Sleep!
Anybody found a solution? Anybody feel like they are too dependent on Ambien (like me)? Anybody start worrying around this time of night that you aren't going to be able to sleep--AGAIN?
Comments
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Weesa - I typically stay out of the Stage III forum but wanted to share with you what worked for me.
There was a time when Ambien and valium quit working and I was lucky to sleep 3 to 4 hours a night. After 3 weeks and being totally exhausted the doctors at the cancer center prescribed Mirtazapine for me. It comes in I believe 15 mg tablets. It is an anti-depressant IF you take the entire dosage but if you split the pill in half then it acts like a sleep aid. Believe me, I was taking cocktails of Lortabs, valium, and whatever I could get my hands on and still couldn't sleep.
The problem with Mirtazapine is that you will want to sleep for 12 hours straight so if you get a prescription for it - think aboiut taking it the first time on a Friday night or any night where you can sleep in the next day. It did wonders for me!!!
I am now able to sleep on Ambien or valium again but while undergoing chemo - neither one of them worked for me. Just don't ever combine Ambien and Valium.
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Gosh ladies, I am so sorry. I normally sleep just fine. I think that all the exercise I do makes a major difference, but I have friends who exercise and still need help getting to sleep.
I was up from a long phone chat, and forgot to dry my only pj bottoms, but am headed off to bed in a few. Expect to sleep just fine.
Day was chemo, benadryl nap, walk one mile to bicycle shop with bicycle for repair, and then the mile back etc.... So will be snoresville in a few. There are some times I don't sleep well, but can't imagine what not sleeping for nights on end must be like. - Claire
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Hi Weesa,
I have had sleep problems off and on my whole life. I have found that I become psychologically dependent on sleep aids and also that they stop working after a few days. So now if I can't sleep, I don't take anything. I just stay awake and accept that I sleep poorly until I am so exhausted that I sleep through the night. Sometimes this can take several weeks......... It's not an elegant solution but eventually your body will 'take over'.
-Helena.
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Hi Weesa
I've had trouble sleeping every since I heard the words "you have breast cancer". There were nights and nights on end that I would only get 2 or 3 hours of sleep and that was it.
I went to see my doctor about it and she told me that I have anxiety. She gave me tapazone (sp). It keeps me asleep through the night and if I wake up through the night to use the bathroom, I go right back to sleep after that. My doctor first perscribed me Zopoclone (sp). I didn't like that one at all as when I took it, within a half an hour I was out but wasn't aware what was going on. So if my son called out for me, I didn't hear him and I wasn't comfortable with that.
I'm going back to work in 3 weeks. So between that, exercise and all the running around that I will be doing, I'm hoping that my brain will be tired enough so that I can sleep on my own.
Good luck!
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weesa, just wanted to empathize.
I haven't slept more than 3-5 hours a night since December. Last night was a 3 hour-er. I was so relieved to see your post and really know I'm not alone! Thanks for the help from those who posted (though I must admit I broke down sobbing when I read Claire in Seattle's post--there's nothing worse than hearing about how great other people sleep when you're hardly sleeping, for me at least!)
Oh well, I'll just live on more and more coffee today. Btw, I've tried 4 perscription sleep aids, to no avail. I just lay there awake and feel even worse the next day. Now I'm not taking anything like Helena.
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The only thing that has ever helped me is an older drug...."Trazodone", the lowest dose 50mg is all I need to get a decent nights sleep.....otherwise my mind just keeps going places that keeps my brain spinning......
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Wow, thanks for all these thoughtful responses.I feel better...
Jancie, I hope when you said, "I typically stay out of the stage 3 forum" it was because of a personal preference of yours and not because of concern we don't welcome other stages. My take on us is that we have always been open to everybody posting here. Thank goodness for that, I have felt so enriched by the responses here from the entire community--women I might miss out on because I am not as conscientious about checking out the other forums.
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Thanks somanywomen. That's what I take to. It really do help.
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Oh man....
I haven't slepts since I heard the words, "its malignant." that was Sep 2007!!!!
Went through chemo, no sleep (steroids)
Finished rads ect, no sleep ( end of treatment anxiety)
Started Lupron & Tamox ( menopause)
Still...NO SLEEP.
Ive tried Zoplicone. It stopped working, and I found I would wake up in a fog.
