Not sleeping

Hi @Jodpri,

Awful isn't it.  I remember going to work on three hours sleep many many times at the beginning.  Sheets on sheets off aggghh.  Some people find the melatonon useful.  I never did.  Endep helps some people, as does something like sleepright from the pharmacy. 
I could never really find  anything that helped (except codeine, but you can't really take that every night unfortunately) just had to wait it out and I lived on Berocca and cafeine during the day. Still do sometimes.
Maybe ask your GP about the Endep depending on what other medication you are on.
I had the fan on flat out even through winter and a cold towel draped accross my shoulders, if I was cool I found sleep was a bit easier.  It does get better with time (read that as 18 months) but that doesn't help at the moment I know.
All the best lovely.  Have a look at the Night Howls thread as well.
xoxoxo

Thank you

I fortunately have a wonder and compassionate GP. I have multiple other medical conditions aside from this whole cancer gig. My sleep was horrendous in that the slightest noise would waken me...even a mouse walking down the road and letting off a fart would have me up. One of the conditions I have affects all my joints, and the constant turning to relieve pain would have the same effect. My doctor said that I had to have some good quality sleep and now has me on something for sleep every night. I have three different drugs which are rotated as my body adjusts to each, so that by the time I get back to number one, it is effective again. I told him that other doctors were very reluctant to prescribe nightly sleeping tablets as I would become "dependent" on them. He dismissed that and said "Well diabetics need their insulin daily and nobody accuses them of being addicted or drug dependent". I said that in my case, this was the least of his worries. Lovely man...

Thank you

I find listening to guided meditations really help, especially if its my brain that wont switch off.  A couple of other things that have helped me are to stretch, starting from my toes and moving up my body while in bed.  Or wetting myself down a little with a flannel, and as I dry off/warm up I relax into sleep.  I read about the last one online somewhere, apparently its the body's natural reaction to relax as we warm up (though how that fits with menopause I don't know!) :smile:

Thanks for that.

HI @Jodpri - the 'not sleeping' is the 'sleeping giant' side effect of our BC treatment.  It is RARELY mentioned in any discussions with health professionals - yet almost all of us suffer from it.

We have a thread here called 'Night Howls' - where, if you wake up & just can't get to sleep & would like to see if anyone else is in the same boat - jump on & put up a post.  The 'Midnight non sleepers' maybe able to contact with our West Coast cousins (late evening there.)  In the wee small hours .... there could also be someone online to chat with.
https://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/discussion/19269/night-howls

Another one here - lots of good suggestions in the early pages before it became a 'mini' night howls!  LOL
https://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/discussion/18188/who-else-cant-sleep/p1

Lack of sleep is really debilitating - as much mentally as physically!  I really felt for @kezmusc and others, having to go to work when sleep deprived, as I am lucky & can sleep in to 10am if I choose!!  ;)

I usually sleep better after a good day out on my kayak (lots of exercise.) But not always!  :(  
 
Deliberately slowing your breathing down, relaxing EVERY muscle/joint (including jaw) whilst in bed can 'help' prepare you for sleep ..... but sometimes, it just doesn't happen.   grrr

Good luck. xx

Thank you

I ended up taking Gabapentin to shut down the fire ants in my armpit following my recurrence and subsequent surgery. It's not a great drug for a variety of reasons, but it does have the added benefit of stopping the night sweats. It also has something of a sedative effect so I sleep better, and sweat less, if I take it. My dose is quite low and while I'd rather not take anything that screws with your brain the way high doses of those drugs can do, it's an acceptable compromise. I tried endep, but it didn't agree with me. I think you have to tinker around with this stuff, maybe it gets better with time regardless of what you do, maybe its the pharmaceuticals. I don't care, as long as I get some sleep.

Thank you and yes I will try anything too.