few hours of sleep a night!

Like so many of us here, I then have to be up by 6:30 to get my daughter off to school and then my little guys get up shortly thereafter so I spend the rest of my day exhausted!!

I think I will be going to by OB/GYN for some bloodwork to see where my hormones are right now.

 

[jackie7]

progesterone cream

Hi,
I too was suffering from insomnia due to menopause. I cut the caffeine completely, because I was having hot flashes. That did not help. Then I remembered my progesterone cream which always helped with the flashes. I applied it and in 2 days I was sleeping. I would still wake up, but was able to fall asleep again. I have had 2 good nights and feel like a new woman!

 

[bitmover]

I think I sent Gayle a pm about this, but I haven't heard back from her, so maybe I hit the wrong button or something! At any rate, I started reading "The Total Sugar Addict's Guide to Recovery" by the same woman as "Potatoes Not Prosac". She claims that one reason we can have sweet/carb cravings is because our seratonin is out of balance. She recommends three meals a day, each consisting of a good amount of protein and complex carbs, and then right before you go to bed, eat a baked potato with skin and NO protein (but anything else -- butter, olive oil, etc.). I have done this two nights -- I could not believe how soundly I slept the first night!! I don't know if it really was the potato, because last night was not as good, but I'm going to keep doing it.

My fallback plan, so many nights, is 1/4 dose of Simply Sleep, which is an antihistimine, but I know a lot of people don't want to take stuff. Maybe you could try the potato and see?

good luck!

-Beth

 

[banslug]

Oh Debbie. I'm sorry it's happening again to you. It's been about 4 or 5 days since my last 'episode'......holding my breath every night when I go to bed that I'll make it thru another night.

I haven't broken down just yet and taken any meds, either scrip or OTC. I just can't bring myself to medicate at this point. I really try to work thru everything before going that route, but that's a personal choice. I almost bought Simply Sleep the other day, on Beth's recommendation, but put it back on the shelf.

I've thought about the blood work too, and decided that if this continues, I will ask to have it done. But again, I'm still crossing my fingers that it will pass in a bit of time.

Ironically, I've been sleeping like a ROCK these last 4-5 days. I've had some relationship stuff going on and with all that on my mind, that is part of what KEPT me up once I GOT up. That stuff has all settled down quite a bit (I broke up with my BF officially last night) so I think my brain and body KNOW that that stressor isn't there anymore.

Having said that, we'll see what happens tonight.

Hugs, Debbie. I hope you get a good night's sleep tonight!

Gayle

 

[janie1234]

I'm pretty sure my insomnia is genetic. My Dad has it pretty bad to. I've resorted to taking ambien. Funny enough it only works for 3-4 hours for me but honestly it is a nice deep 3-4 hours of sleep that I would not typically have. I don't reccommend starting there though ambien can be habbit forming.

 

[banslug]

Debbie-how were the past couple of nights????

Gayle