is insomnia a side effect of herceptin

i need to take sleep aids every single night.  when i was on herceptin i also required strong steroids or i would get terribly short of breath (severe asthma).  the night of treatment there would be no sleep...perhaps around 6 or 7 next morning.  second nite maybe 4-5 hours until the steriod was completely out of my system.  even taking 2 tylenol pms did not bring sleep.  it sucked big time but hey what else is there to do. for me this was not a se of the chemo or herceptin but the steroids that go along with it.

take care.

My mom had insomnia..it was not from the herceptin bit the decadron they were giving her with it...she gets sleepy during infusion as they give her benedryl also...however come to about 2am and see is wide awake all night because the steroids combines with the drop off on the benedryl keeps her wired at night.

I would ask if you are getting steriods with your infusions, that would be likely culprit.

My mom has been taken off the decadron and seems to be sleeping okay now, she has been on Taxol since last October so she doesn't need the steroids anymore to prevent a reaction.

Hope they get you what you need to sleep, that is the worst.

Michelle

Hi Caligal

    Same here for me, I think it is the steriods and the benedryl that gets me. I usually get sleepy during treatment, then just about make it home, take a nap for an hour or so, and yeap up all night. My doc gave me a script for Xanax, which I only take the night of herc. treatment. It definately helps me nod off, I guess it cuts through the steriods some, without the groggy feeling that the PM meds give you the next day. I get my herceptin every 3 weeks, and its the same every treatment, even with less benedryl. Then the next day I have the fluch red face and the steriod high where I can go all day...Uhhhh the se's are really a b*tch...Hope this helps Hugs KLynn 

Hi to all,

My Herceptin treatments do not include steroids. I get a Tylenol if I have a headache as we begin but that is all. I am zoned during the infusion but often drive the hour home and do fine.  I do take Tylenol at night if I get the aches and sleep really well most nights during the three weeks between treatments.  I only see the oncologist every third treatment and that is the only times I have labs. So the two treatments between are fairly quick with only one stick and only Herceptin.

I hope you can get the sleep cycle straightened out. Getting good sleep helps so much.

BJN