1 sheep, 2 sheep, 3 sheep, 4......

slv58

I'm not sure I've posted this in the right place, but for me not being able to sleep seemed to start halfway through chemo. I have had my surgery and just started rads and for the life of me, I'm lucky if I can sleep 3 straight hours. I toss and turn, blankets off, then on, up for a drink, up for a pee, you get the idea. Anyone else having problems? I would love to get some quality REM! Any suggestions?

ProudMom_Wife

I had the same problem when going through chemo.  My oncologist gave me Ativan and it really helped.  

Bren58

slv58, your nights sound exactly like mine! Some nights I also have restlessness and just can't seem to find a comfortable position. Seems like I haven't slept all the way thru the night in forever! I really need to talk to my MO when I see him in a couple weeks. Hope we can both get some good REM soon!

mamabee

I never had a problem sleeping until I had chemo. I also took Ativan - one when I went to bed and then another at 3-4am when I woke up. Once I was done with chemo I didn't need it anymore - it was an SE that no one ever told me about.

slv58

My last chemo was may 8! Still suffering with sleepless nights, but I'm also still experiencing some leg pain from chemo so I'm thinking it still may be in my system? Or maybe it has become a habit? I would think my body would want some quality sleep to aid in recovery-well at least I would like some! I'm starting to really feel cranky during the day!

Denise-G

The steroids cause the sleeplessness for most - at least for me!  I would be up

4 to 5 times per night.  It gets better as time goes on.  I got used to emailing at

3 am and being cranky!   One year later, I'm still apologizing to those I told off

in steroid rage!

GoWithTheFlow

slv, I'm still taking ativan to get to sleep at night.  I take two and it usually knocks me out.  Ask your RO about what she/he recommends you to take.  Sleep is important to your body healing and they will give you whatever you need to try and keep you happy and comfortable and healthy.

slv58

Thanks GWTF, I will ask my rad tech tomorrow. Is Ativan addicting? I really hate taking things and really wish sleep would come by itself, but I see this isn't going to happen

Claire_in_Seattle

I walked or cycled every day during chemo.  Early on, I learned something I will pass on to you.  One day, I was feeling both tired and restless from the steroids.  I took myself out for a long walk, and felt much better.  I think I had tea and a little something when I got back as was November.  I slept just fine that night.

The learning for me was that the normal course of action would have been to take something to relax me, and I would have napped.  Then, not be able to sleep during the night.

So you might want to consider a long walk to calm down, get some exercise, and clear the head.  It worked for me.

I did the same thing during rads too.  Good luck. - Claire

slv58

I wish that would work for me, I have always found exercise a stimulant. I have forced myself back onto the treadmill or out for a walk for 1/2 hour a day since the end of may (was having extreme shortness if breath that scared the s%*# out of me) and yesterday, I ended up walking 5 miles throughout the day-I thought for sure I would sleep as I was truly tired but only slept about 3 hours

Maybe I should check into herbal remedies?

ProudMom_Wife

Yes Ativan can be addictive.  My MO said we would deal with it after I completed active treatment and we did.  I used a combination of exercise, yoga, acupuncture, a set routine at bedtime of going to bed at the same time every night,  light reading and taking a herbal remedy approved by my MO (she approved Melatonin or Neurexan for me).    I didn't like the after affect of Melatonin, but have had no problems with Neurexan.  It didn't happen overnight (no pun intended), but the combination worked for me and now I sleep between 7-8 hours straight through most of the time.  I still take Neurexan once or twice a week, but that usually equates to when work is stressing me out.

slv58

Thank you ProudMom, I seem to be shopping more and more at my health food store, so I will look into Neurexan. Do you think it's ok to take during rads?

ProudMom_Wife

My MO told me to keep taking Ativan during rads and for a few weeks after I finished rads.  Then I started the process of getting off of it.  You should clear any supplments (herbal rememdies/vitamins) with your MO/RO before you start them.  I brought them print outs of each supplement, and its ingredients, so there was no miscommunication of what I was intending to take to make sure it would not interfer with any treatments.