Mlouisa
01-29-2008, 12:53 PM
Hello
I am 47 years old, never really missed a period or had hot flashes but according to my gyno I may be starting menopause because the results of the blood tests and I started to suffer from insomnia.. and its been really hard for me because I have also TMJ and I really need my 8 hours sleep..
My medical options are taking the pill for 6 months to see if it hepls to slow down the menopause and to see if it helps with my sleep.. but so far I have been taking the pill for 2 months and I still dont sleep so my GP recommended that I take some light medication when I cant sleep..
any sugestions? I hate to take medication to sleep because I do not want to became dependable on this type of drugs and I have been reading all I can on menopause but every thing that I read seems to be almost contradictory so.. and I am very confused... need advise, recommendations, positive experiences.. commun sense .. anything..
I am 47 years old, never really missed a period or had hot flashes but according to my gyno I may be starting menopause because the results of the blood tests and I started to suffer from insomnia.. and its been really hard for me because I have also TMJ and I really need my 8 hours sleep..
My medical options are taking the pill for 6 months to see if it hepls to slow down the menopause and to see if it helps with my sleep.. but so far I have been taking the pill for 2 months and I still dont sleep so my GP recommended that I take some light medication when I cant sleep..
any sugestions? I hate to take medication to sleep because I do not want to became dependable on this type of drugs and I have been reading all I can on menopause but every thing that I read seems to be almost contradictory so.. and I am very confused... need advise, recommendations, positive experiences.. commun sense .. anything..
Sponsor
Lynnv57
01-29-2008, 03:18 PM
Hi Mlouisa,
I am in Peri and suffer from Insomnia. Sometimes it gets so bad I feel exhausted all day at work. I have tried Chamiolle and Sleepy Time tea but end up in the bathroom too much. It does help though to relax you. I tried warm milk for awhile. Otherwise, I just hope I get a good nights sleep.
I go to bed around 10:30 PM(I have to get up at 7 AM), but sometimes it takes me almost 1 1/2 hours to fall asleep. Sometimes I doze off for a few minutes then wake. I also do not sleep soundly most of the time. Every little noise wakes me. Last night I must have slept soundly because my husband said the cat was trying to push the door open to our bedroom and I never heard it.
Tonight I am trying a lavender and chamiolle body wash and pillow spray. Hope it at least works.
Good Luck..I am not one for medication either and I do not have night sweats of hot flashes either. I will be 51 next month.
Lynn
I am in Peri and suffer from Insomnia. Sometimes it gets so bad I feel exhausted all day at work. I have tried Chamiolle and Sleepy Time tea but end up in the bathroom too much. It does help though to relax you. I tried warm milk for awhile. Otherwise, I just hope I get a good nights sleep.
I go to bed around 10:30 PM(I have to get up at 7 AM), but sometimes it takes me almost 1 1/2 hours to fall asleep. Sometimes I doze off for a few minutes then wake. I also do not sleep soundly most of the time. Every little noise wakes me. Last night I must have slept soundly because my husband said the cat was trying to push the door open to our bedroom and I never heard it.
Tonight I am trying a lavender and chamiolle body wash and pillow spray. Hope it at least works.
Good Luck..I am not one for medication either and I do not have night sweats of hot flashes either. I will be 51 next month.
Lynn
I C Hot
01-29-2008, 09:53 PM
Hi,
Insomnia is awful. Have you tried taking more magnesium? Also I starting taking fish, flax, and borage pills (2-3 a day) and they helped me with anxiety issues but they also help with sleep. Hope this helps,
Julie
Insomnia is awful. Have you tried taking more magnesium? Also I starting taking fish, flax, and borage pills (2-3 a day) and they helped me with anxiety issues but they also help with sleep. Hope this helps,
Julie
CaringMom
01-30-2008, 01:11 PM
I'll be 44 soon and really don't think I'm into any stage of menopause yet but I do get hot flashes at times and occasionally problems sleeping.
I use what Lynn was going to try, lavender.
I use the pillow spray and my lotion is lavender/vanilla. I really think that helps as lavender does have a calming effect.
I think if I can get my husband to stop snoring and stay on his side of the bed I'd be in even better shape!! :)
I use what Lynn was going to try, lavender.
I use the pillow spray and my lotion is lavender/vanilla. I really think that helps as lavender does have a calming effect.
