Hi Girls
Im 2 years away from treatment and every now and again I start to wake up about 2am and can’t for the life of me get back, I end up just dozing off about 6am when its time to get up for work. After about 2 weeks of this I start feeling really edgy and end up losing my cool at the slightest thing. I am now at the stage where I feel really low and no energy, I have been walking for hours and this week just can’t get myself up for anything. I am tempted to try and get some sleeping tablets just to get my sleep pattern back to some kind of normality. (I dont think that I have slept all through for 3 years) Has anyone any suggestions or feelings on sleep tablets?
Thanks
Debbie x
Hi Debbie
As you can see, I am up in the middle of the night too - not normally but husband snoring so loudly I can’t sleep. I think sleeping pills have their uses in the very short term. However, I think you need to find out why youre not sleeping properly. Apart from waking up and not being able to get back to sleep, do you generally feel OK in yourself or are you under a lot of stress at the moment?
Cathy
x
Hi Cathy
Isn’t it nice to know that someone else is out there? My other half sleeping soundly and loudly as well!!! Grrr
I seem to go through phases. Life is very hectic at the moment. My youngest twin boys are due to Uni this time and filling in all the forms is a hassle. Since the bc and treatment I cant seem to get my head around too much pressure and I suppose I have had a lot going on of late, (thats the same for most of us though) After the bc experience and all the treatment I find that I don’t really know what it causing the problems. I had my ovaries taken out and I think that this is just parr for the course for symptoms of the menopause. I have 3 children, 25 & twins at 18, and 2 step children 21 & 25 and of course life is never dull!!
The last few months have been good, I work about 28 - 30 hours and have two little Lancashire Heelers who require loads of walking, but because I have had little sleep this week I haven’t had the energy to go out which does knock me back mood wise.
How about you, why are you not sleeping?
Debbie x
Hi Debbie
I’m up mainly because my husband is snoring and keeping me awake. Since diagnosis, sleep has been really erratic partly because of treatment and partly because of worry/stress. I have two sons, one 20 and at home, the other 16 and doing GCSEs at the moment. I am off work at the moment because just finished radiotherapy but due to return in 4 weeks. To be honest, I am dreading it because its a two hour commute each way. Sounds crazy - was trying to explain to my GP today who just looked at me like I was totally stupid working so far away from home. I am a dental hygienist and for most of my working life have worked in general practice which is OK as far as good for earning money, but very little job satisfaction. I started work in November at a large teaching hospital where i work with this brilliant professor and the work is so satisfying. Money rubbish because of NHS and travel a real pain. So I guess I am now thinking do I need all this stress especially now I have ended up with BC! Oh, and I am doing a master’s degree too. I love it, but hard work!!
I know what you mean about your dogs. I have two and they need lots of walking and one has been ill so more stress, but I do love having them.
Cathy
x
Hi Cathy
Sounds like you have a lot to be thinking about as well! When I was diagnosed the youngest boys were just finishing their GCSE’s, my eldest son was due to graduate and my step daughter was going on to do a masters, to be honest I was so worried about them all that it was such a relief to shut the front door in the morning and then I could think about myself…just a little bit! I had nearly finished the first year of my degree and worked really hard to finish the year. I managed to pass my exams, I then deferred for 12 months but when I went back the passion had gone for it. I wonder in a few years if it will be something I regret. How did you cope with the rads. I was a little tired at the finish, I think that the travelling to Clatterbridge everyday for 25 sessions didn’t help!
What kind of dog do you have?
Oh, by the way I say my GP yesterday with regard to my sleep problem and she has suggested a non addictive tablet for a few weeks to get my sleep pattern back…last night was the first time that I slept through for ages. Today I’m not so grumpy…
Have a good weekend.
Debbie x
Sorry for butting in but I am the same. Haven’t had more than a few nights sleep since last June and then may drop off about 6.Luckily I am not back at work yet but due to start on 1st July on a phased return.
I was lucky with travelling for my rads it was only about 20 mins away if that, at Preston Hospital. But so tired that last week and the following weeks.
Debbie - what tablets did the GP prescribe for you ?
