Advice on sleep meds anyone?

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  • renee616
    renee616 Member Posts: 181
    #22
    tgf said:

    My "recipe"
    First of all ... if your body tells you it needs rest or more sleep ... listen to it!

    I found that I needed a lot more sleep while I was having chemo and radiation. Now that I'm just on tamoxifen ... my body still seems to need more sleep than it did before my diagnosis. To be honest I usually go to bed around 8 PM (get up at 6:30 AM to get ready for work). My night-time pills include a xanax and a benadryl. When I go to bed I sort of "meditate" ... but not really. It's just that I have "trained myself" to get in bed and really, really relax ... and unwind. I don't know how long I do it ... maybe 20 minutes or so ... with my eyes closed ... and I find that I hardly move. I'm just there ... on my back ... legs stretched out ... totally relaxed. (Some times I count slowly to help get relaxed). Eventually my body tells me it's time to go to sleep and I roll over on my side ... and I'm asleep in just a few minutes and sleep soundly through the night.

    Anyway ... it works for me ...

    hugs.
    teena

    My Dr gave me Ambien back in
    My Dr gave me Ambien back in November when I was first diagnosed, Its worked all these months & I woke up feeling great, but with my last refill, Sleep hasn't been good. The pills are shaped different this time & although I know they come in different shapes, so far mine have always been the same. So I'm thinking its all in my head that they are different! Its amazing how I can convince myself of things while i'm on chemo!
  • mrs gadget
    mrs gadget Member Posts: 118
    #23
    Talk with your doctor ( as everybody else has said here)
    During chemo, I was able to be very open with my oncologist about this and he wrote a prescription for sleep meds right away. Your doctor will want to know everything you are experiencing and can help you get thru the chemo process comfortably.
  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 CSN Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    #24
    I took Tylonel PM once
    and ONLY took one instead of the two it said..BUT I think crazy to take tylonel if not pain etc...

    I have told all my doctors I am up 3-4-5 x or more each night..no one has suggested or asked me if I wanted anything. I think just jot it in my file..
  • thebeckers6400
    thebeckers6400 Member Posts: 15
    #25

    Any type of sleeping pill can have a rebound effect of causing more fatigue the following day. This is especially true from long term use. Cancer treatments can cause fatigue and sleeping pills can exacerbate this effect. My oncologist’s were unaware that my extreme fatigue was a common result of the frequent use of sleep aids. It took 4 nights of sleeplessness before the rebound insomnia and fatigue ended. It was worth the effort to get off the sleeping pill cycle for good!

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