Steroids and sleeping
 

Hello ladies,
So here it is 4:30 a.m and I have been awake since 2:20.
I currently take only 4 mg of steroids every Monday night as I have chemo on Tuesdays which then I get 1 additional mg via Iv . I am finding it very hard to sleep through the night especially Monday nights. I take ambien 5 mg ( won't do ambien cr) So this is the thing I would like to sleep through the night but still have to have the ability in the a.m to take my teenage son to school safely. I know some of you ladies use Restoril . Please advise if this is very helpful or should I ask for something else( Ativan is a no go for me)

Re: Steroids and sleeping
 

I did well with Tylenol PM, but taking it about an hour before I need to go to bed. I had also taken a xanax if needed when waking up and not able to fall back asleep.

I think I am lucky though...usually only wake up to pee and then can go right back to sleep~

Re: Steroids and sleeping
 

I don't have Xanax but I do have Ativan. May try that the next time .

Re: Steroids and sleeping
 

Take a little walk (or light exercise) before a warm shower. Then drink a glass of warm milk before bed time. I always have to read till the book/magazine drops off my hand - then I turn off the light.

Re: Steroids and sleeping
 

I tried you tube "meditation for sleep" and found a few that helped a bit, also tried just soft "spa" like music. But to be honest, steroids = no sleep for me, even the following day with IV benadryl, NOTHING. Best wishes.

Re: Steroids and sleeping
 

I know exactly what you mean. Everyone's different but for me Xanax did not put a dent in steroid insomnia, but also I only took a .5 gram dosage.

The first night it happened the Xanax didn't work, and I had a bottle of Vicodin close by. I know it's not indicated for sleeping, but they make me sleepy so I thought I'd try it and I was knocked out in minutes. So for my subsequent steroid-chemo days I went right for what worked, and it worked every time.

Re: Steroids and sleeping
 

I didn't take anything but just stayed up and usually did house work or surfed the internet!

Re: Steroids and sleeping
 

Try a little chamomile tea, get the room cool, and try to snuggle under the blankets.

Re: Steroids and sleeping
 

Later in my cycles I really didn't want to be awake period, just sleep through the next couple cycles. So those steroid nights really sucked. I did take Ambien CR in the end but I don't have young children and a boyfriend that would bring me back to bed when I would sleep walk on it. I've tried everything under the sun, mirtazapine did work for me but caused seizures. The rest could have been a sugar pill. I have chronic insomnia so I'm the extreme. Surfing the internet would only make me more awake but something inane on TV helped, like the Food Channel. No thinking required! Hot shower also helped a lot as well. Good luck.