I do take Melatonin 3-9mg a night.
I honestly didnt want to take anymore pills for anything.
This is what works for me : a routine. I go to bed by 10:30pm the latest. I also try to get out doors aswell. A good walk, fresh air ect. during the day.
Funny thing is, Ive talked about this alot on the boards lately..., I stopped my Tamox for 3 weeks while I was having my exchange surgery. Guess what? I was able to sleep...and stay asleep. I noticed it ater about 5 days of stopping the Tamox.
I really...really miss my sleep. I use to be able to go to bed by 9:30pm and wake up at 7:00am feeling great. I miss those days. The lack of sleep is defenitly the worse se from treatment/menopause Ive experienced.
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Ativan for me from day one and still it works...if one doesn't do the trick, one and a half always does!
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Just got a perscription for Trazodone--going to try it tonight! Thanks kim40 and somanywomen. If that doesn't work maybe Ativan is next!
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Iexilove, we should get together, I haven't slept since 2007 either!!!!!!
I do take Ambein CR, which definitely helps; but I worry about it, so have been cutting my pills in half; it is still enough to knock me out so that I get some sleep anyway. I have bought some melatonin but haven't tried it yet. I don't suppose there is 'the answer' out there. SADNESS!! Gotta go.... need to find some caffeine!!! Ruth -
Trazadone! have used it for years. only take 50-100 mgs. sleep has never been an issue since.
Trazadone is an old workhorse--has been generic for a long time--thus no marketing budget. It is not addicting.
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Melatonin, 15mg and I get back to sleep if I wake to pee. I also read till I pass out.
About every 6 weeks I need Imovane. It is an amazing sleep aid (non-addictive) and you will wake up EXACTLY 8 hours after you take it! Do not expect to sleep 9 or 10 hours....it won't happen. I use it when I have something urgent the next day at work and know I'll be too stressed to sleep and then worry about waking up or feeling dopey.
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lol@ haven't slept since 2007....sad but true.
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I haven't slept all night since June of last year (2009), when I was diagnosed, then surgery, chemo and just finishing radiation. I do find that after not sleeping for a few days I crash really hard for about 4 hours early in the evening, wake up off and on for a few hours, then crash again for another 2 or 3 hours, depending on the time. On the bad nights I wake up just about every hour. I really need to try melatonin, which my youngest daughter had taken when she was ill last year -she said it helped and her dr's were okay mixing it with other meds she was on. I tried Ambien, but it gave me bad dreams and I'm afraid to take anything else.
Weesa - talk to your onc, maybe he can prescribe something else or a combination of medications that might work. Good luck, lack of sleep is miserable.
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OMG! I still have issues with that, but it was TERRIBLE during the A/C portion of my chemo. Ambien and I don't get along very well and I end up waking up around 4am and can't go back to sleep. What HAS worked for me and is nonaddictive is Seroquel. It's actually used mostly for bipolar, but has found to be effective as a sleep aid. Works like a charm on me. My only complaint is that I have a hard time getting up in the am! Once I'm up and had some coffee I'm good to go! Ask your doc about it!
Good luck,
Sharon
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Are Imovane and Trazadone prescription or off the shelf drugs?
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I too have had sleep problems since I was Dx and that was 4 years ago....started on sleeping pills during chemo...Ambien, Lunesta (different doses) and not real effective...tried trazadone and temazapan (both older sleeping pills) also not great....went back to Ambien...trade off between the CR and the generic (zolpiden)...but was still only getting 4 hours at most without waking up....and I have trouble falling asleep....when I wake up I was taking 1mg Ativan....my doc recently increased my dosage to taking both the Ambien CR and the zolpiden and if I wake up 2mg Ativan...all my docs tell me that I need to get 8 hours sleep....I'll settle for 6 hours straight....not enough hours in the day for 8 and didn't sleep 8 before Dx.....I don't take the Ambien and zolpiden together every night as it knocks me out cold and that bothers me....but I do a couple times/week....oh yeah....I've started back on gabapentin and take 600mg at bedtime as well....life by Rx....who would have ever thought...but then again, never thought I would have BC....I stay up late as I don't want to get up at 4 am!!!!
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Imovane is prescription. It is known as the "other little blue pill". It has a vicious back-taste so some people don't like it. I am used to it and appreciate the sleep it gives. Good luck!