Thanks
Liz xx
Hi Ladies
Just reading your comments, I know how you all feel. I go to bed preety early bout 9.30 10 and fall off to sllep with no problems whatsoever but then i wake up about 2oclock and feel wide awake and totally unable to get back to sleep
Just recently my Mum and Daughter came over for a visit. My daughter brought over some Kalms and my mum brought over some lavender oil, combined these have done wonders and i now seem to sleep much better. For thwe ladies out their suffering from Menopause syptoms the Kalms really help with the hot flushes which was a real problem for me at night.
The lavender oil should be put on a hankerchief or old sock (clean one lol) and kept under your pillow.
I dont sleep solidley for 8 hours but if i do wake up i seem to be able to go back to sleep with no problems.
Hope this helps some of you ladies out their and that this all continues to work for me during my rads which start next week
Best wishes
Lynne x
Hi Liz & Lynne
Nice to get some feed back from you both! My lady GP prescribed Dosulepin 1 x 25mg, she said that they can be used for depression (whats that!!) but for me it will help with insomnia. I must be honest that the first night I took it I did sleep until 7.30am and I then got up to put the dogs out and then went back to bed until 9.00am, (which is totally unheard of for me!) The down side is that you should try to avoid alcohol, I had 2 glasses of rose Friday night and 2 x G&T’s last night, today I felt a bit queasy…so…this week I will have to go T Total!!! Or, I might see if I can sleep without them tonight as I go away on holiday in 10 days and I would like to enjoy a glass or two? Thanks for the tip about Kalms Lynne I think that I might try them, do they have to build up over a long period of time?
PS the medication prescribed for me is non addictive.
Thanks again for the info.
Debbie x
Hi Debbie,
I’m glad your GP has given you something. You are only having a really small dose of dothiepin or Dosulepin which is great. You are right, they are non addictive, so should help a lot. Its a great pity about your degree, what was it in? I did my bachelor’s degree a few years ago. I had real peaks and troughs in finding it interesting and did defer my final year for a year because I was so tired. But I did return and found the motivation from somewhere to complete. It is really really difficult and you have to be so self disciplined to do it. My degree has not been a great deal of use in terms of helping me with promotion etc but I am glad I did it. Perhaps you will return to studying one day. I am struggling big time with my master’s. I find the content fascinating - its Health Communication, but really difficult and I need so much concentration to keep going.
I have two dogs, a chocolate lab and a retired greyhound racer. Both are 9. Lab is so easy, laid back and flexible whereas the greyhound is skittish and neurotic but very very affectionate and gentle.
Sleep well tonight
Cathy
xx
I have a regular prescription of zopiclone…they work wonders for a good night’s sleep. I take 3.75gm most nights, sometimes 7.5gm and sleep well. They are supposedly addictive but that doesn’t bother me.
I’d certainly rceommend them for short or longer term use.
Jane
Hi Debbie
No the Kalms for me worked the first night i took them. The reason i chose them was because the are herbal and i have used them before when i was stressed.
Hope whatever you take helps you to sleep. I think that is the most important part of recovery and being tired can really get you down.
Sweet dreams
Lynne
Hi Girls
Thanks for all your helpful info. Cathy, my degree was in politics, (of all things!) I really found it stimulating in the first year, but with the bc and all the complications that I had I just think that the stuffing was knocked out of me. I tend to be interested in the mechanism of politics now as opposed to the ‘hands on’ side of it. I lost my job (working for my family business) through the illness, so it was a pretty fraught time, I then had chemo, and found another job 2 days after finishing, I think that my mind was just so full of trying to get by, that it just wasn’t the right time for me. Well done you for finishing your degree, I take my hat off to you. Your dogs sound lovely, I was always interested in getting a rescue greyhound, I lost my old horse and scottie in the space of 6 months, and whilst I was having chemo I used to visit the Dogs Trust near to the hospital, the thought of getting another ‘little one’ kept me going!
Thanks Jane & Lynne for the info. I have a friend on zopiclone and she swears by them One of the draw backs of the tablet that she has given me is ‘sweating’, I think that I’ve got enough of them without any more!! So I think that I will try the Kalms.
Have a good day girls.
Debbie x
hi,
I have been using zopiclone and it doesn’t make me sweat. Also chamomile oil (which you can get online from G.Baldwin herbal supplies, Google Baldwins herbal) - about 6 drops in the bath - is very good. You can get chamomile tincture or limeflower tincture from them too. It’s better than using alcohol to sleep, which does make you sweat and is a risk factor for breast cancer. Hope this helps x