I think if I can get my husband to stop snoring and stay on his side of the bed I'd be in even better shape!! :)
Lynnv57
01-30-2008, 09:09 PM
Hey CAringMom,
the lavender does help. This will be my second nite using it. I also have the problem of my husband snoring(which I have gotten used to now) and he also ends up on my side of the bed and we have a King Size.
I also use lavender/Chamiole Body Wash in the evening which is relaxing too.
Lynn
the lavender does help. This will be my second nite using it. I also have the problem of my husband snoring(which I have gotten used to now) and he also ends up on my side of the bed and we have a King Size.
I also use lavender/Chamiole Body Wash in the evening which is relaxing too.
Lynn
Mlouisa
01-31-2008, 12:10 PM
Thank you all for your imputs because they all seem very sensible so I will start by taking the magensium supplement because it seems that it will be easier for me to find.
as for the pillow sprays since I dont live in the US nobody heard about them in the "natural ffod stores" ..
somebody also mentioned borage and flax suppl. but I have to find out exactly what borage is ( I know its a plant but not quite sure what it is in Portuguese) so I dont buy the wrong thing..
I havent slept a good 8 rested hours of sleep for quite a few months unless I take sleeping pills. In my case what happens is that I fall into a deep sleep for about an hour or sometimes 5 or 10 minuts and then I dont sleep anymore.. (like some of you the husband also snores...and that doesnt help..!!! as you know!! )You can just imagine what it does to my well being .. my moods and my hability to come to work and be productive ... not to mention the cooking the cleaning, the kids and the dogs when I get home..
I have tried also the herbal teas.. (several types) but they did absolutly nothing for me.. also the warm milk ..
I have been so desperate in my quest to solve this problem that some of my friends even suggested that I should get drunk before I go to bed... and even though I dont like alcoholic drinks at all.. they got me wondering .. can you imagine the desperation??? being disfunctional, which is how I feel when I dont sleep is very hard to cope with.
I will keep you posted on how I am doing.. today at lunch I already started by adding 2 bananas to my diet..
Thank you all for sharing your experiences with me..
as for the pillow sprays since I dont live in the US nobody heard about them in the "natural ffod stores" ..
somebody also mentioned borage and flax suppl. but I have to find out exactly what borage is ( I know its a plant but not quite sure what it is in Portuguese) so I dont buy the wrong thing..
I havent slept a good 8 rested hours of sleep for quite a few months unless I take sleeping pills. In my case what happens is that I fall into a deep sleep for about an hour or sometimes 5 or 10 minuts and then I dont sleep anymore.. (like some of you the husband also snores...and that doesnt help..!!! as you know!! )You can just imagine what it does to my well being .. my moods and my hability to come to work and be productive ... not to mention the cooking the cleaning, the kids and the dogs when I get home..
I have tried also the herbal teas.. (several types) but they did absolutly nothing for me.. also the warm milk ..
I have been so desperate in my quest to solve this problem that some of my friends even suggested that I should get drunk before I go to bed... and even though I dont like alcoholic drinks at all.. they got me wondering .. can you imagine the desperation??? being disfunctional, which is how I feel when I dont sleep is very hard to cope with.
I will keep you posted on how I am doing.. today at lunch I already started by adding 2 bananas to my diet..
Thank you all for sharing your experiences with me..
CaringMom
01-31-2008, 04:08 PM
Mlouisa,
Good luck! As for finding lavender, many lotions contain lavender. Check the stores in your area. By chance would you have a Bath & Body works down there? That's where I get mine. <removed> Surely somewhere you could find lavender oil.
Happy Dreams.
Good luck! As for finding lavender, many lotions contain lavender. Check the stores in your area. By chance would you have a Bath & Body works down there? That's where I get mine. <removed> Surely somewhere you could find lavender oil.
Happy Dreams.
Mlouisa
02-01-2008, 07:36 AM
caring mom
thanks for the tip.. I am not sure we have those stores here but I am sure we do have lavender oil.. but what do I do with it? rub it on my pillow case?
I am sure it smells wonderful so I will give it a try .
thanks again.
thanks for the tip.. I am not sure we have those stores here but I am sure we do have lavender oil.. but what do I do with it? rub it on my pillow case?
