Menopause frustrations!!

GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »

Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »

GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »

Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »

kshama2001 wrote: »

I'm 52. Melatonin worked well for me for quite some time, but didn't keep me asleep once I was solidly in peri-menopause, despite working diligently at my sleep hygiene https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-topics/sleep-hygiene

Have you tried sublingual melatonin? Never failed to help me fall asleep. I used to take https://www.iherb.com/pr/Source-Naturals-Melatonin-5-mg-Peppermint-Flavored-Sublingual-200-Tablets/1302 in 1 mg, but all I see now is 5 mg. They may have replaced the lower strengths with the lozenges. https://www.iherb.com/c/melatonin?bids=SNS

I see you are in Canada. Explore the options you've had there since last fall that we don't throughout the US, and so cannot discuss here.

I use melatonin, and CBD oil (which IS legal). (and sometimes Benadryl).

I know several women in the menopause group here have also talked about their insomnia.

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/506-near-or-post-menopausal-group

feel free to join us.

When do you take the CBD oil as a sleep aid? We have it for our son to help with focus during homeschooling but he suffers with insomnia. We're waiting for a doctor's appointment, but that's not until March. So any help would be welcome.

As to the topic of the original post, I had sleep issues for years. When I was at the stage you're describing, I found that if I stayed up past the point I should have gone to bed, that's when I struggled most falling and staying asleep. Gradually moving my going to bed and waking time earlier helped a lot. So did getting exercise every day.

I typically use CBD 3 times a day. Morning, mid afternoon, and at bedtime.
That seems to help me.

My BES BEST BES sleep was when I was taking Prometrium (100mg progesterone) at night. LOVED that.

Thanks! He's not too keen to start taking it at night yet since he can't stand the taste of it, but at least the option is there. We'll definitely be adding magnesium though.

For the OP, from what I can see, chelated magnesium glycinate is the kind to get for sleep issues.

I certianly don't want to mess with his brand if it's working but maybe they carry a flavored? I'm using a strawberry flavored oil and the taste isn't too bad.

leanjogreen18 wrote: »

GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »

Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »

GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »

Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »

kshama2001 wrote: »

I'm 52. Melatonin worked well for me for quite some time, but didn't keep me asleep once I was solidly in peri-menopause, despite working diligently at my sleep hygiene https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-topics/sleep-hygiene

Have you tried sublingual melatonin? Never failed to help me fall asleep. I used to take https://www.iherb.com/pr/Source-Naturals-Melatonin-5-mg-Peppermint-Flavored-Sublingual-200-Tablets/1302 in 1 mg, but all I see now is 5 mg. They may have replaced the lower strengths with the lozenges. https://www.iherb.com/c/melatonin?bids=SNS

I see you are in Canada. Explore the options you've had there since last fall that we don't throughout the US, and so cannot discuss here.

I use melatonin, and CBD oil (which IS legal). (and sometimes Benadryl).

I know several women in the menopause group here have also talked about their insomnia.

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/506-near-or-post-menopausal-group

feel free to join us.

When do you take the CBD oil as a sleep aid? We have it for our son to help with focus during homeschooling but he suffers with insomnia. We're waiting for a doctor's appointment, but that's not until March. So any help would be welcome.

As to the topic of the original post, I had sleep issues for years. When I was at the stage you're describing, I found that if I stayed up past the point I should have gone to bed, that's when I struggled most falling and staying asleep. Gradually moving my going to bed and waking time earlier helped a lot. So did getting exercise every day.

I typically use CBD 3 times a day. Morning, mid afternoon, and at bedtime.
That seems to help me.

My BES BEST BES sleep was when I was taking Prometrium (100mg progesterone) at night. LOVED that.

Thanks! He's not too keen to start taking it at night yet since he can't stand the taste of it, but at least the option is there. We'll definitely be adding magnesium though.

For the OP, from what I can see, chelated magnesium glycinate is the kind to get for sleep issues.

I certianly don't want to mess with his brand if it's working but maybe they carry a flavored? I'm using a strawberry flavored oil and the taste isn't too bad.

He loves all things strawberry and I would love to find a strawberry flavored one! I'll have to look online.

