Herceptin - insomina & anxiety?????

I am experiencing debilating insomina. Along with the insomina I have developed extreme anxiety. I have had to take a 3 week leave of absence while exploring medication to control both.
Presently I am only taking Herceptin every 3 weeks. I am due to finish my year of herceptin in Dec. 2006. I have noticed many sutble side effects of herceptin -- memory problems, etc. but the insomina started several weeks ago.
I have started taking 1/2 tab .05mg of Klonopin at night and 10mg of Prozac in the am to control anxiety. Its been 2 weeks and I haven't noticed a difference, still can't sleep. During the day I can fall asleep for 10-15min but thats it. At night I toss and turn and fall asleep about 5am then up at 7am.
Worried about taking the psychotropic drugs. Anyone having these problems and anyone worried about adding more drugs to there cocktails. I feel really quilty about needing to taking meds. Last year after dx (6/05) I thought I had everything under control.
DX; 6/05 with IDC (1.5cm and .4cm)lumpectomy er-pr-, her2+++, sentinal nodes clear. 4 cycles of A/C, 12 taxol with herceptin, herceptin to equal 1 year, 26 rads.
Thanks for your help.

[janet/FL]

Hi Rocky, I know your problems. I have the same ones. I just finished Herceptin and hoping to see some imporvement in anxiety and insominia.
I take Ativan when needed for anxiety--I probably should take two 1 mg pills a day. Usually don't need it until the afternoon.
I also take Halcion for sleep. I have for years had a sleep problem but nothing this severe. I don't like Ambian or Sonata as they just don't work well for me. The Halcion is great. I will see what it will be like to wean myself from it. I am not looking forward to it.
Good luck on finding what works for you.
Janet

[MJo]

RE: Worried about taking the psychotropic drugsI can only speak for myself. I had insomnia and extreme anxiety at the beginning of treatment. I started on 10 mg Lexapro and .5 Xanax as needed for anxiety. The Lexapro took at least a month to kick in. As for xanax, I never took more than two a day.

I am finished intensive treatment, i.e. chemo and radiation. I now take the 10 mg lexapro and half of the Xanax pill (.25 mg) at night to sleep. I will continue with the Lexapro as long as it works for me, and probably will take the xanax when I need it.

I am 55 and have spent a lifetime with underlying anxiety. My mother and two brothers also have it. I did not want to take psychotropic drugs either. Throughout my life I have tried individual and group therapy, yoga, meditation, herbs, special diets, etc., to deal with mild anxiety and depression. The anxiety and depression were mild, but constant and made it harder for me to cope with situations and personalities that others seem to take in stride. When I got the BC, the drugs are what saved my life, i.e. chemo drugs, herceptin, etc. I finally realized that I probably have a brain imbalance, which likely runs in my family, and I am now grateful that there are serotonin uptake inhibitors (SSIs) that can help me. The BC helped me accept that I need an SSI. That is a benefit of the BC, much to my surprise. The Lexapro has helped me live without the constant low-level anxiety and worry that was part of my personality.

All the best to you. XXXOOO MJO

[kristen]

Hi Rocky,

I took Ativan. I liked it because you could take it and feel the effects in about 45 minutes, whereas Prozac has to build up in your body is my understanding, so 2 weeks might not be long enough? Might want to check with your doc on that.

My Dr. put me on Trazadone for sleeping. It worked for a long time and now have been switched over to Ambien, which doesn't seem to work that great. My best to you, hope you find the right combo soon.

[Christine MH-UK]

I have some trazadone for insomnia and it is great stuff. I got stuck in a really bad cycle of not sleeping, which made me really stupid and I was really loosing control of my life. The effects of not sleeping hit me especially hard about six months after I started the herceptin. The lack of sleep did affect my memory and make me more jumpy (not necessary anxious, I just always felt like I had had way too much caffeine). Now find that I only need to take trazadone for maybe three or four nights in the week after I have herceptin and that knocks it on the head and I feel much more normal.

