How many like me are battling insomnia?

:-)
Have you ever noticed what time I normally post? I have not slept well for years, get what I can when I can but hey I am still here to need sleep so its all good!

Wishing you sweet dreams,

RE

Ask Doc for something
Hi Pat,

I have had sleep problems for years, but when I had chemo it got alot worse. I told my onc, and he prescribed something that didn't really work for me. Then I went to my family doctor, who prescribed a strong anti-depressant to take just before my head hits the pillow. It is working like a dream. (Every pun intended) Being naturally a bit hyper, I also take a sedative a couple hours before I intend to go to sleep. I am sleeping better than I have for years. Not getting your required sleep can slow your recovery. Ask your docs for something to help you. I used to be afraid of chemical dependancy, so before being dx I turned down antidepressants and other things I thought might turn out to be a life long companion. But since my bc dx, I also found out I have something called essential tremors. My hands shake like they are attached to an invisible jackhammer. I will be taking pills for the rest of my life just to get a cup to my mouth without shaking the contents out onto the floor. If I will be taking those, I may just as well try out the anti-depressants and other things my doc has been recommending. Turns out I was needlessly tolerating alot of anxietey. Silly me.

Sweet Dreams! Sharon

Eil4186 said:

Docs have determined that
Docs have determined that chemo causes changes in brain chemistry and is responsible for insomnia/sleep problems in cancer survivors.

I was involved in a study about insomnia in cancer survivors and part of it is cognitive behavior therapy for insomnia at a sleep disturbance clinic at a local hospital. I was skeptical at firsr because I have been having severe sleep issues since chemo over 3 years ago. But, to my surprise, the therapy is starting to work!! My therapist says it will continue to improve. I couldn't be happier. Check your local hospitals. Good luck and I hope you can find relief. Lack of sleep really has a negative impact on your quality of life.

Sleep
Sorry you are having trouble sleeping Pat. Have you asked your oncologist for something stronger to help you to sleep? There are a lot of prescription sleeping pills and maybe one of them might help you, at least temporarily. You need to get your rest to recover from all that you have been thru. Lack of sleep isn't good. Let us know Pat if you find something that helps you. Happy sleeping hopefully is in your future!

Sue

New Flower said:

Yes I do too
I am going a my acupuncture session today to combat insomnia and fatigue. Before that I was using sleeping pills for 6 months. Ask you doctors for help.
New Flower

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
I've finished all chemo (except I have one more herceptin infusion to go) ... and finished rads ... but I still need help getting to sleep. I've found one benedryl and a xanax does the trick for me.

Good luck.

hugs.
teena

Strange thing
for me, I have had trouble sleeping for the past 3-4 years due primarily to night sweats and possibly stress.

Since my treatments started, and particularly since my chemo, I've been sleeping like a baby most nights. I did have trouble falling asleep when I would take the steroids around each chemo treatment, but if I took 1 Tylenol PM it worked like a charm and I could even sleep on those nights.

Nowadays I feel like I could sleep forever, and have actually been able to sleep in until almost 8:00 on weekends. Something I haven't been able to do for years. Also now that I have actual hot flashes both day and night, the night sweats where I used to wake up soaking wet (but not hot) have gone away, and even if a hot flash wakes me up I'm able to go right back to sleep whereas when the night sweats used to wake me up, I couldn't get back to sleep for hours, if ever. BTW - the vitamin E my onco recommended for the hot flashes is working wonders. Greatly reduced the number and intensity of the hot flashes - yea!

I still have radiation to get through, but my oncologist wants to start me on Tamoxifen at the same time my radiation starts, so I'm not sure how that combination will affect my sleep patterns. I'm hoping I will be able to get to sleep at night, but if I have trouble, I'll definitely talk to my doctors to see if there's something that can help.

I hope your doctor will be able to help you with this, Pat. Sleep is sooooo important to your recovery.

(((HUGS)))
Cindy

Cairmaid said:

I'm a drug newbie
I've been taking Femara for almost two weeks but I've always had problems getting to sleep. I've tried various activities, with uneven success:
1) An "ocean waves" CD;
2) Cryptic crossword puzzles so I can memorize a clue and go to sleep trying to think of the anwer, which usually backfires because my brain makes the associations needed to solve the puzzle better when I'm sleepy. As soon as I start to doze off, I think of the answer and have to start over :-)
3) Solitaire on my iPod touch...I think this keeps me from rehashing my day over & over but I eventually have to put down the iPod and lay down;
4) Keeping the TV on and =trying= to stay awake; this works the best. Certain History channel narrated shows put me right to sleep LOL! and, as much as I like Alton Brown and Marc Summers on the Food channel, they're like lullabyes.

I'm also taking a mega-dose of Vitamin D once a week. I started that at the same time as the Femara. I actually seem to be sleeping better. Not necessarily falling asleep faster, but staying asleep once I do. It's almost like when my son started staying asleep from midnight to 6 am when he was a baby :-)

However, I do seem to have a lot of muscle pain. Anybody else have this? I don't want to be taking Tylenol every night for the next 5 years.

I got sleeping pills from my
I got sleeping pills from my oncologist to help me. You should ask for some if you don't start getting more rest. Good luck!

Lynda53 said:

lack-a-sleep
1-Doc gave me lorazepan, I take it once in awhile, I never know when I need to go back to work.
2-Social worker suggested, soft music, and muscle relaxations,compfiness, close your eyes and think of good thoughs, clors etc.
Muscle relax, she said to tighten from face,release, then shoulders release, arms, stomach,hips, buttocks, thighs and calves and feet and toes, hold for ea seperately 3-5 sec and release, repeat 1-2
I do all head to toe, hold for 5-10 sec, release and repeat 4-5x, it helps.
I stopped my coffee or tea after 4pm,When I wake up the 3-6 times, I do not get up and play on the PC, I do not read, I do not watch TV, I get comfy and roll over and go back to bed...most of the time/
Peace

beddie bye
Having not been a good sleeper since I had my girls over 13 years ago, I thought that the steroids I'm on for a few days after chemo was the problem now. I'm rather bummed to know that this could now continue for the rest of my life. I'm a week past my 2nd chemo and have slept better the last couple of nights, but even the pills the Onc prescribed only let me sleep 2 hours. I do sometimes have my husband fix me a drink to relax me so I can sleep, as I hate to take pills, but that usually works only marginally unless I set out to get snockered, which I really, really don't want to do! I usually find myself in the recliner in the LR with the dog mad at me for turning on the TV! Oh well, as long as I survive this, I will figure a way to cope with the rest. I will say that for those of us that are believers, I find some of my best conversations with God happen when I'm wide awake in the middle of the night.

Pat
I have insomnia too, only I am not having chemo. I had my mastectomy/reconstruction 12/11 and even though I started back to work this week (finally) I can't sleep. I am starting to not like even being in my bedroom by myself at night. I'm not too bad when my hubby somes in at the same time but not by myself. The Dr. gave me Ambien and I take it (it works most times for me) but I don't want to get dependent on it. I guess it's time I go to ACS and get some counseling. Good luck, I hope you find something that works for you.