I am sure it smells wonderful so I will give it a try .
thanks again.
yock
02-01-2008, 11:22 AM
Oh, how I wish I could sleep also. I haven't slept through a night since June. I keep my bedroom ice cold for hot flashes and night sweats, I still wake up sweaty. I try 2 tylenol pms at night, it doesn't work. I tried working out like a maniac 4 hrs before bedtime to exhaust myself - nothing. I never thought I would have to resort to this, but I'm due to see my dr next month and I may give HRT a shot. I have to sleep.
MarciB
02-01-2008, 06:14 PM
Hi Everyone Reading.....
I always read the posts on insomnia looking for something that might work! I never had any trouble at all sleeping until (peri)menopause and now I never sleep through a night- I consider it a GOOD night if after waking up 5-10 times i can fall back to sleep relatively quickly instead of staying awake for a couple of hours!....anyway...I have tried everything mentioned except lavender to no avail (however CHELATED magnesium(CHELATED prevents a too loose stool-sorry for the grossness!) keeps me from being constipated-YAY!-one thing solved at least!).....I would like to mention 2 things.....
1. for the post above mine----I am on bioidentical hormones which have helped with MANY symptoms but NOT sleep.
2. It has been suggested that this may be a Cortisol problem and i am trying Phosphatidyl-SERINE capsules before bed and if after a short period this doesnt work, i should try one in the morning and one before bed.....
so we'll see if there is any relief......
SWEET DREAMS everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I always read the posts on insomnia looking for something that might work! I never had any trouble at all sleeping until (peri)menopause and now I never sleep through a night- I consider it a GOOD night if after waking up 5-10 times i can fall back to sleep relatively quickly instead of staying awake for a couple of hours!....anyway...I have tried everything mentioned except lavender to no avail (however CHELATED magnesium(CHELATED prevents a too loose stool-sorry for the grossness!) keeps me from being constipated-YAY!-one thing solved at least!).....I would like to mention 2 things.....
1. for the post above mine----I am on bioidentical hormones which have helped with MANY symptoms but NOT sleep.
2. It has been suggested that this may be a Cortisol problem and i am trying Phosphatidyl-SERINE capsules before bed and if after a short period this doesnt work, i should try one in the morning and one before bed.....
so we'll see if there is any relief......
SWEET DREAMS everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
wamylove
02-05-2008, 12:33 AM
I have the waking frequently problem but I seem to be able to fall back asleep better since mixing 400 mg's of magnesium citrate with warm water before bed and rubbing 1/4 teaspoon of Progest progesterone cream on my skin. My Dr just added 1 gram Taurine and that seems to relax the nervous system.
Earplugs are also a good idea.
Earplugs are also a good idea.
Mlouisa
02-06-2008, 07:37 AM
How long has the magnesuim supplement taken to start working? it seems that to some of the people on this post it hasnt helped and I am just wondering for how long I should try ... ?!!
I have only been taking it for a couple of days but I am so tired .. and now to top it all I have a spasm on my eye muscle.. its driving me nuts .. but I think its all related. If the magnesium doesnt help I will have to surrender to hard medication to sleep.. I am really trying not to go that way, but it hasnt been easy.
To all of you out there that dont sleep I hope you find solutions..and share them, because even if they dont work for some people that may work for others.
I have only been taking it for a couple of days but I am so tired .. and now to top it all I have a spasm on my eye muscle.. its driving me nuts .. but I think its all related. If the magnesium doesnt help I will have to surrender to hard medication to sleep.. I am really trying not to go that way, but it hasnt been easy.
To all of you out there that dont sleep I hope you find solutions..and share them, because even if they dont work for some people that may work for others.
MarciB
02-07-2008, 05:48 PM
Hello Again...
I have been taking magnesium-400 mg for about a year now...i will never stop it as it has solved constipation totally in fact until i started the Chelated magnesium it was too loose...
As far as taking sleeping pills...I was so desperate a year ago that I asked the doctor and I tried them for about 6 weeks and did sleep...but when i stopped them i was WIDE AWAKE for 48 hours...that scared me...
i thought at the time I would be willing to take them the rest of my life just to sleep every night but i guess as it turned out--i am not...the doctor suggested just taking them a few times per week when sleep is most needed
but so far i have stayed away...who knows what the future will bring????