[tousled1]

I too suffer from anxiety and insomnia. I take Ativan for the anxiety and AmbienCR at night to sleep. I had tried Lunesta and regular Ambien but they didn't work - I'd fall asleep and be up in 2 hours. The Ativan really helps with the anxiety.

[Chelee]

Rocky, I have had problems with anxiety since age 30...I am 49 now. I have been taking 0.5 mg four times a day. My anxiety since this bc journey started has gotten worse of course.

But from all the posts I have been reading on this board...seems to be an awful lot of us women with insomnia. I don't know if its the herceptin, or the plain fact they put us in chemopause. (I know lots of women can/will have problems sleeping in the menopausal years...so I wonder it that isn't some of our problem?)

I do know I play heck sleeping. I am ALWAYS so TIRED. I fall asleep fast at night, but WAKE up about every 1 1/2 hrs to 2 hours on the dot. This goes on from the time I go to bed till I get out of bed. Its annoying and exhausting. I have tried ambien and it does NOT work! Useless for me. The xanax helps me get to sleep...but I don't stay asleep for long.

I just recently got a script of Ativan and was told to break it in half and try that. Well I did...but it seems like it took forever to work? I am going to ask my onc if I can take a whole one...maybe that will help?

Years ago I tried Restoril when I had a bout of insomnia...that worked great. I might ask to try that again.

Rocky, you might want to ask your doctor if that Prozac is causing some of your sleeping problems? I know for sure Prozac can cause anxiety in some people, and sleeping problems. It would not hurt to ask your doctor in case that is some of the problem? I know a couple people that take prozac and they both said it gave them alot of energy which they enjoyed during the day...but caused them trouble sleeping. Do a search on google and check it out. (Just a thought.)

All I know is there is nothing worse then falling asleep and waking up 100 times a night like it seems many of us are having to deal with. Ugh!

Chelee

[Sherryg683]

I have been on Prozac for about 10 years and it's really not that good for anxiety. It's more of a depression drug, it takes a while to even get in your system and 10mg is a mild dosage..very mild. I started on 20 and am now on 40. Xanax is better for anxiety. I also take AmbienCR to sleep..sherryg

[juanita]

Zoloft is pretty good for anxiety and I take ambien to sleep.

I have had a terrible time sleeping since surgery and chemo. I take 5 mg ambien (and sometimes Benedryl) cos I can't fall asleep and 5 mg in the middle f the nite as I wake up and can't o back to sleep - Ambien CR doesn't work that well for me and Lunesta does nothing. Am DREADING weaning off!!!

Anxiety- I have had anxiety for years. Am on Lexapro - which I don't like, and will be going back to Prozac. I have taken xanax for years too. Last week my doc put me on Buspar. We will see how that works with anxiety.

Feel like a mess.

Olivia

[janet/FL]

Hi Olivea,
You may feel like a mess, but you have lots of company. I tried taking Ambian Cr twice in one night--it didn't work very well. Had to add Benebryl to get any effect on the second pill. I may try it with the Ambian (twice a night) if I can't get Halcion anymore as I am switching doctors, well, he is leaving town.
Buspar didn't work for me when I tired it years ago. Maybe I really didn't stay on it long enough. Don't remember any effect. Why don't you like Lexapro? I had been on Paxil years ago, had hallucintions going on it and had a terrrible, terrible time going off of it. It did add to sleep problems. If they could only solve the sleep problems, I think I could handle the rest.
Mr. Sandman--please come early tonight.
Janet

[madubois63]

Please don't feel guilty about trying to get some sleep. Isn't it better to take the meds than to get sicker by not taking the meds??? You NEED sleep. It helps your immune system and helps you think clearly, plus everyone will like you better if your not so cranky! Maybe you also need to look at your diet? Coffee, tea, soda, chocolate?? These can all keep you awake. Try eating turkey for dinner, drinking a glass of warm milk (I do add a little sugar), take a warm bubble bath with candles and soothing music and do a little mediatation before bed. Keep the tv off, maybe read a little...We all have so much on our plates - besides our health. Pamper yourself, and if it doesn't work, at least it feels good! Good luck...