Solutions for Sleep???

Susan956
Susan956 Member Posts: 510
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Ok, you guys. Have you found any solutions to be able to sleep. I used to sleep wonderfully. But since I started taking Arimidex, I can't sleep well. I have been taking Ambien 5mg for the 9 months that I have been on Arimidex. But now that is not working... So today I gave up and got the Doctor to give me the 10 mg version. Of course that worries me because when that doesn't work... what will I do then.

I do the things that I thing would normally help, exercise regularly, sleep at a consistent time... try to relax before I go to bed.... and I can always go to sleep... but after about 4 hours, I either sleep restlessly for the rest of the night or just plain get up and give it up. Afternoon naps can't happen...I just can't seem to settle down enough to fall asleep. So any advice out there would be most welcome....

By the way... not to sound so down... other than this... my life has returned to normal and life is good.

Take Care... and God Bless...

Susan

Comments

  • pansylover
    pansylover Member Posts: 80
    #2
    Susan,
    I have used guided imagery cd for healthy sleep. you can view it at www.healthjourneys.com. I used quite a few of these going thru treatments and some still today. I have also done yoga stretches to help me sleep..
    Best of zzzzzzz's to you!
    Cindie
  • jdubious
    jdubious Member Posts: 113
    #3
    Hi Susan,
    I take arimidex and I can't sleep either! I'm glad to see your posting, because it never occured to me that the arimidex was the issue. The first thing I'm going to try is to take it in the morning rather than at night like I have been. My solution so far has been to stay up late, but then I still only get a few hours of sleep. It's amazing how tired you can be and still not be able to sleep! I'm also very crabby from lack of sleep and physically/body tired. I hope others post some sleeping tips - I'd love to see them!
    jill
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #4
    Sorry, Susan.....tamoxifen here...my biggest complaint is hot flashes, and those are infrequent and bearable....
    Oh, and the scare about Inflammatory Breast Cancer I recently had....Keflex took care of it...didn't know cellulitis could look the same...sigh...
    Hugs, Kathi
  • Susan956
    Susan956 Member Posts: 510
    #5
    jdubious said:

    Hi Susan,
    I take arimidex and I can't sleep either! I'm glad to see your posting, because it never occured to me that the arimidex was the issue. The first thing I'm going to try is to take it in the morning rather than at night like I have been. My solution so far has been to stay up late, but then I still only get a few hours of sleep. It's amazing how tired you can be and still not be able to sleep! I'm also very crabby from lack of sleep and physically/body tired. I hope others post some sleeping tips - I'd love to see them!
    jill

    I already take my Arimidex in the morning... I hope that will help you.... If not I hope you will find a solution.

    Take Care... God Bless...

    Susan
  • Susan956
    Susan956 Member Posts: 510
    #6
    pansylover said:

    Susan,
    I have used guided imagery cd for healthy sleep. you can view it at www.healthjourneys.com. I used quite a few of these going thru treatments and some still today. I have also done yoga stretches to help me sleep..
    Best of zzzzzzz's to you!
    Cindie

    Thanks for the idea.

    God Bless.

    Susan
  • Susan956
    Susan956 Member Posts: 510
    #7
    KathiM said:

    Sorry, Susan.....tamoxifen here...my biggest complaint is hot flashes, and those are infrequent and bearable....
    Oh, and the scare about Inflammatory Breast Cancer I recently had....Keflex took care of it...didn't know cellulitis could look the same...sigh...
    Hugs, Kathi

    Glad you are doing fine. By the way where is Lesley.. haven't seen her post lately. Hope she is OK.

    God Bless.

    Suan
  • cabbott
    cabbott Member Posts: 1,039 Member
    #8
    I'm on exemestane, a different aromatase inhibitor. It tends to make me tired when I take it, so I take it at night, but never right before bedtime. Unfortunately anything I take right before bedtime can make me wake up an hour later looking for the bathroom. No cookies and milk within an hour of bedtime for me either! When I take pain killers (recent surgery situation), I wake up within minutes of when they wear off, usually the middle of the night. And that means take another pill with a glass of something and wake up again an hour later looking for the room down the hall! Fortunately following my bedtime routine usually puts me back in the mood to doze off. I always go to the bathroom, brush my teeth, plump my pillow, and sack out (or at least try too!). Just laying there doesn't work for me. I have to get up and do the routine or else I toss and turn all night wishing I was asleep. Avoiding hot flashes by dressing lightly, tossing off the covers, & running a quiet fan all help, too. My next door neighbor's cure is to get up and do housework while she's wide awake and nap later. My aunt just kept books handy and read them when she couldn't sleep more than 3 or 4 hours a night. She kept the librarians busy checking the books in and out some months. Now she is post menapausal and sleeps much better. More cardio exercise helps me sleep better too. And if a worry is keeping me up, I grab a sheet of paper and write down what the worry is and a solution if any pop in my head. Then it's off to bed to dream, perchance to sleep. Good luck!
  • karenack
    karenack Member Posts: 90
    #9
    My oncologist prescribed trazadone for me. It is non-narcotic and I do sleep and sleep well. When I wake in the am, I actually feel rested.

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