I cant sleep

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Bogie
Bogie Member Posts: 286
edited June 2014 in Mental Health: Because Cancer Doesn't Just Affect Your Breasts

Im almost 3 weeks post surgery for bilateral with reconstruction post op and I can't sleep! I have Xanax but it doesn't last the night. Does anyone know the best sleep meds? Melatonin or Simply sleep work? what is the safest?



I am trying to heal and recover but my mind and anxiety won't shut off. I'm careful of going back to work too tired especially if I have to have chemo. I am currently on 150mg Wellbutrin in the a.m only.



Thanks!



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  • Racy
    Racy Member Posts: 2,651
    edited January 2012

    I take Temazepam occasionally and find it works well.

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  • Linda1966
    Linda1966 Member Posts: 633
    edited January 2012

    I take "sleepwell" an over the counter sleeping pill fairly often, It works for me and has done throughout the whole process. 

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  • Bogie
    Bogie Member Posts: 286
    edited January 2012

    thanks Lacy and Lyndal. I'll look into it. Need to see if it will conflict with chemo. Waiting on Her2 results from stag1, grade 3 invasive 1.5. Cm tumor with 8 microcacifications. I am getting emotional from lack of sleep and wake in the middle of the night. What does the HER2 negative or positive results mean?



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  • profbee
    profbee Member Posts: 858
    edited January 2012

    I've been taking 2 ativan (lorazepam) every night since chemo started my insomnia.  I don't sleep a WINK without it.  I've taken it through all of my treatments.  Melatonin didn't do anything for me.  

    Her2 is a protein that attaches to cancer cells.  It can make them grow faster. So, it used to be a worse diagnosis.  BUT...now we have this awesome drug called Herceptin that works really, really well.  So, be careful what you go researching on the web.  A lot of stuff out there is before this drug was available, and so sounds scary.  

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  • thefuzzylemon
    thefuzzylemon Member Posts: 2,630
    edited January 2012

    Don't mess around with this sleep issue!! Make sure your docs know about this and they will help! Also, if you don't mind a suggestion, anxiety is serious stuff. I'm in that mess. Please begin to address that with your team as well.

    I have a medication management doctor and he changed meds that my medical oncologist prescribed because of Tamoxifen. Right now, you're in a good place for meds that will address your nerds.

    I hope you NEVER need the drugs I take but there is a wealth of help available for our needs.

    Take care of yourself, Sister.

    ((((Hugs))))

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  • Bogie
    Bogie Member Posts: 286
    edited January 2012

    So if HER2 test comes out positive, then he will put me on Herceptin? Is it this test that determines chemo or the oncotype dx, why don't they run both tests at the same time?



    I will let the new oncologist I meet with next know I can't sleep or would that be the surgeon or my internist?



    Thank you girls, just feeling overwhelmed right now but focusing on nutrition, short walks, and healing. Sometimes my surgeon talks so over my head I get lost. In all the information.



    Thanks,

    Bogie

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  • Carla9112
    Carla9112 Member Posts: 162
    edited January 2012

    Ambien works wonders for me!  I sleep with no dreams and wake up not feeling like I'm sluggish.  I had tried just about everything before my doctors put me on this one.  Good luck!

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  • kelleysgroi
    kelleysgroi Member Posts: 227
    edited January 2012

    Bogie- I would speak to whichever doc you see soonest about your sleep issues..that may be your surgeon if you are still waiting to meet with the onc. I take xanax and a benadryl when sleeping becomes that difficult, but doc may be able to prescribe something stronger..you need to sleep..this is an emotional as well as a physical beast.  good luck

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  • momoschki
    momoschki Member Posts: 682
    edited January 2012

    You might want to consider asking your doctor to switch you from Xanax to Klonopin-- same class of drug (benzodiazepines), but the Klonopin has a much longer half life.  I have been taking it for nearly a year and pretty much sleep through the night-- if I don't and wake up, I fall right back asleep.  Prior to this I was barely sleeping at all, so the Klonopin has made a huge difference.  Btw, I also take Wellbutrin, and one common SE of that is insomnia, so it may well be contributing to your problem.

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  • thefuzzylemon
    thefuzzylemon Member Posts: 2,630
    edited January 2012

    Its a totally different language! You should take notes, or take someone with you to take notes! There's 100,000 women here and they know everything there is to know!

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  • Bogie
    Bogie Member Posts: 286
    edited January 2012

    Hillck, you explained it well. Her2 test will be almost three weeks on Tuesday. Surgery was on 12/20 they must be backed up from the holidays. Always waiting for test results...grrr.



    Will ask my surgeon for a sleep aid.



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  • voraciousreader
    voraciousreader Member Posts: 7,496
    edited January 2012

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2576317/?tool=pubmed

    Clinical Guideline for the Evaluation and Management of Chronic Insomnia in Adults

    Sharon Schutte-Rodin, M.D.,1 Lauren Broch, Ph.D.,2 Daniel Buysse, M.D.,3 Cynthia Dorsey, Ph.D.,4 and  Michael Sateia, M.D.51Penn Sleep Centers, Philadelphia, PA2Good Samaritan Hospital, Suffern, NY3UPMC Sleep Medicine Center, Pittsburgh, PA4SleepHealth Centers, Bedford, MA5Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NHAddress correspondence to: Sharon L. Schutte-Rodin, M.D., Penn Sleep Centers, University of Pennsylvania Health System, 3624 Market St., 2nd Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19104Phone: (215) 615-3669Fax: (215) 615-4835, ; Email: rodins@hphs.upenn.edu

    Received July 2008; Accepted July 2008

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  • LuvRVing
    LuvRVing Member Posts: 4,516
    edited January 2012

    I take Temazepam also.  It "turns off" the brain so you don't spend the night thinking about things.  All these prescription sleep aids have some addictive qualities, so get the lowest possible dose and try not to take it every single night.  That said, I did take it while I was on chemo then stopped until I started rads.  I was hoping I wouldn't need it during rads because the fatigue would make me sleep.  But I don't seem to have that particular SE so I am back to taking 7.5 mg most nights.  Once I am finished with treatment, I'll go back to the occasional use.  I hadn't slept through the night since menopause - 15 years ago.

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  • OneBadBoob
    OneBadBoob Member Posts: 1,386
    edited January 2012

    Xanax is also available in an extended release formula--XanaxZR.



    You may want to ask your about this. For me it lasts all night.

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  • Mallory107
    Mallory107 Member Posts: 223
    edited January 2012

    My doc put me on Trazodone which she described as a light antedepressant that would work with the wellbutrin I was taking and also help me sleep.  It really did but I had difficulty waking early so I quit it. I probably should have taken it earlier in the eve than I did looking back.   Now I take either Unisom, Ativan or Flexeril.

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  • Bogie
    Bogie Member Posts: 286
    edited January 2012

    thanks everyone. Xanax works the best and for anxiety, I will see if I can get an extended release.

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  • Kaara
    Kaara Member Posts: 3,647
    edited January 2012

    I've been taking a tylenol pm, sometimes just a half, and most of the time it seems to work for me.  I'm so reluctant to take a prescription med, but would if I had to in order to get through treatment.  I think anything can be addictive if you phychologically feel you must have it in order to function.

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  • mamalu13
    mamalu13 Member Posts: 35
    edited January 2012

    Be careful with Xanax ... It very addicting. It works great for anxiety, but your body can used to it very fast if you take to much or everyday.

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  • Bogie
    Bogie Member Posts: 286
    edited February 2012

    melatonin has been good and I prefer that now over Xanax for slep. Now that I'm healing I'm sleeping much better!

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