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How are y'all doing with insomnia? I thought it would get better ...lol....if I sleep for 5 hours straight, I think "wow! 5 whole hours!" I guess our sleep routines are really messed up with all we've been thru...I don't take meds...don't really want to...
Exercise Cancer Tylenol Surgery Back pain Trazadone Meditation Anxiety Ambien Benadryl Zoloft Lunesta Allergies Ativan Pain Insomnia
I have been doing better. When I was going through illness and it the hospital, couldn't sleep at all. Stayed awake all night watching All-Stars Poker Tournaments. They lasted forever. When I did get to sleep, it was time to get my vital signs. So I watched poker some more.
Been having problems the last few weeks.Cut out the caffine after 4 then nothing after 2 cups in morning. This worked for about 3 days going from maybe 5-7 hrs.Then it was a herbal tea that aids in sleep. Again worked for awhile.Then added melatonin and when it started working I again started sleeping the 5-7 hrs.This weekend was the absolute worst up at 7 Saturday after a four hour sleep then at about 2 in the morning took an ambien, which usually knocks me flat out in minutes.It barely phased me no sleep just achy chatty naseous and light headed.Finally fell asleep about midnight still achy and tired when I couldn't get back to sleep at seven.Decided yesterday that the verse that says there is a time to lay down and a time to get up , that I must be stuck in get up.A young woman is living with me & last night when she got home .She couldn't get a word in edgewise I was in hyperdrive , talking doing buzzing from here to there. I finally said something to her as I recognized what I was doing.She said yeah she noticed it was really bad last night , but in fact I had been doing it to some extent for short periods of time for the last few weeks.Called my Doc this morning and when he could finally get a word in he said lets get you an appt.,sounds like you may be misfiring on a hormone or that your thyroid is flipping out.
Moral of my story is sometimes insomnia isn't just insomnia, it's a symptom.So get checked out. The bright side is that with holidays and everything I made drapes for one bedroom ,snuggle pillows for 3 youngest gchildren painted an accent wall in my living room ,painted 2 doors & planted 50 daffodils,put new floor in laundry room , got all the bric brack washed & refinished a bath tub.I could stand the energy for awhile longer ,but the other is a bummer.I did some other things too ,but I just can't remember when I am so mentally exhausted.I think I did mention I get wordy & chatty.God bless all .I want to get a showerhead replaced and start recovering the barstools today.
Hi there. I did end up asking my oncologist about melatonin and he told me that it was fine to use it....I have for a couple of night and think it is working.....unless the chemo has just knocked me out! ha. I guess we shall see.
Amy :)
Funny, I don't usually have insomnia. I've been sleeping at least 8 hours every night but here I am reading these posts after maybe 4-5 hours!
-Bev
Hi ladies!
I've a melatonin taker for a long time and when I started chemo it didn't work for me. I was given ATIVAN and that worked until I got on steriods, then AMBIEN...may as well have taken nothing. So then I got TRAZADONE....thank GOD for trazadone. I'm on a 50 mg dose and it works unbelievably! It is also an antidepressant, but hey I'm ok with that, as long as I'm sleeping!
I too, was not a big fan of taking anything rx for sleeping, i didn't want to become dependant. I haven't had that experience at all with trazadone.
Happy sleeping!
Nikki
I always have the fan going....I also have the noise machine going alot...the noise isn't the problem....it is the hot flashes that wake me up alot, too. Sometimes I get 5-6 hrs. then the next night I'm awake after 1 or 2 hrs., go back to sleep, wake up again in 2 hrs., go back to sleep and maybe sleep 3 hrs. I'm hoping the regular exercise will help. We'll see!
I haven't asked the oncologist about it, but, see what he or she says. I usually keep a fan by the bedside. Maybe one of those machines that make nice sounds like waterfalls, birds, or music.
I am having a LOT of trouble sleeping as well.....not only do I have some anxiety as I lay there trying to sleep......but once I do fall asleep - hot flashes wake me up! Plus.......chemo and steroid effects. It is hard......and I worry because I want my immune system at its best, plus my emotional health as well - hard with no sleep - as we all know!
I have always been a light sleeper but now am also up every hour or two.......I take a sleeping pill - but got scared of being reliant on it - so now am only taking half......trying to wean off of it. But the results aren't great! I used to take melatonin, before cancer......but have been reluctant to use it since......has anyone asked their doctor or oncologist about it? I have read it is a hormone......so that makes me nervous about taking it.............
Thanks........
Amy
I'm sleeping like a log. when I first got out of surgery and was on chemo, I was lucky to get 1-1/2 hours with 1 hour of walking around in between. My daughter said "This is ridiculous" and asked my doctor to prescribe something. Ambien became my close friend. I would sleep for 1-1/2 hours, take an Ambien and go back to sleep for five. Towards the end of my chemo I no longer needed Ambien. So, when I went in for my last chemo and the nurse asked about my meds I said, "Oh, I don't need Ambien any more." She said, "when was your last one." My nurse/friend started choking and we burst out laughing and I said, "last night. I overdosed. I thought I was taking my five steroid pills...." Best sleep I'd had in months, though, I'll tell you!