Corr_Paisley wrote: »

As a 51 year old lady who has started working on losing a chunk of weight (1st big goal = lose 55 lbs) knowing full well her late night snacking is her biggest hurdle, the fact that I'm on the sleep-struggling menopause train is NOT helping! Thankfully, I seem to be past the whole heat-flash stage so that no longer is an issue for my sleep pattern, but I'm still struggling with falling asleep at a reasonable time. I find I'm SO tired but I just can't seem to fall asleep, and not from lack of trying. I am up to 8 mg of melatonin, on top of my allergy meds that are meant to help me fall asleep, plus my night anxiety med that used to be a wonderful help as well but no more.

For those of you who are dealing with this currently or who have dealt with it in the past, have/had you found anything that has helped?

Several things come to mind. I have been in menopause almost 10 years and really it was not that which changed my sleep patterns but just aging. You don't say if you sleep alone or live alone but here are some ideas just thrown out there.

1) turn off all gadgets or put on airplane mode and keep them OUT of the bedroom if possible
2) change your linens frequently. I always sleep better on a fresh set and if not fresh turned and smoothed down
3) if you have ANY aches or pains deal with them as even the smallest one can magnify when you are lying in bed trying to sleep
4) try to go to sleep at the SAME time - or at least get in bed. Shower, brush teeth etc.
5) create a story in your head which you think of once you are ready to fall asleep. In my case I used to practice my dressage test with my horse and I never quite finished it before I fell asleep. (must have been boring even in my head)

I think it's really important to get to sleep around the same time as my fitbit tells me most of my deep sleep is usually within the first 2 hrs of going to bed. If that's even right.

All of these things are just ideas I have but hope they can help. You can always and probably should talk to your doc about other meds to try esp if your anxiety meds have stopped working. I am not exactly like you in that normally I don't have trouble falling asleep but tend to wake up and be unable to go back to sleep due to my head worrying about the clock on the wall or some idiotic thing. I have tried ambien and it doesn't work on me. Lunesta does work sporadically but it is unfortunately addictive so I don't like to use it. Metatonin does help me fall asleep but I found that it made me LOOPY and caused memory gaps so I do not like to take it (or any drugs) for that matter.

Best of luck.

GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »

Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »

GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »

Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »

kshama2001 wrote: »

I'm 52. Melatonin worked well for me for quite some time, but didn't keep me asleep once I was solidly in peri-menopause, despite working diligently at my sleep hygiene https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-topics/sleep-hygiene

Have you tried sublingual melatonin? Never failed to help me fall asleep. I used to take https://www.iherb.com/pr/Source-Naturals-Melatonin-5-mg-Peppermint-Flavored-Sublingual-200-Tablets/1302 in 1 mg, but all I see now is 5 mg. They may have replaced the lower strengths with the lozenges. https://www.iherb.com/c/melatonin?bids=SNS

I see you are in Canada. Explore the options you've had there since last fall that we don't throughout the US, and so cannot discuss here.

I use melatonin, and CBD oil (which IS legal). (and sometimes Benadryl).

I know several women in the menopause group here have also talked about their insomnia.

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/506-near-or-post-menopausal-group

feel free to join us.

When do you take the CBD oil as a sleep aid? We have it for our son to help with focus during homeschooling but he suffers with insomnia. We're waiting for a doctor's appointment, but that's not until March. So any help would be welcome.

As to the topic of the original post, I had sleep issues for years. When I was at the stage you're describing, I found that if I stayed up past the point I should have gone to bed, that's when I struggled most falling and staying asleep. Gradually moving my going to bed and waking time earlier helped a lot. So did getting exercise every day.

I typically use CBD 3 times a day. Morning, mid afternoon, and at bedtime.
That seems to help me.

My BES BEST BES sleep was when I was taking Prometrium (100mg progesterone) at night. LOVED that.

Thanks! He's not too keen to start taking it at night yet since he can't stand the taste of it, but at least the option is there. We'll definitely be adding magnesium though.

For the OP, from what I can see, chelated magnesium glycinate is the kind to get for sleep issues.

There are also capsules: http://elixinol.com/product/category/capsules/

My uncle recommended that website. I didn't find the oil or capsules particularly effective for me, and gave the capsules to my brother when a stronger option became available to me in my state. But they work for both my uncle and my brother.

