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Will I Ever Sleep Through the Night Again?

by Terry
(Post Falls, Idaho, USA)

I am 64 & for the last 20 some years I have not slept through the night having to use the bathroom several times. Telling medical doctors about the problem over the last 10 years only resulted in being treated for either frequent urination problems or being placed on the 'Pill,' for the night sweets. Neither of which worked.
It wasn't until the summer of 2013 that I even knew lack of Progesterone could be the cause of my sleeping problem and that lack of Estrogen was causing my night sweats. To my surprise I learned that could purchase both these hormones in natural form over the counter.
Natural Estrogen at a very low dose is working beautifully to get rid of the night sweats. However, every month I am having a menstrual period and still not sleeping well even though I was using a total of 3 teaspoons of Progesterone cream a day. During my periods I have to stop taking Natural Progesterone otherwise the bleeding is greatly increased to point of large blood clots.
Every month I am going through a wicked cycle. It is like my body realizes after 20 days of taking Progesterone that it is happy and finally I have one night when I wake up only 1-2 times instead of 5-6+ times. But then my period begins and I have to go off the Progesterone and immediately start waking up more frequently.
It is like my body is demanding more and more Progesterone. Recently I started to take both the Estrogen and Progesterone vaginally and am hoping that once I figure out the dosage my body won't seem to require a higher and higher dose. It would also be nice to not have any more periods, but then I am loosing weight, and feel like I look younger, so perhaps the benefits outweigh the periods.

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Jun 23, 2014
 Will I Ever Sleep Through the Night Again?
by: RJ

Hello Terry!
Read all of Wray's site and you will find it is the estrogen causing your troubles. I wouldn't take any estrogen as we all have fat cells and are subjected to chemicals daily that mimic estrogen...our bodies are full of estrogen. The food we eat, the cosmetics we use, the lotions, the household cleaners, etc. Even men have increased estrogen. Fifty years ago you never heard of a man having breast cancer...now they do. The progesterone is trying to make you feel better and then you stop it and start the cycle all over again. I use 400-1,000 mg a day of progesterone only and have for over two years and I'm 48. I am always battling the estrogen. I would like to stay on the lower dosage, but estrogen makes me increase the progesterone to get rid of the symptom that dumb estrogen is causing me grief over. Also read about insomnia...Wray has lots of information on that too. You need supplementation and Wray's site tells you what to and how much to use. God Bless! RJ
Jun 24, 2014
 Will I Ever Sleep Through the Night Again
by: Terry

Thanks for your comment, RJ, it was full of wisdom, some of which I had already put into play. I stopped taking the Estrogen the day after I 1st posted. I spent two nights with very little sleep, but slept quite well, with only waking 4 times the third night. Unfortunately I have started another period. I believe it was Wray who said that she took Progesterone straight through hers. I hope to do that this time, if I can avoid the blood clotting I have experienced in the past and periods that last for a good 10 days. I am curious as to how you determine how much Progesterone to use. I do not get any hot flashes during the day and am not aware of mood swings, although I suppose others around me are. Any hint on dosage would help. Terry
Jun 25, 2014
 Will I Ever Sleep Through the Night Again?
by: RJ

Hello Terry!
Gosh there is no way to know what dosage you need. Like I said mine varies from 400-1,000 mg a day, depending on the estrogen. Basically, my heavy clotting went away with the prolonged use of the progesterone. I cannot say if it was the dosage or the length of time I have been on it that lightened those clots. But every now and then, they will come back with a vengeance. Now for the prolonged days...that has never gone away Terry. It does what it wants and stops when it wants and that's with the high dosage of progesterone. There have been times I have even gone higher to just get it to stop and it doesn't. It lightens up a lot, but it's still there. Usually, I flow for 10-14 days and then no bleed or spotting for three or four weeks. If I do spot it is first thing in the morning and then it's gone the rest of the day, but cycles back up somewhere around 3 or 4 a.m. I actually can feel it coming on. I get extremely hot and a bit restless and I get up because it feels like I'm going to mess up the bed and sure enough I'm spotting or even a bit heavier than spotting. Strange, I know. But that's estrogen for ya. Because of your age, I don't know if things are different for you than they are for me. Most women are finished bleeding at your age. So, I do not know if that's normal and if you should take something different or not. Wray would have to answer that. And, yes, I do use progesterone non-stop. Only break I have had is when Wray has run out and it catches me off guard and I don't have a back up on hand. But I do not take the progesterone to stop the flow any longer cause it doesn't help shorten the time, lighten yes. I take it to get rid of the clots, real, real heavy bleed, cramps, bloat, dizziness, all the other weird things that come with this peri. But try as I may for the last two years I have yet to shorten the length of flow...it's just not in the cards and I've accepted it. But I'm not biting any heads off like I used to. When I feel that coming on, I up the dosage. Maybe Wray is reading this and can help you out further. Best of luck to you and God Bless! RJ
Jun 28, 2014
 Will I Ever Sleep Through the Night Again?
by: Terry

