Zopiclone is the only thing that seems to work for me but I only take 3 days max at a time but now the GP won’t prescribe it and has given me Temazopan instead which as you can see doesn’t work at all. Might be worth asking for temazopan to see if it works for you?
Hi everyone, and sorry for those of you who were awake at 4am!
Amazingly, I had and OK night’s sleep, is this a case of a problem shared is a problem halved? 
I even had a dream about Will Smith?!
I am off to the acupuncturist this morning but will update on the book later, it did make some interesting comments!
DaisyGirl xx
Got some sleep last night eventually. Not to be recommended as I was actually unconscious rather than asleep. A large bottle of wine did it for me last night. But then alcohol gives you cancer, ha ha!!! And the hangover the following morning isn’t conducive to any sort of productive day, so not an insomnia cure I’d suggest as anything other than occasional.
Did I hear hypnotherapy can do the trick? I find myself either reading some book or other (doesn’t need to be a deep and meaningful book, I usually can’t remember what I read the next morning anyhow) or playing sudoku on my phone. Something mindless and pointless to keep my mind busy rather than anything useful, practical or productive.
I have been an insomniac most of my life. It is just a bit worse now since BC. I have had temazepam on prescription for years but I use them very sparingly - ie in desperate circumstances. In a way just knowing I have them helps. I get a pack of 24 at a time and that usually does me for about 3 months. I managed to convince my GP that I can use them in a sensible manner. They are good for not making you feel zombie like next morning.
I have a little portable DVD player with earphones and I often watch DVD’s in the middle of the night. It helps to relax my busy head and nearly always makes me feel sleepy eventually. It’s a bit like how you can fall asleep in front of the telly but can’t sleep in bed.
I have done the alcohol thing and the hay fever meds too in the past but not for a while.
Finally the thing that is most natural in getting me to sleep is sheer exhaustion. That’s not pleasant though because to get to that point is a bit hellish - a couple of bad nights previously and the strain of not letting yourself drop off any time during the day or evening before bedtime.
For me it is a great achievement on those rare mornings when I wake up after a decent sleep if didn’t do anything or take anything the night before. I have always been so envious of those people who put their heads on a pillow and go to sleep immediately. And they just don’t appreciate what they can do.
Another chronic insomniac. I think I was 14 at my first visit to GP to complain.
I’m on amytriptyline at the moment, trying to reduce dose as it makes me crave cake.
But Nytol (not the herbal) also works for me. Never sure what to say to chemist who tells me short-term use only. Yeah yeah…just give me the pills. Just another antihistamine though. Phenergan is another that worked, but just try getting that from some chemists - I wondered why they made me feel like I’m asking for illegal drug - turns out some mothers give it to children to make them sleep. Tsk.
And unfortunately I live with a chronic dozy-head. I’m sure he got my allowance. I find if I can sleep I can handle most things, if I can’t I find life very difficult altogether.
Good luck with whatever is your substance of choice.
S
Hi, has anyone tried Bach Rescue Remedy Night Spray? I have no trouble getting to sleep but generally wake around 2am with a sweat. Four sprays of this on my tongue and I’m back to sleep and my body feels lovely and relaxed. I mentioned it to my BCN and she said it was a no-no because it contains St. Johns Wort but I have checked the ingredients and the flower essences used are Rock Rose, Impatiens, Clematis, Star of Bethlehem, Cherry Plum and White Chestnut, no mention of St. Johns Wort. It really works for me. I have always been a fan of the ordinary Rescue Remedy too, used it before interviews, before my op etc.
Worth a try, maybe?
Hi all, you can find information about sleep deprivation in the BCC Moving Forward pack. This may be helpful to some people experiencing sleep problems.
breastcancercare.org.uk/healthcare-professionals/publications/quick-order-list/*/changeTemplate/PublicationDisplay/publicationId/161/
Best wishes
Lucy
Thanks Lucy- is it possible to download it as a PDF?
Hi ragamuffin
No sorry it’s a pack which comes as a folder so not available
as a PDF
Best wishes
Lucy
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Two am. Anyone else up? Going boss eyed trying to read this site ma my phone
Hi GIJaneH
I’m with you. Since being diagnosed my sleep pattern has gone right out of the window. So annoying!!!