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ruthbru, trazodone is prescription also...It is an older drug and the smallest dose works for me..50mg..I think it goes all the way up to 400mg, so I feel safe with my 50mg esp sometimes all I need is half....This has worked for me for about 8 years..But, like karen, it did not work for her and ambien and others did not work for me so I was thrilled when something actually worked!!!..
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I got a copy of Dr. Weiss (founder of BCO) new book, "Living Well Beyond BC", and went to the sleep section; she says not to take herbs or suppliments (because they are not FDA approved), not to take things with diphenhydraminel (like benadryl or Tylenol PM), because they just screw up your system more, plus interfer with tamoxifin if you are on that, she says to avoid over the counter Melatonin (but doesn't say way), but recommends a prescription called ROZEREM, which has a melatonin effect. She's not crazy about the long term use of other sleep aids. I don't have a dr. appointment until summer, but will probably ask about it at that time. If anyone who goes in earlier wants to ask/try it out; let me know
. Ruth -
Wow! I didn't realize this was so common! I have trouble sleeping when I'm pregnant, now along with dx and a newborn....ugh! I haven't slept good for the last year. Sorry, no cures here, just wanted to say, me too:) I go for the more natural helpers though.
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Well.....last night I went to bed early...10:45 and decided that was enough time to take the "whole" coctail that doc has recommended.....welll it did not work.....I was still awake over an hour later....I tried not to check the clock, but I think I was still up 2 hours later....would dose for brief periods of time....at 2:30 I took Ativan and it didn't help either.....This has me really bummed because Sunday nighht when I did this I slept great and felt sooo good in the morning.....today I feel crummy and tired.....so I'm going back to the lower dose and see what happens.....I don't mine when I fall asleep relatively soon and sleep 4 hours interuppted...even if its too early to get up....I will lay in bed and doze on and off till its time to get up....I don't stress about it....last night my stomach really hurt so I wonder if that played into it....so my upbeat mood of the past few days is a little gloomy today.....I have so much to do to get ready for Passover plus some work for work, but I think I am going to take a nap shortly!!!
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WOW! I am not alone in my wakefulness. I slept 3 hours last night, 4 the night before etc...... I like lexislove have had difficulty at various points during treatment. Right now I know my difficulties are due to Arimidex. I was on Aromasin and switch back to Arimidex due to sleep difficulties etc..... Right now Melatonin is not working so good but only taking 7mg. My Onc has said it is fine to take it. In writing this I just realize I was taking a homeopathic tincture. I will have to see if I can get more and honestly I don't recall the name but it worked. I have tried St. John's Wort in tincture form from a acupuncturist and herbalist. I did get good results so we shall see but it conflicted with Tramadol for pain.
Time will tell, feel free to PM me!
Susie
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I was always a good sleeper until THIS.I either take an ambien if I want a goooood sleep,or if I am real tired and want to stay asleep I take an ativan instead.
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When I first took the Trazadone, I took one pill. That was a joke! I was awake the whole entire night!! I felt like a real Witch with a capital B the next day. The next night I took two and I slept like a baby and have been taking them faithfully every night since then.
I hope you have better luck with it Karen. Let us know who you make out.
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What's the most anyone has taken of Trazadone for sleep? One pill didn't work for me, and neither do two. I'm soooo tired!
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Too bad we don't all live in the same town, we could meet in the middle of the night and play cards, or cross-stitch, or trade sleeping pills
! Ruth -
This is a great thread! I haven't slept through the night since starting chemo in July of 2006 - that's when the hot flashes started happening every couple of hours, all night long, and haven't stopped since. I have bags under my eyes, have trouble concentrating/remembering, and am tired all the time. I let myself take an Ambien CR every Sunday night to start off the work week - it takes me down hard but only keeps me asleep for 4-5 hours, then the flashes start waking me up again. Halfway through the week I allow myself one Simply Sleep tablet (or a Tylenol PM if I have a headache) - it takes me down more slowly and I still don't sleep through, but it's easier to drift off again after the hot flashes - also I'm more relaxed and groggy the next morning than with Ambien CR. I'd love to take a half mg. of Ativan every day, but it's addictive so I save that for my occasional anxiety attacks!
At least I can think about all of you as I lie there & not feel so alone....
Julie
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