RJ, Your comments are being so helpful and making me rethink the amount of Progesterone I am using. It is becoming apparent that I simply have not been using enough.
Used Progesterone through this last menses and was surprised how well things went. I did also take Acetaminophen to keep down the cramps and excess, but overall a lighter and shorter menses.
I have stopped the Estrogen altogether.
I am still having small night sweats, but figure I just haven't hit the right dose of Progesterone, yet.
Am getting a water filter, as that is about the only liquid I drink and working on the rest of my diet as well.
Should probably say that I have gone through menopause, but that using Estrogen, at about 1/8 teaspoon 2 X daily brought it back. I now realize that although my night sweats had gone it was the sole cause, I hope of the returned of the menses I have been having for the last 12 months.
Seems like sometimes I am fighting an uphill battle and most of the time I am battling with myself.
Take care, Terry
Jun 29, 2014
 Will I Ever Sleep Through the Night Again?
by: RJ

Hello Terry!
It is all very frustrating. I can sympathize with you. Do not give up. The progesterone will work once you find your correct dosage. Are you taking D3, K2, boron and magnesium? You need the D3 to work with the progesterone and the rest of supps help make the D3 work. My husband and I take 5,000 units, 5 days a week and 10,000 units 2 days a week. We wear too much clothing to get much benefit from the sunshine and going buck naked in these parts would bring a bunch of gawking tailgaters LOL. If you're low in magnesium, which most of us are....our soil today is junk....that will cause insomnia too, along with lots of other troubles. Taurine is a relaxer also. Anyway, back to the progesterone...up and down you will go with the dosage until you realize you're feeling better and then just continue with that dosage for a few months until things level out. Read Wray's site for the insomnia. I had it, as did my husband and we take...gosh so much...LOL...I'm not sure if there is a specific supplement that is helping it. But, I think Wray recommends tryptophan, taken before bed and GABA during the day and then for me I know for a fact that it's the second dose of progesterone a day that I use...right before bed. I cannot stress enough to read her site. I come to it every time someone in my family has a health issue and it's helped each time. Be patient, your body balance is out there. Just hang on and do not give up! God Bless! RJ
Jul 02, 2014
 Will I Ever Sleep Through the Night Again?
by: Terry

RJ,
Thanks again for your helpful comments. I have been doing some reading on your suggestion regarding the various supplements.
I must admit I did not know information about some of them, or had even heard of boron or K2 before.
It seems, from what I was able to read that boron can increase estrogen in post menopausal women, so I will hold off on trying it. Also I was able to find out very little information on K2, for some reason.
Magnesium, is something I was able to add immediately.
I am already taking D3 at 12,000 units a day as my capsules come 400 units per.
Correcting everything so that the progesterone I take can work seems to be a delicate balancing act.
My husband and I just purchased a water filter, I will be changing to pareben free makeup and shampoo soon.
I also have been watching sugar intake for several weeks, am basically wheat free, since my husband is celiac, and am dairy free and citric free for sere allergy reasons.
I will persevere because this lack of sleep, as I get older, is concerning.
I can't do much about stress I am always under, but do plan on a little vacation to AK in July to visit one of my daughters who lives there.
I think I will get some K2 though as it works so well with Magnesium.
Thanks again for your thoughts, info and kind remarks. Terry

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