Insomnia and Breast Cancer Treatment

Just wondering if others out there are having to deal with insomnia...I'm not really sure if its the BC or the Herceptin or age...I just know that I have had a hard time getting a good nights rest since my reoccurance...it seems I cant get comfortable, my mind races and wont shut off...the Dr offered meds but I would rather go another route if possible...any suggestions???
Needing some ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ's
Hugs
Sheila

When I was on navelbine I couldn't sleep! Like you I didn't know whether it was from the cancer or chemo or menopause. I talked to my Dr. because I felt I needed to sleep in order to heal. He gave me something and since I am off navelbine I don't seem to have so much problem but if I find myself not sleeping I do take something. I'm on taxotere and carboplatin now and they don't seem to keep me from sleeping like the navelbine did. Patty H

Funny you should mention this. I have had such problems sleeping the past few nights. But I don't hestitate to take a prescription aid when necessary. They are not addictive at all, and I don't wake up feeling groggy. Remember, we really need our sleep to help heal. A sleep aid now and then can only help.

Love and light,

Lisa

Normally no sleeping problems now, but I did find myself waking at 4 or 5 am often during the treatments. I feel it was caused by the decadron, as I has some other symptoms it causes. I would drink some herbal teas (like valerian, chamomile, etc) with natural sleep aids, and that helped. Also taking my calcium with vitamin D at night seemed to help me sleep (don't have an answer as to why).
It was strange, because some of the times I would have the worst fatigue were when sleep was a problem.

I have problems also, I take a Tylenol PM along with a 2 mg. Melatonin, and drop right off. I'll sometimes skip the Tylenol PM for a few weeks, but if I start having trouble again I take it again until I have a good sleep pattern established.
Lolly

Hi there, take it from who knows how you feel. I got to the stage I had violent headaches and hallucinated while in bed. Your doc would not offer meds if he didn't think they were safe.You heal when you are sleeping so it is important to sleep. I take an anti-depressant (non addictive)and 2 paracetemol at bedtime, I don't know why but this does the trick. I did have to take a sleeping tablet now and again but you have to remember no matter how much you worry about things while trying to sleep the worrying does not fix anything, so I tell my self to shut up and go to sleep and look at the problem in the light of day. Hope this helps, I have been doing this for 6 years next month, non stop,with a lot of tears of frustration, so I have a pretty good idea about what you are going through.

Love & Hugs Lyn

I had the same problem until I tried tylenol pm. It relieved enough pain for me to rest and the benadrly in it made me go to sleep. Hope you are sawing zzzzzzzs soon.

Hugs and Smiles

Sheila,
Your question is an understatement. My lack of sleep is just about doing me in. It is one of the reasons I went to the dr in March 03.. when they found the mets. I am able to sleep only when completely exhausted, which is usually during the day. Then up all night. Horrible schedule.

Everytime my head hits the pillow life just runs a movie of my life and the things I need to do, to tell someone, to talk to the dr... and on and on. Tried Tylenol PM, then Benadryl, and finally ... Ativan 1 hr before bedtime is just enought to quiet the mind. But if I go much past the hour, it doesn't work. So need to follow a routine as much as possible.

Hope you get this under control.... I feel that my body can't heal if I don't get solid rest.

Hugs,
Janelle

PS. ear plugs also work.. live in a apartment and small noises were disturbing my sleep.

I also have problems getting to sleep, finally dropping off by 5 A.M. and back up by 8 like clockwork. I try to take the tylenol pm twice a week, for fear of getting so used to it that it doesn't work anymore. Would it be safe to take nightly??
Ronda

Have you considered depressions and/or anxiety..... great sources of insominia, and great treatments for such problms these days!!