Can’t sleep all night, after chemo.

Superzap

Hi does anyone have problems sleeping all night, since I started chemo. 2 down 2 to go.

Blossom1961

Hi @Superzap Sleepless nights are part of the course I am sorry to say. I finished what they call ‘active’ chemo in Oct 2018, continued with Herceptin until August 2019. I still have many sleepless nights. Once a week I take a restavit which turns my brain off so I can get to sleep. Lack of sleep isn’t really helpful when your body wants to heal. Try mindfulness, aromatherapy or whatever you think might work for you. My psych told me to do the abc game as it works to turn off your brain from other things but it just frustrated me and kept me awake for longer. Sending big hugs.

AllyJay

Are frogs waterproof?  Do bears poop in the woods? Sorry about that, but sometimes black humour is all that stops me from just pulling the plug. Sleep for me, is something that other mythological creatures do, but not me. I do retire to a horizontal padded sleeping platform, that I believe some call a bed. I call it my padded torture rack. But seriously, after forty years of marriage, my husband and I now sleep in different rooms.  When I finally decide that tonight is another of those rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat nights, I just put on the light and either read or knit. If I feel any hope of drowsiness coming on, I try again. I think that for me it's a mixture of past bad insomnia, along with current stress and discomfort. Fortunately my GP (new GP) is very compassionate and prescribes me sleeping tablets...three different kinds which we rotate as I become accustomed to them.

Katy_Sodapop

Superzap said:

Hi does anyone have problems sleeping all night, since I started chemo. 2 down 2 to go.

Ugh it's the pits right! Are you on steroids also? I feel like they were my cause of sleepless nights during chemo. I just made sure I slept when I could, 6am - 9am was my time but sometimes nothing works. 
I used an over the counter short term medication for sleep but only with my oncologist approval. You're half way there! Good job 

Caz1

@Superzap   For me, it was the steroids they give you at the time of chemo to minimise nausea that kept me awake. I spoke to my onco and she reduced the dose by two thirds (!) which really helped me to sleep and cut down on my hyper behaviour. Might be worth considering if this is a cause and ask your onco about your dose. Caz x

Superzap

Caz1 said:

@Superzap   For me, it was the steroids they give you at the time of chemo to minimise nausea that kept me awake. I spoke to my onco and she reduced the dose by two thirds (!) which really helped me to sleep and cut down on my hyper behaviour. Might be worth considering if this is a cause and ask your onco about your dose. Caz x

Thank you will check that out, on 27 th.

kmakm

Chemo often causes insomnia. It did with me. Beg your doctors for sleeping pills if you're OK with taking them. When I finally got some I treated myself to them once a week. Still need them sometimes. K xox

Superzap

thank you so much for your help, greatly appreciated. X

Superzap

Katy_Sodapop said:

Superzap said:

Hi does anyone have problems sleeping all night, since I started chemo. 2 down 2 to go.

Ugh it's the pits right! Are you on steroids also? I feel like they were my cause of sleepless nights during chemo. I just made sure I slept when I could, 6am - 9am was my time but sometimes nothing works. 
I used an over the counter short term medication for sleep but only with my oncologist approval. You're half way there! Good job 

Oh yes steroids, yes I think I need to check them out, thank you so much, hope you are good.

Superzap

AllyJay said:

Are frogs waterproof?  Do bears poop in the woods? Sorry about that, but sometimes black humour is all that stops me from just pulling the plug. Sleep for me, is something that other mythological creatures do, but not me. I do retire to a horizontal padded sleeping platform, that I believe some call a bed. I call it my padded torture rack. But seriously, after forty years of marriage, my husband and I now sleep in different rooms.  When I finally decide that tonight is another of those rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat nights, I just put on the light and either read or knit. If I feel any hope of drowsiness coming on, I try again. I think that for me it's a mixture of past bad insomnia, along with current stress and discomfort. Fortunately my GP (new GP) is very compassionate and prescribes me sleeping tablets...three different kinds which we rotate as I become accustomed to them.

