All I want to do is SLEEP!

susan13

Ok so after my 1st tx I couldn't sleep for 7 days, now 5 days after 2nd tx all I want to do is sleep!  I'm at work sitting at my desk and I just want to put my head down and start snoring... is this normal?   

OneBadBoob

Hi Susan-- 

Yup--I think that is normal.  I assume you are either doing chemo or rads?

I am a year and a quarter out, and there are still times when all I want to do is sleep--so, I try to schedule things around a "sleep all day" schedule from time to time, and I feel it really helps.

susan13

Yes doing chemo, I am on 7th day of my 2nd treatment. I'm so tried I'm in bed right after work, I can't even play with my daughter or put her to sleep!  I don't like it!

Jule

hi Susan. When I had chemo, I was also taking steroids which kept me awake for several days. I ended up getting Ambien for sleep which was wonderful. I only took it when I needed it so that I could be fully rested. Everyone has different chemo regiments, but I had TAC. If I had treatment on Wednesday, I would feel exhausted from the Saturday after that through the following Monday. Talk to your doctor to see what you can do differently so that you are getting more rest when you need it. Do you have anyone to help you out?

susan13

Hi Jule,

I took Ambien for almost a straight week after my first treatment, I am getting CAF.  Got Decadron in my IV before treatment drugs started, and it kept me up for 7 straight nights.  Got it again on the 2nd treatment but it's not affecting me the same way! I can sleep and sleep and sleep!  My WBC went down 7 days after the first tx, and I'm thinking that maybe I have anemia again and that's why I'm so tired.  Tomorrow I get my counts checked so I will see if that is the case this time too.

I have a little one at home so it's tough... my husband has been doing everything from laundry to the cooking to taking care of our daughter.  We really don't have any family or friends nearby, but some do come over on the weekends.

Also trying to keep my normal 9-5 work hours... but I think I might have to cut an hour or 2 out a day.

Sue

Jule

Sue,

Are they giving you the Neulasta shot for the day after treatment? That really helps to keep up the WBC.

Anonymous

Unfortunately chemo IS accumulative...sorry... I hope your blood test gives you some answers. Hang in there...I know it's tough... remember that the next chapter will be better!

kerry_lamb

Susan, did your onc explain the 'nadir' ? The nadir occurs 7 - 10 days after chemo. It is when your immune system 'bottoms out' and you are most susceptible to bugs (best to avoid crowds, for example. But what 'bottoms out' actually MEANS is that your white blood cells are right down and your haemaglobin (red blood cell count) is right down. When your haem is down, your blood can't easily uptake the oxygen you breath and you get exhausted doing the most simple things like...breathing! The neulasta shot 'kick starts' new blood-cell production and is pretty much a standard addition to chemo. Unfortunately it causes a lot of weird 'bone pain', so have some ibuprophen on hand. Drugs..drugs..and more drugs....sigh.  But Laura is right: after this life is all up, up up!

Harley44

If you get a neulasta shot, be sure to take Claritin for about 3 - 4 days after.  This will help to eliminate the bone pain.

I got Neupogen shots after my 1st chemo tx, and no one told me to take Claritin.  Oh, man, was that ever painful!!  I had to give myself Neupogen shots for 4 days!!  OUCH!  The bone pain was just horrible!  After that, I INSISTED that my onc give me Neulasta shots, and the chemo nurse told me to take the Claritin, so I did.  I guess it helped, cause I didn't have any pain after the Neulasta shots.

Good luck!!!

Hugs

Harley

susan13

Kerry,

Tthis is all so weird, I feel wonderful today!  Besides suffering from darn allergies that is.

My white count was 2.8 this morning, so it's not THAT bad like it was after the first treatment, at 1.2.  I do get bone pain a little from the Neulsta and yes, more drugs do help with that.

Sue