hormones or sleeping pills

Saw my doc for my post op today - he didn't say if I was "released" but said he didn't need to see me for a year! Ha! Doubt he'll ever see me again... anyhow... down to business...

He now wants me to start an estrogen patch but said it was completely up to me. I have to say that I am having no menopausal symptoms during the day but can't sleep at night. Lately I've been taking Ambien for that and I swear, what a difference a good night's sleep makes!

I'd like to delay the hormones for 2 more months (have endo) but don't want to get dependent on Ambien for sleep. Any others facing these issues and what are your thoughts/insights?

Thanks girls,
Marianne

I've been taking Ambien since 10 days post op. So it has been about seven weeks. I have been able to cut my 10mg pill in half. But that is as far as I've gotten with that. I still can't get to sleep and stay asleep without it. Last week I was dealing with pain associated with dental work and on heavy duty drugs for that. This week, I've managed to get a cold. Even with the other medicine that would supposedly put me to sleep, I still had to take the Ambien to get any "good" sleep. I want to start cutting the Ambien into fourths to see what that does. I just need to figure out when the best time is to do it. And your are right, a good night's sleep does make a big difference - especially when I feel like crap from the dental work and a cold anyway.

The doctor told me that it is non-addictive. I'm not sure how that can be. But I am just hoping that he is right. But for now I am taking it because I like sleep!

I am taking a progestin in hopes that it will help with the few hot flashes and almost nightly "night sweats". It has cut down on the hot flashes, but not the night sweats. When I go back to the gyn in March he is going to start me on estrogen. He didn't want to start it before that because of the endo.

I am using natural progresterone cream (2%) for the sleeping issue. I was having the same type of problem as you are experiencing. I could go to sleep, and when I did I was restless and kept waking up every 45 min. to 1 hour all night long! Progesterone cream has a natural sedative effect. After much research onthis website and in 2 books, one by Dr. John Lee and the other by Dr. Christine Northrup, I found that the cream must be the 1.6% or 2% cream. I apply 1/4 tsp. at night about 1 hour before going to bed. It relaxes me enough to allow me to drift off to sleep. It's not extremely strong, but it's working for me. It also helps balance out the estradiol I'm using in the patch form for the horrendous night hot flashes I was having also. The natural prog. cream is just like what your body makes, it's not a synthetic (chemical copycat of the natural type) which would have awful side effects. I bought the cream from the Hyster Store. I hope you get some relief. There's nothing worse than not getting a good night's sleep.

Another thing you could try for sleep is Melatonin. It is natural and can be found at almost any drug store. That is what I take and it helps me alot. It is non addicting and doesn't tend to have that drug hangover affect.