I’ve been on Exemestane for 6 weeks now and am finding the insomnia a real problem. Does anyone have any helpful advice?
I’m on Letrozole not Exemestane, but also had terrible insomnia, which was affecting my whole life. I discussed it with my GP who prescribed a very low dose of Amitryptilline. Importantly for me, it’s not a sleeping tablet as such.
Two years on, I’m still taking this minimal dose & although I have the odd sleepless night, it’s allowed me to persevere with the Letrozole. I’d encourage you to speak to your doctor to see what they suggest. Good luck with finding some relief- I sympathise! XX
Thank you so much Jules. That’s so helpful. I’ll do that x
Hi anne6
Thanks for your post, asking for some help as you are struggling with insomnia.
A common side effect of exemestane is difficulty sleeping.
However other factors may also contribute, such as the emotional impact of a breast cancer diagnosis and reduced activity.
Trying to stay physically active can help. The following tips for better sleep may also be helpful.
Do contact your breast care nurse or treatment team to discuss your insomnia. They may be able to suggest ways to manage your symptoms.
As @jules_n suggests, do also contact your GP who may also be able to offer you strategies to help.
We have a recorded Facebook Live session with a sleep expert, on sleep deprivation and mindfulness, which you may find helpful to watch.
Adapting to life after treatment can be difficult and often the need for information and support continues.
You may be interested in our Moving Forward resources that are for people who have had a diagnosis of primary breast cancer and have come to the end of their main hospital treatment within the last 2 years. They include our Moving Forward booklet and Moving Forward courses.
You can attend Moving Forward either at our face-to-face course or take part by joining online. Find a course near you or register for an online course via the links above or call us on 03457 077 1893.
Talking to someone who has had a similar experience can often be helpful. Our Someone Like Me service can match you with a trained volunteer who’s had a similar experience to you. You can be in touch with your volunteer by phone or email and they can share their personal experiences to answer your questions, offer support or simply listen to how you are feeling.
You can ring the Someone Like Me team on 0800 138 6551 or email them at someone.likeme@breastcancernow.org, so they can then match you to your volunteer.
You’re welcome to call our helpline if you would like to talk this through or have any further questions. The helpline team have time to listen, talk things through and signpost you to additional support and information if necessary. Your call will be confidential, and the number is free from UK landlines and all mobile networks.
The number is 0808 800 6000. If you have hearing or speech difficulties prefix our number with 18001 and the call will go through Relay UK. Our helpline has access to telephone interpreters if language translation is required.
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Best wishes
Addie
Breast Care Nurse
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