1 year on and sleeping problems

Hi to everyone, hope you are all doing well. I havent been on here for a while and im just over 1 year post op from having everything removed inc ovaries. I have done really well and havent had any problems as such, im on Livial hrt(tibilone). My only dilema is the lack of sleep, when i do eventually get to sleep i wake up 3 and 4 times a night and find it v difficult to get back to sleep. Ive tried all the rcommended herbal remedies to no avail so im visiting my doctor tomorrow to see what she suggests, anyone else have this problem? I know its nothing major compared to what some of you are going through but your suggestions and input would be much appreciated. (tah/bso aug 6th 2007)

Hello, nice to have you back I'm new (3 weeks). These are all things that have helped me with this problem.
Do you get up in the morning and go to bed at night at the same time? If not, maybe that could help to establish a bedtime routine. In addition you may want to try doing soothing things at bedtime which ever is most relaxing for you. (Hot decafinated drinks,reading, hot bath, change in to soft pjs, soft classical music, or nature sounds ) Avoid tv right before bed it can over stimulate the retna. Also avoid eatng to much food or chocolate. Limit cafinated drinks to morning only.
Do you have an exerscise routine? If not you may want to start one by walking 30min or more everyday. Walking helps with fatique as well as better sleep!

hello appleblossom, hope ypu continue to have a good recovery. Ive tried all you have suggested and i do have an excrcise routine as well and never sit down as im always busy so when i do go to be im shattered but still cant sleep. Im 39 years old.

You sound alot like me. Maybe try yoga or some more down time just for you. i hope you get some sleep soon! HUGS

I'm one year post-op as well and am having the same insomnia-like issues. I do all the things recommended to help induce sleepiness to no avail. I even yawn relentlessly as I'm very tired, but sleep is evasive. When I do fall asleep, I am usually restless and wake often during the night. I've contemplated going to the guest room as I'm certain that I'm disturbing my hubby who commutes every day to work and needs rest.

As much as this is frustrating during the night, I'm fine through the day. I'm wondering if my body just doesn't require as much actual sleep now in my new stage of 'maturity'!

Best wishes for continued good health in your recovery!

I also had this problem. I am almost 7 mos from losing my ovaries. Here is how I solved it. I was taking all my HRT in the am 1.5 mg of Estradiol. I wasn't having hot flashes etc, but at night I could not sleep at all and I did get hot. I started thinkin gmaybe my HRT was wearing off. So now starting about a month ago, I take 1 mg in the morning and .5 mg after dinner. It started working about 2-3 days later and I am now sleeping through the night almost every night!! In fact I've only had one night I haven't slept!! it's like a miracle - LOL!!!

Good luck to you....

Starbgirl

This sounds like the exact same problem I had after my total hysterectomy. I couldn't be put on any HRT due to high blood pressure and other health problems. So I went through menopause cold turkey, and it was and is awful. For the first seven months I couldn't sleep at night at all. I would toss and turn and wake up exhausted in the am. Nothing I tried seemed to work. I was finally given a vaginal cream, Estrodial, but that hasn't helped. My sleeping problem wasn't too great before the surgery. After the surgery it went from bad to miserable. Now here I am, over a year past my surgery, and still have restless, sleepless nights and most of the time I feel like a walking zombie. It's so uncomfortable. I know what everyone here is going through.

I haven't been on this board in a long time, but it helped me a great deal before my surgery. I had more knowledge going into the hospital than I would have had otherwise. As for the hot flashes, those are another matter. At first, right after my surgery, I would get so hot, literally, that the sweat would be running down me all the time. My clothes would be soaked. I was 44 at the time and the surgery was due to fibroids and severe endometriosis. I couldn't have a vaginal hysterectomy. I was cut across my stomach. Well, now it's the following summer and I find myself getting the sweats again. Almost as bad as when I had the surgery. But no dr. will give me HRT, so I just have to go along with it. I get so uncomfortable. If anybody knows of an answer to hot flashes, please tell me. And if there is an answer to the sleep problem, please let me know. The thoughts of suffering this way for more years to come makes me want to cringe. I just can't find anything that works. My surgeon was good, and she told me that I would be as good as new a month after the surgery. Well, it's been 16 months after the surgery now and I'm still miserable.

I'm in a simlor boat, am now just over 2 months post op. Got great sleep unless last month that's when my sleeping went from 8 hours a day to if I'm lucky a solid 2 hours a night, and nothing I do will get me back to sleep.

No medication works (lol even in hospital they were never able to get me off, and keeping me under while in surgery was its own challenge for them), I dont do well with meds of any kind most dont work at all, and the few that do dont' work as long or as well as they should.

My doc's have no answers for me, just that give it time. Time is easy, but i can't live with sleep depervation for to long its not healthy! I am hoping that my body will wake up and start letting me get my 8 or at least 6 a night soon.

hey you guys, thanks for all your replies and hope we all get some sleep soon, but, i did go to my docs today for my meds and told her about this problem, she has given me a 2 week course of mild sleeping meds as they dont like to prescribe a longer or high dose, so ladies, i will be taking one tonight and fingers crossed ill sleep like a baby lol, but i know once iv finishes the coursei wont be prescribed anymore so hopefully i wont end up going back to square one again, ill let you all know how i get on.

Sleep problems can be tricky! I'm glad you got help from your doctor. You probably will feel like a whole new person. Have a nice sleep!