Sometimes we just have to do and say what we want  to keep us sane. I use to care what people say and think about me. Now it’s whatever keeps me sane. My health my sanity. I do the the same, my husband and I sleep in seperate rooms. I get up so much, maybe up to 10 or more time a night . I get very agitated , so watch a movie, go on you tube. Wish you all the best.  

Superzap

Blossom1961 said:

Hi @Superzap Sleepless nights are part of the course I am sorry to say. I finished what they call ‘active’ chemo in Oct 2018, continued with Herceptin until August 2019. I still have many sleepless nights. Once a week I take a restavit which turns my brain off so I can get to sleep. Lack of sleep isn’t really helpful when your body wants to heal. Try mindfulness, aromatherapy or whatever you think might work for you. My psych told me to do the abc game as it works to turn off your brain from other things but it just frustrated me and kept me awake for longer. Sending big hugs.

Send big hugs back to you too. Thank you so much for your ideas, I will try . Wish you all the best.

Shellshocked2018_

Hi , yes I can say I think we have all been there.
I commenced a mindfulness course and started meditation.
During the hardest times I saw my GP and was prescribed a sleeping tablet that would at least give me 4 hours of good quality sleep. I found that I could cope with more once I had a good night sleep, and your body uses so much energy to heal, so sleep is very important.

Sending hugs x

Superzap

Shellshocked2018_ said:

Hi , yes I can say I think we have all been there.
I commenced a mindfulness course and started meditation.
During the hardest times I saw my GP and was prescribed a sleeping tablet that would at least give me 4 hours of good quality sleep. I found that I could cope with more once I had a good night sleep, and your body uses so much energy to heal, so sleep is very important.

Sending hugs x

Superzap

Thank you so much, sending bug hugs xx

Louweezer

hello! I hear you - While I was in hospital with the initial diagnosis (de novo stage 4 with spinal mets) I binge watching The Good Wife. Seriously and I know it’s weird but it kept my mind off the whole situation.

 I did a meditation course at the Kinghorn Cancer Centre in Sydney which was fantastic and also saw the psychologist there. Now it is a year later and at night I watch Grey’s Anatomy. Currently up to season 15!!

I just go with the sleeplessness now and watch my iPad until I fall asleep. And again when I wake up. Also books on my iPad so it doesn’t wake my husband up with the light. 

I agree with you @Superzap we can do whatever we want and if it’s binge watching telly all night then so be it. 

See you in the wee small hours xxx

Superzap

Louweezer said:

hello! I hear you - While I was in hospital with the initial diagnosis (de novo stage 4 with spinal mets) I binge watching The Good Wife. Seriously and I know it’s weird but it kept my mind off the whole situation.

 I did a meditation course at the Kinghorn Cancer Centre in Sydney which was fantastic and also saw the psychologist there. Now it is a year later and at night I watch Grey’s Anatomy. Currently up to season 15!!

I just go with the sleeplessness now and watch my iPad until I fall asleep. And again when I wake up. Also books on my iPad so it doesn’t wake my husband up with the light. 

I agree with you @Superzap we can do whatever we want and if it’s binge watching telly all night then so be it. 

See you in the wee small hours xxx

Louweezer said:

hello! I hear you - While I was in hospital with the initial diagnosis (de novo stage 4 with spinal mets) I binge watching The Good Wife. Seriously and I know it’s weird but it kept my mind off the whole situation.

 I did a meditation course at the Kinghorn Cancer Centre in Sydney which was fantastic and also saw the psychologist there. Now it is a year later and at night I watch Grey’s Anatomy. Currently up to season 15!!

I just go with the sleeplessness now and watch my iPad until I fall asleep. And again when I wake up. Also books on my iPad so it doesn’t wake my husband up with the light. 

I agree with you @Superzap we can do whatever we want and if it’s binge watching telly all night then so be it. 

See you in the wee small hours xxx

Louweezer , I decided no use in getting angry, it is what it is, just go with the flow, and hope with more sleep ,xxx