Does anyone else have trouble sleeping?

mollykitten

 I was just wondering if anyone else has had trouble sleeping while going through BC treatment. I am right in the middle of my 8 cycles of chemo (4A/C, 4 Taxol.) Some nights I am fine,and I can go to sleep with no problem. Other nights forget it. My mind just keeps me up thinking about everything. I've especially noticed that the closer I get to "chemo day the more I start to get very anxious and have a really hard time settling down (my next appointment is Wednesday.) I have tried Ambien and Benadryl for sleep aids; I am also on a fairly moderate daily dose of medication for anxiety (Xanax.) 

However, I have found that no matter what I try to help me, whether it be medicine, spiritual aids like meditation or listening to music, or getting physical activity such as walks in the park,  the closer I get to chemo day the more "wound up" I get.

Oh what am I saying; it doesn't even have to be around chemo day- since I was DX'd I haven't been able to sleep right and it's driving me crazy.

Is this common? Has anyone else noticed a difference in their sleeping habits since they were DX'd or started any treatment? Is this something that I might just have to get used to until I can fully come to terms with whats happening? Sometimes it feels like my life will never be "normal" as I remember it again. It's going on 2am where I live and I feel like my mind could keep me awake for hours on end no matter how tired I am.  

If anyone has any thoughts or advice on the subject, I would be grateful.  

Thanks.

Josie : )

dawn2203

Hi I know exactly how you feel. Its been 2 years since my diagnosis and I can count on one hand how many decent nights sleep I have had.  It was 4 am this morning when I went to bed and at 8.15 I was widw awake and just could not get back to sleep. I am very reluctant to take any more medication after the amount I have gone through since diagnosis. Sometimes a nice warm bath helps but generally I end up falling asleep during the day if I am having 5 minutes sit down. x 

sftfemme65

Ummm its 4:45 am here in Kansas.....still wide awake.  During treatment the steriods kept me up but I dont have that excuse anymore.  I just know I dont sleep like I use to and I know alot of it is the stress.

Teresa

checkum

WOW - you must be reading my mind.  I just sent the following email to my good friend below --- and then I read this thread...

will nighttime ever be my friend again?

I had the most awful night last night.  I had a dream about losing my job (and my insurance).  My boss fired me because I was supposed to buy some tires for his car and I forgot to do it LOL (wasn't funny last night).  Anyway, my co-worker told me that he was planning on firing me and combining my job with hers.  So when I woke up at about 2ish I was crying about the dream then I got right on the worry path and stayed there for a couple of hours...

I hate nighttime!

Sons4Us

Count me in !  I havent slept since Aug, when the letter arrived after my annual mammo saying they needed additional views.  I fall asleep very easily but wake up and cant fall back to sleep..I really miss it!  On the few nights I did get a few extra hours of sleep, I felt better during that next day..  From what Ive heard, it does get better with time...and thats what I keep telling myself, it will get better in time ! 

berrypatch

Me too!  My brain spins out of control all night long.  That and hot flashes too.  I do take Xanax PRN, and that does get me to sleep, but I don't ever stay asleep for long.  Now BC is even part of my dreams.  I cannot get away from it.  Mostly just stressed out.  Uni-lat mast on 11/3, who can sleep with that on your mind??  So, I get up and watch TV or get on the computer.  Before DX, I had no trouble sleeping at all. 

Carol 

kimbly

Count me in as well!!! First it was the anxiety and then the steroids and the anxiety coupled with the steriods.. I finished treatment end of March and still do not sleep that well.  I take .25 xanax 4 out of 7 nights but even with that sometimes I cannot sleep through the night.  I am also on Effexor for those spinny, racey thoughts that won't stop.  UGH not fair.

lafera12

I'm joining you in not sleeping...I haven't had a good nights sleep since March when I started chemo., finished chemo in August-had surgery, now getting radiation and Herceptin (every 3 wks) and still not sleeping through the night.  Hoping for a good nights sleep when all is done (MAYBE)

Angie

Lolita

I can't sleep either.  My oncologist suggested Effexor last January, and I finally gave in last week to try it.  Tamoxifen has been giving hot flashes, and I wake up sweating every hour on the hour and can't sleep past 4 a.m. I tried melatonin for a while, but it made me fuzzy.  

terrilee

Absolutely! The worst was a week after the first A/C chemo when my oncologist had me get a CAT scan. The hot flashes were horrible. I'm doing a little bit better now. A few days before my second chemo I was awake worrying about it, but then decided 'been there, done that' and was more accepting and slept better. Some nights mentally running through my yoga chanting helps, others not. And I've had such horrible dreams after taking Ativan that I cut them in half and still hate taking it when the Compazine doesn't work for nausea. I think I'm relatively lucky after reading the other posts though. Some things I refuse to think about, so maybe denial is healthy in my case!

mollykitten

Hi all,

I'm sorry to say it but I am semi-glad to know that I am not alone when it comes to feeling like a temporary insomniac (lol.) 