I give up morning all.nothing useful to add.
I shouldn’t think my experience will cheer anyone up, but it may be interesting.
After starting Tamoxifen I couldn’t sleep. The radiologists told me to work in the middle of the night (I am a freelance translator), but I was wide awake at midnight and found the idea depressing. I also got hugely swollen legs after chemo, was told to lie down with them raised (never helped, but the swelling went away after a year), and when I did that I would go to sleep. It was really interfering with my work, to say nothing else. The oncologist sent me to the sleep laboratory and I have now been sleeping with a CPAP device (with mask) for two years. Sleep is excellent.
However, I doubt anyone else is in my case. I have sleep apnoea - have always snowed (but slept OK), and I put on a lot of weight after chemo and under Tamoxifen - just after taking off a lot through diet and exercise. So I am hoping to lose weight again and maybe come off the CPAP.
Margaret
Hi ladies, like u all and a year after treatment I am unable to sleep for more than a couple of hours at a time. This week I gave in and went to boots and bought sominex ( a night time sleep aid!) and…it works, I have taken it two nights running and apart from needing the loo at 3am, have managed to sleep. I did feel a bit slow first thing, so would recommend not driving to early in the morning but other than that…wow…forgotten how it feels to sleep properly. Good luck in your search for sleep xx
Hi all
well I’m pleased to say I have had 2 good nights of sleep but with the aid of zopliclone which the doc gave me on Tuesday. Tuesday night I slept from before 9pm till 4.50am and last night it was 10.30pm till 4.30am, I know it only happenend because of the pills but I was exhausted and needed something. Tonight I am going to try without them and only use them when really needed but I don’t know if that is a good idea or do I take them every night for a week at a time ?? Trial and error but I can’t see my doc putting them on repeat prescription for me either
Hope everyone is well as can be
Lizz xx
I have two chillows. So when I wake up at 2am I swap them over. The coolness of the new one helps me to get back to sleep. And I swap them again at 5am.
Hi Everyone
Thanks for sharing all your experiences, enlightening to say the least!
Choccie, like you I read before I go to sleep, never more than a few pages and then I am out like a light. Interestingly, the CSC (Cancer Survivor’s Companion) says this is something we shouldn’t do in case we associate the bed with reading rather than sleeping but I don’t think I do this, so will carry on.
Norberte, Night Nurse seems a bit tame for you, I was expecting something more extreme!
Mojogirl, I like the sound of Bach Rescue Remedy Night Spray, I think I am going to give this a try as I want to try to avoid prescription meds if I can and if that doesn’t work will try the sominex that Jaclyn has suggested.
Zeppa, sounds like you had a really horrible time, I’m glad you now get a good night’s sleep!
The recommendations in the CSC are too long to post on here but this is what they say about sleep patterns which you all may find interesting:
Normal adult sleep patterns go like this:
1.A fairly rapid transition from being awake to falling asleep
2.A quick transition into deep sleep
3.The longest and deepest part of the sleep cycle. This lasts approximately four hours. Sleep experts say that you get the biggest benefit from these early, deep sleep episodes
4.The rest of the sleep cycle: peaks and troughs between deep and lighter sleep episodes (you can say that again!) until you wake up
Experts say you don’t need to catch up on all the sleep you’ve lost, if you’ve had a bad night. Just getting an initial period of good quality deep sleep – at the start of the night – is enough (so why don’t I feel OK?). Not everyone needs 8 hrs sleep.
I found the brief overview of sleep disruption in the BCC pack OK but I found the CSC more helpful as I was looking for some in depth strategies to overcome this.
DaisyGirl xx
Hi RR, my hospital is selling chillows @ £20, is this a good price?
DaisyGirl xx
Regarding the power surges, I tried the chillo, not bad, but now have a powerful fan attached to wall with a remote control so I don’t need to do anything other than find remote under pillow. Darling OH is not too chuffed with this, however. But as he could sleep on a knife edge I care not a jot.
I’ve tried the ‘not reading’ thing but just lie there for hours, then pick up book, read 2 pages and that often works.
S