Herceptin & Insomnia?
 

Is anyone else out there on Herceptin having trouble sleeping? I think I've read this here before. It's hard for me to fall asleep and I wake up at the crack of dawn and drag around all day. Usually I still manage to accomplish a lot of hard work but I feel kind of "wired'.

I'm not on steroids. I have been dieting and sometimes I think a big meal helps me sleep well. I've not had many big meals lately. I'm trying to lose weight and eat only healthy foods which rules out a lot!

Is this a common side effect from Herceptin, or is this just a menopausal thing?

Mary

Mary , I know with me I had a horrible time sleeping. I hope now that I have finished with Herceptin that I will sleep easier. So, far in a week since I have been off I have still had problems. So maybe down road it will get easier for me.

Not sure about Herceptin but menopause causes this (loss of sleep).


Becky

Mary,

I know I had some difficulty sleeping - fall asleep but awake in about 2 hours. I talked to my doctor about it and I now take Ambien which lets me get a good nights sleep without feeling drowsy in the morning.

I had suffered from insomnia for years (took trazadone). Was off the sleeping meds for 2 years...then cancer. My insomnia reappeared-don't know whether or not it is from the anxiety, chemo, or herceptin. I am back on trazadone!

I was having trouble sleeping before I started Herceptin and and it became worse, so my doctor prescribed Ambien. I also take Requip for restless leg syndrome. Requip initially helped me to sleep before I started taking Ambien, but the effects wore off. I also noticed that making sure I have take a Vitamin B complex and iron makes my restless leg syndrome better. I have also noticed that I am pretty jittery on some days and I think it is due to the Herceptin.

I have been on Ambien forever...since I was first dx'd anyway. :)

I have battled insomnia since my ooph (menopause) and starting Arimidex. Was taking an ativan at night. Swithed to 9 mg of melatonin, which is natural, non-addicting and may have benefits for cancer survivors. The melatonin takes about 2 weeks to work. I had to go off melatonin for awhile (surgery coming up) so now I am taking 2 benadryl tablets at bed-time and that is working fine.

Have been taking Herceptin since January, but only noticed the insomnia after starting the Arimidex.

So far the insomnia has not gone away and my last treatment of herceptin was in June. Ambien helps, but there are still nights it doesn't.