sleep

juanita63 · September 2007

So how many of you have problems sleeping regularly? How long after diagnosis did you start having problems? Do you take anything for it? How long have you taken it? How often do you have problems sleeping? And how often do you take whatever you take?

AlaskaDeb · September 2007

Have you ever heard the song that goes..."Who needs sleep? You're never gonna get it. Who needs sleep, tell me what's that for..." ?

I swear it is my theme song! I can go to sleep, but I can't stay asleep. If I wake up, no matter how early...3:00 some mornings, I'm up for good...mostly because my brain gets going and I can't turn off the obsessive thoughts. The past 2 weeks or so I have had a serious case of "canceritus". I am having headaches, so I am half convinced I have brain mets...it's always something.

I have AmbienCR that I can take, but I don't like to take it for more than a couple of nights in a row. It works to get me about 7 hours of sleep, but somehow I don't feel as rested when I take it. I also seem to start having trouble falling asleep on my own if I have taken it fro 5 or 6 days in a row...don't like that.

I have found that half a 5mg valium sometimes calms me down enough to get rid of the hamster wheel of negative thoughts...

Actually, my laptop is a good sleep aid some nights. I can't worry if I am distracted, so I come on and read and post until my eyes are drooping, then fall asleep in the recliner with my laptop still on my lap! Today it didnt work. Ive been surfing the net since 3:30am my time.

Good luck getting some zzzzz's!
Deb C

abbadoodles · September 2007

Oooh, have never had a sleep problem, per se, am out like a rock as soon as my head hits the pillow, DH finds it too funny. BUT when I was going through hot flashes and night sweats, I found sleep interrupted lots.

Although I never took a pill of any sort, I did start using Republic of Tea's Chamomile Lemon herbal tea. It has three mildly sedative herbs including valerian root. Other chamomile teas do not have them. Of course, chamomile alone is mildly soporific.

At any rate, I still drink that tea before bed. This morning DH mentioned the two times coyote packs ran through the yard last night, howling and yipping, etc. I never heard a thing.

So, start with something gentle like this tea. It might just do the trick. And, good luck. Everyone needs a good night's sleep and you do especially going through all this cr*p.

Tina

Shirlann · September 2007

I have a Valium on my night table with a drink of water, if I wake up in the night, I take it, go to the potty, and go back to bed and think of cruises. Works like a charm.

Hugs, Shirlann

karen1956 · September 2007

I've had difficulty sleeping since my diagnosis. I can be exhausted and still have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. Ambian CR and Lunesta don't work for me. I have Temazapan and Trazadone that work so-so, but it still takes me a long time to fall asleep. Sometimes I take an Ativan. basically I alternate between all 3. I try not to take something everynight but I do end up taking something most nights. I see my onc on Tuesday and see if he has any other ideas for sleep medicines. I dream of the day of sleeping for 6 hours straight. I so often wake up tired from interrupted sleep. KAren

Shirlann · September 2007

Hi, There is an over the counter pill that is quite good for sleeping. It is called Sleepinal, and is at most drug stores or over the Internet.

I think it would help with sleep if you take whatever you take, about 45 minutes before you want to sleep. Most things take that long to work.

Hugs, Shirlann

sleep

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