Insomnia with tamoxifen?

The sleep disturbance is one of the biggest pains in the butt with Tamoxifen...The Melatonin, while sometimes helpful as a sleep aid, also sometimes gives me vivid dreams, and a nurse friend of mine said that it does that to her, too (no cancer or Tamoxifen). She suggested "mixing it up": don't automatically take the Melatonin every single night. I was horrified that Benadryl clashes with Tamoxifen, because it was my magic sleep aid. Xanax helps me sleep great, but then I end up in a fog the next day and it can also make me a little constipated. I do the best if I manage to get some good exercise during the day and avoid eating heavy foods within about three hours of bedtime. Fatty things especially can really make it difficult for my body temperature to stabilize itself.

I really was becoming acclimated before the heat of summer hit, and even then I did okay until it got really humid. You may find that you will eventually adjust to a new normal. I have to wear the lightest-weight pj's I can find and crank the ceiling fan up to high, but this heat is still difficult. I'm thinking that I will do better again when we're deep into fall and I can get the bedroom back down to 60 - 68 degrees.

Ew - the formatting fell apart - follow the link to the part of this site that talks about Tamoxifen to see a nice, easy-to read chart. Sorry!

Coleen

yes, yes, and yes. I've been on tamoxifen for a little over a month, switched my anti-depressant from Zoloft to Celexa (which doesn't interfere with the tamox) and I'm having the exact same thing: waking in the middle of the night, can't get back to sleep, hot, cold, etc. My doc prescribed some Ambien but even 1/2 pill makes me groggy all day. At least we are in good company!

I can sympathize as I was sleepless in the first few months on tamoxifen, too. When I did fall asleep, the super hot flashes would wake me up. I felt miserable, cranky, on edge, and tired like the walking dead. I did try melatonin, ambien, nothing really worked. I was taking tamoxifen with dinner because I was on another med that needed to be taken early in the day and not with tamox. I have since gone off the other med and now take tamox in the am. I also keep my bedroom very cool-- lots of fans--my kids call it a wind tunnel--lol! I am loving sleep again anyway. I hope you do too, soon!

i started taking tamxo since early february and now the SE kicked in. when i do fall asleep, i woke up in the middle of the night feeling hot and my back was quite moist. and when i fall back to sleep i have this very vivid dreams...i just don't feel rested well.

oh my, I'm so having a hard time sleeping.   I started Tamoxifen in mid January and for about 3 weeks now, I am having a hard time finding sleep.  I get 3-4 hours and that's total, not at a time.  I have also become sick due to lack of sleep and am experiencing muscle weakness.  I'm calling my onco today to find out.  A body can't heal when it's not sleeping. 

Thanks.  I'm just so sick right now and sleep would be soo beneficial.   Doc says there is no correlation to lack of sleep and tamoxifen.   Gosh, have you taken it doc?  So tired.

Hello ladies. I am so glad that I have found this board. Like you, I too am having difficulty sleeping or even staying asleep. My first month on Tamoxifen I slept great, but now the pharmacy switched brands on me to Mylen and I am exhausted. Last RX was the brand Watson, my sleep was very restful. Today I took the pill in the morning to see if that might help. I will try some of the suggestions made on here. It is really disappointing to hear that some Drs are in disbelief that insomnia is not a side effect. I have never had trouble sleeping until now. Hoping we all get rest some rest soon

Good news, I got another RX today for the previous brand, Watson. Tomorrow will be my night to sleep. The pharmacy was able to not process itthrough my insurance, $22. It is worth every cent! My Dr said that they can make notations about the manufacturer, but not in the prescription itself. I am fine w/ that, whatever it takes!

Walkinginfaith-,it is good that you were able to get a refund. I will skip Teva, as I don't want any more SEs

JJOntario- I can totally relate to your sleep issues, like you I feel very short tempered and tired. What is the manufacturer of your Tamoxifen? Whenever I have been sleeping, I am in a very light form of sleep. It is making me feel as if I have not rested for sure

At my last follow-up, the breast surgeon said that other patients have reported that taking a magnesium supplement at night helped with their sleep.

I take magnesium oxide, which seems to be the most common kind, although I think magnesium citrate is supposed to be more easily absorbed.

It's Nature Made brand 400mg in giant brown capsules ("liquid softgels"). When I first opened the bottle, I was disappointed at how large they are, but I find them very easy to swallow.