5 mg ambien works for me. I get 7-8 hrs of sleep. Melatonin and Tylenol PM give me a hangover and i'm tired the next day.
I'm another light sleeper. I just put on audiobooks and listen to them. When I wake up, I start the audiobook again. I wake up 5 or 6 times a night, but can function during the day, so I don't care.
I take 25 mg of zoloft but wonder if an anti-anxiety med might help with the sleeping issue.
Vickie
I take Lunesta a few nights a week just to help me get some sleep. It works for me, so I'll stick with it until it doesn't work any more.
Hope you can find something to help you get some sleep soon.
Take care & God Bless
Hi,
I too have problems with insomnia. My doctor has
recommended 1mg of Ativan an hr before bedtime. It works as a anti-anxiety drug and if I can't really sleep, I take two but that is rare.
The steroids that I am on occasionally cause sleepness as does the taxol/cisplatin protocol.
My doctor believes that sleep is really important and
this is something that I don't want to play around with.
Hope this helps.
When I was in high school, many years ago, I'd worry about not being able to sleep, especially the night before tests and exams, and of course, that would keep me from falling asleep. My mother gave me good advice: she told me that if you can relax and lie still with your eyes closed, you get almost as much rest as if you were really sleeping. Seemed to work for me.
Good luck to all those who are dealing with sleeping problems!
I agree with JanJ, a medication to help you sleep is not a bad thing. I have used mostly the antianxiety drugs for this. Talk to your primary doctor about the lack of sleep. I have found that the oncologists are focusing on the cancer and are not always in tune with the other effects of cancer and treatment. Try to get in a long walk during the day if you can. Yoga is great, you don't have to do the hard poses. Meditation is great, just concentrate on your breathing. Try not to watch tv or be on the computer late at night as it works against falling asleep. Sleepytime tea is good, so is Tension Tamer both by Celestial Seasonings. Belleruth Naparstek cds are also great to help you relax and fall and stay asleep. She has one on healthful sleep. It helps to have your room really dark, light makes me wake up all night. Look up on the internet sleep disorders and there are lots of good ideas and information. Good luck.
I have been taking a sleeping pill every night since the end of my chemo -- more than 1 1/2 years ago. First, Lunesta, and now Ambien because that's what my insurance will cover. I don't feel bad about being dependent on it. If I get 7-8 hours of sleep a night, my mood is much better and I have energy and can be productive. Considering what I'm up against, I think being dependent on a sleeping pill is really minor. And now I just passed my 2-year anniversary of my diagnosis without a reoccurrence, so I must be doing something right!
Hey, wouldn't that be an idea? The melatonin didn't work...I've tried it different times now and it's still the same...HELLO! "Now what do I do?" is what I think...do you get up and do something? Do you just lay there and try to fall asleep? Duh! This is the pits! And what's worse is how you then start thinking....they say you need 7 hours of sleep to revitalize your body (does anybody remember what that feels like?)...or you could be more prone for a heart attack...whatever....
I have started to have problems sleeping
after using Melatonin..... I took & Like 4 hours later BING
eyes WIDE OPEN>....
I used to be a 8-10 a night sleeper....
I might 4- 5 hours now then I awke... take abathroom break.. soemtimes I can fall back to sleep otehr times.... I take a lorazapam...
some times I read... soemtimes I pray...
I really dont want to take sleep meds....
the Lorazapam was for only when I had back pain so bad I needed it to relax.. but with this new diagnosis I admit I take it now.. cause I have started to have panic attacks....
I listen to calming music..... soothing waves... instrumental music....
that helps
I try taking a bath with sea salts... to soak..
and had blueberry tea...
felt relaxed...
but I am AWAKE at all sorts of night hours
thinking
what in the world....
I need my sleep
then I wish this website had a
Midnight OWL Chat ROOM
where we could talk....
think they'd do that for us ??
Same here. Since cancer, have not slept well at all. Going on 5 years and still trying-I will try some of the suggestions here. As for melatonin, it gives me headaches. I did try valerian and it did work but I felt so drugged when I woke up and had to go to work.
Sounds like we all have the same problem. I also stay up late and am up bright and early and usually still feel tired no matter how many hours I slept. I really don't want to take any meds for sleeping. Sometimes I take a small dose of Benadryl, or even an extra-strength Tylenol and they help a little. But on the day of chemo or just after, nothing really helps. I figure it's just a way of life now.
I might read, or watch TV, or do crosswords to try to get sleepy. At least I know all of you are out there doing the same thing! My cousin (also a cancer survivor) has the same problem and always tells me to e-mail her any hour of the day or night!
Where is the Sandman when we need him??
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