Gisel2015 wrote: »

quiksylver296 wrote: »

There is a product called Calm, which is a magnesium supplement, that can help. I buy it off Amazon.

Hubby uses a product called Rest In Peace by Insane Labz.

I don't like that name.....

OK? I didn't name it.

Yoga before bed has helped my sleep a ton. You can look up poses that activate the parasympathetic nervous system- forward folds and gentle twists, with intentional breathing. I had several months of very disrupted sleep, and now it’s back to restful.

Corr_Paisley wrote: »

LeanButNotMean44 wrote: »

I take Gabopentin for my restless legs which at times inhibit my sleep (and definitely my husband's!). I've been getting the night sweats for a couple of years now and have problems falling back to sleep after I throw the covers off (then on, then off, rinse & repeat). I tried melatonin a long time ago and it worked to a point, after which time I stopped. And the itching! I read somewhere that a small percentage of women get it as part of menopause, so I guess we're among the "lucky" ones.

Maybe CBD oil will be our best bet?

I tried Gavopentin for my restless legs but it seemed to override my anxiety meds and I would wake up from nightmares and an anxiety ride while I was on it, so that ended that. I am finding that glucosamine works for them when it's just an ache, but once that 'tugging' (for lack of a better word) starts happening, I'm stuck getting up to walk around a bit and having to take some ibuprofen. OOooh, the itching is horrible!! Why do all these things seem to be so bad a bedtime too?? Urgh! I don't wanna be lucky like that. LoL

I'm definitely going to talk to my doctor about CBD oil. Maybe having some 'professional' to discuss it with beforehand will help ease the anxiety that I tend to have when starting new things, and I'll then be brave enough to give it a go.

Just FYI, my brother's doctors were not the least bit informed on CBD oil. This is unsurprising, as it is a new field, and not part of the curriculum.

By contrast, when my mother got her medical marijuana card, the doctor who approved her and the people at the dispensary were quite informed and helpful.

sugaraddict4321 wrote: »

Keep in mind we should always talk to our doctor or pharmacist before adding supplements.
We tend to think of vitamins and herbs as "healthy" and "safe" but that assumption is not necessarily true if when taking prescription medications or other supplements.

For example, magnesium is not always advised for those taking blood thinners, anti-diabetes drugs, certain osteoporosis medicines, etc. Sometimes it's only a matter of taking magnesium at a different time from the other meds, and sometimes it's a matter of don't take it at all. WebMD info here, including interactions:
https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-998/magnesium

Valerian can also interact in a negative way, particularly if you like to drink or take sedatives. If you take statins, valerian can change how your liver metabolizes the medication.

Very well stated.


Adding from experience, mixing supplements with SSRI's or anti-depresseent/anxiety medications. These medications affect serotonin which affects sleep, mood, etc. Too much can be toxic, even a mild case can have profound effect on the body. Been there and done that with a previous sleeping medication (available for off label use) I was taking prior to looking for natural ways to combat menopause and sleep issues.

When I went to the doctor regarding my symptoms, he asked me what supplements I was taking, one was magnesium, he immediately gave me blood work as my symptoms with my very low blood pressure could have been caused by too much and/or build up in my body.

Yes, be super careful, cross reference supplements you plan to take, this is one reason I was super leary of the CBD, while its generally safe, too much of anything or the wrong mix will only compound things.

How about cutting caffeine? I cut myself off after noon.

One can check body “Progesterone levels from blood test also,
if they are very low , they cause a lot of trouble in this age
... it might be a good idea to talk to your doctor, to take natural type progesterone
I started taking them for very bad cycles and mood swings, before even checking my levels
I simply asked my family doc to prescribe it to me by doing research on net, my self
hope it help you in some manner

Gisel2015 wrote: »

quiksylver296 wrote: »

Gisel2015 wrote: »

quiksylver296 wrote: »

There is a product called Calm, which is a magnesium supplement, that can help. I buy it off Amazon.

Hubby uses a product called Rest In Peace by Insane Labz.

I don't like that name.....

OK? I didn't name it.

I know you didn't It just that the name "Rest in Peace" has a different connotation and it seemed spooky for a relaxing supplement. It gave me the chills.

Yes...I thought the same thing....don't wanna be that rested😲