Sleep Well - Ask the Expert

[tousled1]

Breastcancer.org is having an Ask the Expert Online Conference on sleep problems. Here's the info if anyone is interested:

The breast cancer experience can completely disrupt your sleep. Are hot flashes waking you up at night? Has fatigue become so high that you're too tired to even sleep? Are you lying awake thinking about test results? Long-term sleeplessness has been found to weaken the immune system and increase the risk of developing a number of different health conditions. How can you make sure you're getting the sleep you need?

Join us tomorrow night, Wednesday, January 24th, between 9:30 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST)* (2:30 a.m. to 4:00 a.m. GMT January 25th) for this month's Ask-the-Expert Online Conference: Sleep well: Healthy habits for good rest.

We'll answer as many questions as we can during the conference. A conference transcript will be posted at breastcancer.org (http://breastcancer.org/) by February 2, 2007.

To join the conference, go to www.breastcancer.org (http://www.breastcancer.org/) any time between 9:30 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. EST* tomorrow and click on the "Join Conference" button. No special software is required.

[Catherine]

Kate,

You are great at directing us to the experts. I like being knowledgable about my "disease". Really do not like that word.

Question: how do you use the word neoadjuvant correctly? How would I accurately describe my treatment?

Chemo before surgery. Is that neoadjuvant?
Herceptin after surgery and radiation....neoadjuvant?

Thanks for all of your help, Catherine in Oregon

[LAURIE]

Great Question, Catherine. I don't know the answer, but thanks for asking for me too!! Thanks Tousled for the info on the conference. My Onc just described Lunesta for me yesterday I only got up twice last night, but went to sleep quickly after awakening.

[tousled1]

Catherine,

Neoadjunct chemotherapy refers to chemo given before surgery. Any chemo regime received after surgery is call adjunct chemo.

[juanita]

My doc gave me ambien, and had to battle the insurance co to refill it after taking it for a couple months. Even with taking that there are some nights that it is hard to get to slepp. Family doc said part of that is from chemopause.

[KRISS]

I have always had a hard time sleeping and then 2006 happened. My father passed away unexpectedly in April, Husband diagnosed with thyroid cancer in june, lost grandfather and uncle in Sept. and the I started with the Boob thing in Nov. So my doc put me on ambien. Did nothing so we tried the ambein cr. Not too bad, I could actually get maybe 5 hours sleep. When I started chemo he put me on lunesta and I actually woke up every two hours. Lst night I tried an ambien cr12.5 mg and a tylenol pm and slept like a baby. It's amazing how different combos work.

[Sheila]

I would give anything to sleep all night...seems I spend the night throwing covers off, throwing covers on....oh and then get a drink of water, oh and then off to the bathroom, then I'm cold, snuggle up and then I get hot, throw the covers off...then the whole cycle starts again.....must be why they made concealer for the dark circles under the eyes.

[rinaina]

Sheila, I am with you. By the way...do you know a good concealer?!!! I haven't found one I love...or shall I say is concealing enough!!!!

[Sheila]

Riniana

I just switched to Bare Escentuals makeup....went to Oakbrook to the ID Bare Minerals Store and had my makeup done by the cosmetologists (for free)....loved the way it looked and felt....so I purchased the colors they said I should use....it seems a little pricy to me compared to picking up makeup at Walgreens, Wal Mart etc...but I have thrown out more than I keep just trying to find shades that work, so I guess I am saving money going with this...and it feels wonderful on the skin....I have a glow I haven't had in years....its light and feels like air on...you should try it, I love it.

[Emelie]

Shelia,
Hi, I am Emelie and I am new to the group. Glad to hear it is not just me. Ongologist just shrugged off my hot flashes and no sleep. Will try Ambien CR. I have from past.
Thanks for your input.

[Sheila]

Emelie

Welcome to the group....sorry to hear you have the same "hot" problem....sometimes I have a glass of wine at night, red wine of course...it seems to help. I have never taken any sleep aids...maybe I should, the Onc. is always offering.....I just haven't taken her up on it

[Bev]

Sheila.

I have the same sleep schedule. I wake up many times to throw the covers on or off. I've adjusted to it. I save the sleep aids for days I'm really stressed, 3 or 4 times a year. Even then I find they don't work completely. Need to take 2 and still wake up. I'm OK with it all. It's better than the alternatives.

[MJo]

Here's a new one for me: I've been off Herceptin for two months and I am not sleeping well. Stay up until midnight where before I'd turn in at 10. Waking up at 5 am where before I'd waked up at 6. I had trouble sleeping during chemo, but with just Herceptin I slept pretty well. Now that I'm off Herceptin, sleep troubles are back. Maybe it's withdrawal. Maybe my body is returning to "normal." MJO

[Sheila]

MJO

I don't know if I'll ever be off Herceptin....at least not until it quits working....I would hate to think I may get even less sleep without the Herceptin...I guess I should use some of my sleepless times to get up and get things done I always put off...like taxes, folding laundry, cleaning closets...ok now I'm tired....

[sarah]

Sleep? what's that!!! still can't blame it on cancer or the treatment much. Although those AI hot flashes - wow!!! With me, I think it's age! also none of my women friend sleep well.
sarah