INSOMNIACS place to talk in the wee hours

Freebee

Just finished rads and my boob is a complete mess. The discomfort and stress is keeping me awake. When I do finally doze off, I get woken by a night terror (nocturnal panic attack). This is hell. Ran out of my sleep meds so drinking neo citron nighttime. I’m thatdesperate.

mnsotamom74

oh Freebee I’m so sorry, that sounds so terrible. Sending you (((hugs))

Beatmon

Someone needs to study why our sleep has gone to crap with treatment.

Betrayal

Freebee:

I had night terrors related to flashbacks from treatment. I woke up having panic attacks and then no sleep for hours. I mentioned it to one of my non-cancer physicians and was offered a drug named prazosin. It is a low dose antihypertensive, not used much anymore, but it worked. I take one 1 mg tablet at bedtime and can take up to 2 if needed. There are no hangover effects so that is the plus. Still have an occasional night terror but nothing like before.

I still have sleepless nights due to other BC side effects and wish I could get someone to offer a solution for them. So, yes we do need a study on why our quality of sleep is so poor especially when it is so critical to physical and psychological well-being.

JMouse

Freebee, that sounds just awful. I hope you find a solution soon. Sending healing thoughts your way.

mnsotamom74, I'm glad you have a loving and understanding partner to travel with you on this road, but I totally get your frustration. Beatmon is so right: someone should study us all to try to improve our sleep.

Someone asked me earlier tonight if I liked to sleep in late. I almost laughed like a Bond villain watching his secret lair complete with shark pool go up in flames. Pre-diagnosis and treatment, I liked my night owl self, cozily sleeping in late when life allowed. Now it's 4 or 5 hours sleep, changing sweat-soaked pajamas, and struggling to quiet my mind. Every night. It's so disheartening.

We all could use a frickin' break.

rljes

Jmouse - I too was soaked to the bone several times at night, mind racing, no sleep / panic attacks during the day when I would have a hot flash in public and couldn't cool down.  My OBGYN prescribed Gabapentin - I was VERY skeptical - but taking just 100mg at night has improved my life.  I actually sleep for 4-5 hours straight, and hot flashes are not as severe.  

M0mmyof3

Had a pretty low key week here. Only thing exciting that happened was that hubby and l celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary two days ago

karen1956

Mommy - happy anniversary - wishing you many more years of happiness together

M0mmyof3

Thanks Karen

mostlymom

Mommy - Happy Anniversary! Hoping you enjoy your day.

M0mmyof3

It was a very nice day on Wednesday for our wedding anniversary. Still hard to believe it’s been 15 years.

Loveroflife

Happy Anniversary, Mommmy.

M0mmyof3

Lol

Babsinbloom68

Hello Ladies, I can go to sleep easy and usually early...but I find myself waking up anywhere between midnight to 1:30am and most of the time there is no going back to sleep for me.

So I pray, read, listen to music, etc. thru my headphones (so I won't disturb my Honey), play and do research on the computer, etc. This has been going on for so long now that I just do my best to "make the best of it"...I am blessed that I am retired and can pretty much rest during the day if I have no energy for other things after being up half the night.

I had this problem even before my diagnosis of IDC...so I've been learning ways to adapt for a long time now.

M0mmyof3

So sick of the heat and humidity. Supposed to have triple digit heat indexes this weekend

Fairydragonfly

I am developing a love/hate relationship with steroids. LOVE that they give me energy and oddly improve my mood. HATE that I become the worst insomniac on them. Last round my prescription sleeping pill helped. Not working tonight...

Joys of chemo I guess.

JWoo

i was so productive while on all those stupid steroids. I'll say to enjoy the energy while you have it. Organize your pantry, do all the tedious cleaning, work any household projects you can without injuring yourself, and drink about a gallon of water a day to prevent dehydration.

While life is amazing and you appreciate it in a whole new way after you finish treatment, you will probably have serious fatigue for a long time, and so much becomes difficult to do.

I hope your treatment is completely effective, and you're on the way to wellness

Fairydragonfly

Thank you Jwoo. I know I will crash Sunday/Monday after the pills stop. Just would be nice to get more sleep. 🤷

WC3

Well I don't know if they gave me steroids during my port removal or if it was the tea I had earlier or the fact that it's warm, or my pain meds have worn off, but I've been sleepy all day, was in bed by 8pm, and almost 6 hours later, I'm still awake.

So I've got the AC on and took two Tylenol which literally just kicked in, and will try some melatonin but I think my plans for a productive Wednesday have been canceled.

SgCMomof3

I have never experienced insomnia....thank you Cancer! I take Effexor and that cures my hot flashes. I agree with those above who lament about the fact that we need rest to recover....and yet the meds (I assume) keep me awake. This is ridiculous.

I’m struggling with most of my side effects right now: fatigue, weight issues, hunger, weakness, neuropathy, and the list goes on. I signed up on this site to find support, understanding, and a safe place. Thank you.

Teka

*Owlettes*

My last post was during June 2018, but occasionally lurk.

I skimmed through 2019 posts.

M0mmyof3

Keeping an eye on Dorian especially since it is now a Cat 5 as of the 8 a.m. advisory. Have friends and family in the path I am praying for on the coast all the way from FL to NC

CeliaC

Mommy - Me, too. Family in Ft Lauderdale & Charleston area.

M0mmyof3

Looking like my friends in NC & SCare more in the path of Dorian than my friends in FL or family in GA.

sugarplum

Just revisiting this thread which I have lurked on for many years and mnsotamom74 spoke to me! I too find it heartbreaking that after 35 years of marriage my husband has taken to sleeping in the den to avoid disturbing my already-disturbed sleep. He's right though - if we share a bed I can pretty much write off the night and always end up dragging myself to work in the morning. One of my greatest comforts used to be having him hold me until he fell asleep (of course he's never heard ME fall asleep!) but I guess that's a thing of the past now. I've never been good at sleeping, but ever since chemo 13 years ago I haven't been able to stay under for longer than a couple of hours. I allow myself one Ambien per week (but after all this time, it takes MUCH longer to kick in) and .5 mg of Ativan 2-3 times per week. I find myself looking forward to those nights like they're a gift. Meanwhile I could carry groceries in the bags under my eyes and I have zero resistance to any bugs going around. And let's not even START on my lack of concentration....

Thanks for letting me vent - I needed it.

Julie

karen1956

Julie - I too am at 13 years and don't sleep more than 5 hours and that is with Xanax - and sometimes Ambien. I was taking Ambien on a regular basis but haven't noticed a decline in my sleep without it so why take it. Without the Xanax, I also rarely sleep. I've had insomnia since Dx but it is better now than it used to be. BC - the gift that keeps on giving!! Hope you get some sleep.

Teka

Sadly, Lita57 has passed away!

Owlettes, also a (In Memorium: Lita57) thread.

M0mmyof3

So sad

JWoo

so sorry to hear that Lita is gone.

Jack-Bear

Is it the wee hours of the night & someone is awake?