Hi ladies , can anyone tell me what i can try to help me sleep, i wake constantley through the night, now i am so tired,i still can’t sleep. I think it is because i am sweating on an off all night, it is covers on, covers off, covers on, covers off, all night long, one minute i’m hot them i’m cold.
Where can i get a chillow pillow i have seen some people talking about, also, can we take nytol?
Any advice would be really appreciated,
Thank you in advanca ladies,
Sandrae x x x
Hi Sandrae
It’s terrible not being able to sleep. I’m afraid I have resorted to pills prescribed by my doctor, and even then I only get about 4 - 5 hours sleep. I wake about 4 am and think and think and ponder and worry. I used to take a hot milky drink, but since my chemo started, it tastes awful and make me feel heavy in the stomach. Now I take herbal tea, especially to help me relax and a long bath. I think lots of people take nytol, but it doesn’t exist where I live.
I wish you sweet dreams
Maria
When I was going through a bad sleepless phase I used Nytol very successfully. I also sleep with the radio on, as I still wake frequently, and this sends me back to sleep without getting into a thinking mode. Hope this helps.
finty x
i have used nytol successfully in the past, if i take it for a few nights it seems to reconfigure my sleeping pattern and then it continues unaided, not sure if you can take when you are on chemo, ask your bcn, but i suspect you will be able to
good luck
Vickie
Hi Sandra
Im having the same problem as you are… bought a flat sheet just to sleep in… my hot flushes are just awful… seven last night…a wave of hot and you feel like your going to faint as you get so hot and then you get cold…
Im hoping the flat sheet will work tonight…
What is this chillow…
thank you ladies, i thought i could rely on youfor a speedy reply, i will double check about the nytol, got to try something.
And a big thank you to you all!!!
Sandrae x x x
Hi,
If you google ‘chillow’ there is an official website and you can buy them direct or alternatively, they do have them on Ebay but I don’t think they’re much cheaper. I’ve had mine for 2.5 yrs now and it’s lovely for the hot sweats, although I don’t sleep on it, I have it next to me and can then fling my arms or whatever over it.
The lack of sleep didn’t bother me during chemo but I suffered dreadfully afterwards when I went onto hormone therapy, tried all sorts and in the end had to have prozac. The difference was amazing after just a couple of days and I felt sooo much better. Why not ask your nurses at chemo/bcn/GP for help as you do have to be a bit careful as to what you take?? It was my onc that got me sorted as she knew I wasn’t myself. I’m still on prozac now and it deffo keeps me calmer and helps with sleep. I know it sounds trite but try not to worry about it too much as that will make it worse! Even now I frequently watch TV in the early hours when I’m restless.
Good luck !
Van - chillow is a cool pillow. No idea how it works but you put water in it and then sleep on it/next to it whatever (see my post above)
Hi Sandrae, don’t know whether this will help but I had a fan next to my bed and put it on when really hot, found it cooling, relaxing and it helped me a lot! Wish you luck.
smiler
x
i used night nurse to help me sleep!!
worked a treat
good luck
My onc was fine for me to take Nytol during chemo - but always best to check with your own dr.
Dear Nana- I am usually a really good sleeper but like you, during chemo 18 months ago, my sleep became very disturbed. I felt so… tired and in need of sleep (some people seem to sleep all the time on chemo but it was the opposite for me).
In the end, having tried everything, including the expensive and over-rated Chillow pillow, Nytol (useless!) etc etc I asked my GP for something - which he reluctantly prescribed .
I still have 6 pills of that original packet of Zoliclone- which I can only say worked really well for me. Until BC I had been the sort of person who hardly had even paracetamol in the house but going without sleep was really doing me no good at all.
I only took the occasional pill -once every 2 or 3 nights and then much less frequently but I felt so much better when I had had that boost. I’m sure the pills also helped me to get back into a rhythm of sleep & I had no after effects.
Last week, after an op on my shoulder, I again took one of my diminishing stash of pills and had a really good night with NO waking up at all!
Hi everyone. Ive been taking tamoxifen for 4 months now and am finding it difficult to sleep too with the hot flushes. I have a chillow, but find it only keeps cool for a short time whilst you are lying on it. I have to throw it out of the bed for a while till it cools down again. I have started back at work and feel completely knackered due to lack of sleep and Im starting to feel a bit down. Was thinking of going to the doctors to see what they can do to help. Have thought of taking evening primrose oil as I heard that it was good for the hot flushes. Anyone got any advice about this?
Hi ladies, You can buy something called panadol night pain, which is an ordinary dose of paracetamol with antihistimine - it worked for me on the specific occasions that i really felt i needed something, but I wouldn’t use it all the time. Mo
thank you
Chillpow ordered and being delivered in a few days… will try anything…
Paris, be carefulwith regards to Evening Primrose oil. I know my bcn said it can affect your oestrogen levels
Louise
Mmm Have been folloing this, Nytol gave me the most awful hallucinations. Can get by with (saved up 1/2 30mg Temezapam from GP but saving it for post margin surgey results)r.In the mean time I am struggling with pillow mist and Bach night time remedy might try the night nurse stuff and will look into the Chillow. Hoping we all get a good night Jackie
Hi Sandrae
I had exactly the same problem as you. I didnt resort to taking any tablets as I hate taking anything. I did try the Chillow and put it inside my pillow case, it did help a bit when the hot flushes came, but didnt help me sleep any better.
In the end I stopped worrying about not sleeping and just went with it. My husband bought me a lovely little personal radio, so when I woke up I just put the earphones in and listened to the radio and very often I would just dose off.
If I felt tired in the day I would go and have a nap, I felt quite naughty doing this, but just do what your body tells you and dont worry.
Love Jane
I´m in the same position.
Hot flushes all throught the day that leave me soaking wet all over , and night sweats at least twice a night it wakes me up and i have to go and wash myself down .
Am taking various supplements , all the usual , plus a ladycare magnet , which I believe has worked better than anything else .I have started a course of acupuncture , which i am hoping is going to be succesful , I do take a light herbal sedative , I´m also thinking of trying natural progestorone ,
It´s the hormones I´m taking , and i know I´m taking them to make sure I get no more BC …but … five years seems an awfully long time when you´re awake at night and desparetly tired , and I don´t have to get up for work .
Try anything and everything to give you relief , I´m sure something will work for you , I never thought this time last year that I would think that just having hotflushes/night sweats in single figures would be the biggest blessing i could ask for . ( Other than being clear of BC of course .) Good luck
Kris
Libby with the Nytol did you take the whole pill? I just took a third or half at most and that seemed to do the trick.