I would have to say that the worst time for me in regards to sleep is right before any major medical appointment related to my current DX; like a test, treatment day, or anything  of that nature. I have noticed that about 3 days or so before chemo, I start to get really anxious, and basically start to become not just a night owl, but a complete insomniac. And when I do finally fall asleep, like some of you, I also have really wacky dreams. Very often they are related to my BC. My former psych professor would say that it's probably my minds way of trying to work through my unresolved issues (and obviously this is a big one!)

I already take xanax for anxiety, and it does make me "less wired", however not enough to calm me down to sleep soundly through the night. I have found that benadryl usually gets me to sleep, but then wears off about 4 hours after I take it. After that I am up watching TV for the rest of the night into the morning.   

Has anyone ever tried chamomile tea? I heard  that it is supposed to have some sort of a "calming effect" that is supposed to be good on helping one get to sleep. 

When I see my onc on Wednesday I will ask him if he has any other suggestions that he might be willing to try. I will also advise him of  the suggestions from everyone here, and see if we can come up with something together.

 I'll make sure to let everyone know what if any, new advice he gives me. I'm sure that there has to be something out there that is yet to be discovered  that will hopefully help give us all are beauty sleep back!   It's worth a try!

Thanks again.

Best wishes and happy dreams to all,  

Josie : )  

Sons4Us

Last night I slept from 10:30 to 3 am .. today I have my first appt with the rad onc so maybe thats

why I was anxious through the night..tonight I may take Advil PM..I desperatly need to catch up

on my sleep.. I will be put on tamox, will any of the sleep aids have SE's with the tamox?

PinkyLee

sleep?  what is sleep.  I haven't slept since I became of aware that my cancer was back.  I thought it would get better after the drains came out, but then I got expanded that same day and still I can't sleep.  The ps gave me ambien, it hasn't worked.  I would give anything to curl up and have a good nap at anytime.

susan13

Joining the club.  Actually I stopped sleeping well before my dx. Kinda makes me wonder.

Doc gave me Ambien but I'm all fuzzy the day after so I haven't taken it since after my first tx.  I do drink chamomile tea or a tylenol pm works good with no effects the next day.  Last nite I did both and slept until around 5am, and woke up just once during the night.  But it sure would be nice to get an uninterrupted 8 hours wouldn't it!??!?!

PinkyLee

I will try the tea.  Ambien is not doing anything for me.  I went to bed at 12:00 and was back on sofa at 4:15 after tosshing for what seemed like hours. 

With all we endure people have the nerve to question why we are short or moody.  How else could you be after surgery and no sleep and wondering if you are going to get sick again and die. 

Please let me get some rest.

gramadeb

I too am a member of the no sleep club! Was diagnosed and had lumpectomy in Feb and was given Xanax to help me through this stressful time. Started chemo in March and of course the steroids prevented any sleeping. Also started Effexor XR for hot flashes. Finished rads in Aug. I could not sleep at all - started taking Xanax, Ambien or Ambien CR everynight and I was lucky to sleep a few hours and felt terrible the next day.

Two weeks ago I really was having trouble. I was so absolutely exhausted and I felt like I would collapse. This didn't make any sense to me - why could I feel so physically tired but when I went to bed I felt wide awake. I thought I was losing my mind! Felt like my body didn't know "how to sleep". I knew Effexor could cause insomnia so I stopped taking it.

I now can "fall asleep" without any sleep aids. I don't sleep all night but at least I fall sleep. I still don't feel rested. Last night was probably the best night sleep I have had in seven months - but I still feel so tired today and shaky. I hate this feeling.

Deb

Sons4Us

Deb, I feel the same way.. I am totally exhausted and I cant figure out WHY I just dont stay sleeping..Last night was the worst, I slept from 10:30 to 3 and I was wide awake after that..Something has to give!

Pinky, I heard that Ambien puts you right to sleep but when you wake up ( not too soon after) you are wide awake.. 

Susan, YES, 8 hours sounds soooo good... but at this point I'll settle for 6 uninterrupted, peaceful hours !  Lets see what tonight brings ! Maybe I'll try 1 Advil PM in a lil while..

Dee

PinkyLee

I had also heard that, but I have not experienced that with ambien.  Last night I decided to take two before I went to bed.  I did get some sleep, but woke up around 2.45 and took another.  I was back awake at 6:00.  That is still the most sleep I have had in a while. 

TXBadboob

Hi, fellow sleepyheads!

I am also having this insomnia.  I just realized that the only time I get a good night sleep(8 hrs.) is when I absolutely have nothing planned the next day.  Well that almost never happens, which makes me think it has to be stress related.  The hot flashes also wake me up it seems like hourly.  Covers on, covers off.:)   The night before chemo is the worst, I get little panic attacks.  I just want it to be over so bad!

The weird thing is, my husband is having it, too.  We thought it was our fairly new bed causing it, but I don't know...

I haven't tried any sleep aids yet, I was hoping to wait until I just can't function anymore.  The effects of no sleep seem to hit me late afternoon and early evening, dragging me down to exhaustion.

Good luck and blesses!  Deen

TorchSong

What a relief!  I am not the only one!