My previous post on page 2 mentions a supplement the biidentical pharmacist recommended and I have started taking them two times per day--this is the 2nd day...so if i start sleeeping i will write back...
oh --another suggestion by the pharmacist was whole wheat bread with peanut butter just before bed to stabilize blood sugar allowing for sleep...
again---sweet dreams!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have been taking magnesium-400 mg for about a year now...i will never stop it as it has solved constipation totally in fact until i started the Chelated magnesium it was too loose...
As far as taking sleeping pills...I was so desperate a year ago that I asked the doctor and I tried them for about 6 weeks and did sleep...but when i stopped them i was WIDE AWAKE for 48 hours...that scared me...
i thought at the time I would be willing to take them the rest of my life just to sleep every night but i guess as it turned out--i am not...the doctor suggested just taking them a few times per week when sleep is most needed
but so far i have stayed away...who knows what the future will bring????
My previous post on page 2 mentions a supplement the biidentical pharmacist recommended and I have started taking them two times per day--this is the 2nd day...so if i start sleeeping i will write back...
oh --another suggestion by the pharmacist was whole wheat bread with peanut butter just before bed to stabilize blood sugar allowing for sleep...
again---sweet dreams!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
tracy1434
02-07-2008, 08:48 PM
Has anybody tried herbs? I'm 47 years old and have had trouble falling asleep my whole life. It can take hours to fall asleep and I never sleep through the night. I started taking a herbal cocktail called CalmTabs that includes hops, valerian, passion flower, catnip, celery seed and orange peel. For about 10 days they worked like magic. I was completely relaxed and slept like a baby. It was heaven. Then they just stopped working. Now they'll work every now and then but that's all. I can't find any information on herbs to suggest your body builds a tolerance for them which would be odd in my case anyway, since I hadn't been taking them that long before they stopped working. Prescription sleeping pills don't affect me at all; I never feel the slightest sleepiness. Anyone know anything more about herbs and what I might be doing that I don't know to make them not work anymore? I don't eat late or alter my diet much at all. I exercise well before bed, etc. I do all the things I'm supposed to and don't do those things I'm not supposed to in order to sleep well. Yet, I don't. I will try magnesium though as many of you are suggesting it. What else?
Suzi Q
02-07-2008, 09:46 PM
You could take Melatonin. It is usually sold at like 3 mg but It works better for me when I can find it at a higher dose. You don't need a perscription for it. It is just a natural remedy. Works good for my menopausal insomnia.
Mlouisa
02-08-2008, 01:48 PM
to all of you .
Marcy B ..I think.. mentioned the peanut butter thing and funny enough somebody was telling me about foods rich in tryptophan so I did some research and I found a few things about it so I will give it a try.
Herbs and teas dont seem to work for me so I started Sleep Hygine such as not falling asleep on the couch.. not going to bed to watch TV , take a walk with the dogs after supper, eat better foods etc.. but as you all know these things take a long time and when you dont sleep .. well YOU (or at least me) ARE NOT very patiente ..... so I must confess last night I took 1/2 a slleping pill because I am so tired that my eye has started to twich non stop and its been doing it for the past 5 days..
As for the diet I am giving it a try but only time will tell if it works for me ..
so please continue the search for the miracles that will make all of us sleep and know what its like to have sweet dreams....
Marcy B ..I think.. mentioned the peanut butter thing and funny enough somebody was telling me about foods rich in tryptophan so I did some research and I found a few things about it so I will give it a try.
Herbs and teas dont seem to work for me so I started Sleep Hygine such as not falling asleep on the couch.. not going to bed to watch TV , take a walk with the dogs after supper, eat better foods etc.. but as you all know these things take a long time and when you dont sleep .. well YOU (or at least me) ARE NOT very patiente ..... so I must confess last night I took 1/2 a slleping pill because I am so tired that my eye has started to twich non stop and its been doing it for the past 5 days..
As for the diet I am giving it a try but only time will tell if it works for me ..
so please continue the search for the miracles that will make all of us sleep and know what its like to have sweet dreams....
mcdowell
02-08-2008, 11:54 PM
This is going to sound silly, but have you tried oatmeal before bed? Carbs can relax the muscles and I have found with my insomnia that it usually works prettty good, add some milk too, as it has tryptophan. Good luck.