I haven't started chemo yet (port in two days, 1st chemo in a week), but I have not been able to stay asleep at all. I have had maybe three or four decent nights sleep in the six weeks since my dx. I've tried a glass of wine, I've tried staying up until I could barely keep my eyes open, I've tried tea...Haven't tried the medication route as that tends to make me groggy the next day. On the other hand, I'm groggy from not enough sleep, so what's the difference? lol

My list of questions for my onc on Monday is getting very long!

bluedasher

Is the problem everyone is having anxiety related? I'm having interrupted sleep but it is mainly due to physical discomfort. There was the biopsy and about the time that was healed there was the lumpectomy and that was almost healed and then there was the port placement. On top of that I have bursitis in my right shoulder at the moment that rules out some sleep positons and any time I was having surgery (or a "procedure") I would have to stop the medication for that for a week or more because Ibuprophen is a blood thinner so that has prolonged the bursitis. The only possible position at times was sleeping on my back and I'm not a good back sleeper. A wedge pillow with other softer pillows arranged on top of it helped but I end up having to rearrange pillows in the middle of the night to suit a switch to another postion. Now that I can sleep on the left side again, I have to switch in a different pillow (firm) when I switch from back to side.

The night that the port was put in I ended up sleeping most of the night in an easy chair with an ottoman and blanket and my very dear husband brought me some Grand Mariner and a couple of cookies for comfort food. That put me right out.

And of course once one is in chemo and drinking 8 glasses or more a day there are other reasons to wake up at night.

For anxiety or tension, I have this sleep aid CD that they give away at Crown Plaza hotels as part of their sleep kit. The first couple of tracks are a physical relaxation exercise and a visualization exercise, then the rest are sleep music tracks - they slow your breathing rythm to one for sleep. That CD is like magic. I've almost never been awake for any but the first 2 and a half tracks 

bluedasher

This seems to be the same CD as I got from Crowne Plaza:

http://cdbaby.com/cd/soundsleep 

You can play it directly from the site or buy an MP3 or CD. 

Sons4Us

Monday night I did sooo good..I slept like a baby, opened my eyes in the morning and they werent heavy! I had a great day on Tuesday because I slept so well..Last night was a bad one but I had an onc appointment today so I KNOW its all anxieties..

I was thinking of buying a CD or even one of those mini water falls ! Supposedly the sound of water is soothing.. HA ! My husband laughed when I told him I was thinking of getting a waterfall for the bedroom !! 

Dee

sbmolee

I work with several nurses and they suggested regualr Benadryl.  I take two tablets around 7pm and get really sleepy.  I normally go to bed around 9 and sleep until around 5 or so.  Works without the fuzzy feeling ambien gave me and non-habit forming.

scarp

Pre DX when I couldn't sleep for whatever unimportant reason, I used Alka Seltzer PM and it worked like a charm.  I would only need one before bed and I slept thru the night.  Now I sleep until about 3 or 4 a.m. and take a 1/2 of a Xanax to get me thru so it's .25mg.  Seems to work.  The weird thing is that I slept like a baby before every of the million tests, surgery and 1st chemo.  Go figure???  Maybe I'll go back to the alka seltzer?

karen1956

I've had trouble sleeping since Dx.  During chemo is was bad except for th day of infusion.  I take Ambian 10mg or 12.5mg CR.  I have tried many others inlcuding some of the "old ones" and Lunesta.  When I don't take it, I wake up continually through the night and I am very restless.  I also take my gabapentin at night and Ativan 1mg.  Pre-Dx, I woke up a couple times during the night, mostly to go to the bathroom, but I sleep in between.

Sunshine99

I've never been a sound sleeper.  If I wake up at 5:00 AM, I'm thrilled that I actually slept through the night.  I used to wake up at around 2:30 AM, toss and turn until around 6:00 AM, then fall asleep for a couple of hours. 

Now I wake up around 3:30, but can often go back to sleep.  I take Tylenol PM when I remember it.  Funny thing - I used to get so up tight when I would wake up in the middle of night and not go back to sleep - now I just don't really care. 

Don't know if I'm depressed or just don't give a rip anymore.  I'm tired of the sweats, the "prickles" in my torso and arms...

terrilee

What is it about 3 am? I'm way too often awake then. My husband also has not been sleeping well, but is getting better. I tried chamomile tea for awhile, and I think it helped. So I need to try it again.

  

PinkyLee

Three o'clock does seem like the time. 
I loearned today that ambien can have side affects such as getting up and sleep walking.  I hav efounf that the ambien with a benedry works great.  The last two nights have real good sleeps..

CanItBeTrueNH

I miss having a glass of red wine before I go to bed.  Being on chemo and having flu like symptoms all the time I am afraid to touch a glass.   1/2 a ambien tablets works for me once in a while.  Between the sleep issues and the constipation it is not going to be easy!

terrilee

I've found a magnesium pill once or twice a day works wonders for constipation. Adding some dried apricots or prunes helps even more, if not too much. And a good acidophilus helps nausea and more.