Has anybody had insomnia after they started chemo? Ever since I started chemo in December I just can not get to sleep. I am up usually until 4 - 5 am and then up at 8am. I have spoken to my oncologist who prescribed haloperidol, but I usually have 2 - 3 days of throwing up after chemo, so I never get the full benefits of it.
I normally function on 6 hrs sleep, so this is really doing my head in. Anyone out there got any tips? I can’t do the Lavender as my sense of smell is heightened and I feel nauseous with any perfumes.
Unfortunately I too suffer with the insomnia. I wasn’t the best sleeper prior to dx I must admit (not that I couldn’t sleep, just didn’t - bit of a night owl). But I do find for at least 5 - 6 days I am up till 5 in the morning, then doze then get up at 7.30.
I haven’t discussed it with BN or onc - manly because I know I would be loathe to take anything to help me sleep (I hate taking tablets for anything lol). I must admit at the moment I am only coping with it because I am off work on sick leave - so I end up cat napping through the day while youngest is at school.
Can’t really give you any tips - just wanted you to know you’re not alone!
I see you are awake as well its about 1.40 am. My husband and son have been asleep since 9pm, and I have been catching up on my ‘me’ stuff. I actually enjoy being up this late, everything is so quiet and peaceful, I do my ironing, watch tv, read books and surf the net. I guess I just have to make the most of it. Like you I am on sick leave, I just get up around 8 and take my son to school and potter around the house for the rest day.
Hi Heather and Margaret - I can join in as I’m in Australia, so it’s the middle of the day! But like both of you I am often up a lot in the night, especially the first few days after chemo which I mainly put down to the dexamethasone (have been told I can take the second one earier in the day, but prefer to spread them out). It must be really tough for the insomniacs among us who have to get up to go to work or look after young children. For myself, and it sounds like you two as well, I am able to be very accepting of it. Just know I will lie awake for a couple of hours, then tend to get up, watch some telly, send some e-mails and generally enjoy the peace and quiet and a cup of tea. I can do this because I can nap in the day and it seems to be suiting me so just going along with it. So sorry, no great tips on going to sleep, but hope that you can find it does not worry you too much, as often that is a vicious circle in itself! Sweet dreams when you do manage to drop off! Good luck both of you. Love Sarah
hya all of you,
like you i cant sleep either, awake most of the night and really don’t get chance to nap in the day, as my house is an open house and people come and go all day, really does my head in at times but i feel awful so i cant tell them i neeed some peace pleeeeese, i have been put on zimafane sleeping tabs but they don’t do me any good so now and again ,i know i shouldn’t but i take one of my hubby’s nitrazepan and i get a reasonable sleep for a few hours, i don’t think there is a cure but TV reading and getting up if all else fails is the only way to cope, my mind is on overdrive so i think that what most of us BC are going through and i suppose that’s what keeps us awake as well as the treatment. try a milky drink before bed and a bath with relaxing bubbles, sorry haven’t got the answers but try the tip and see how you go,xx
Hi all,
Like you i have had trouble sleeping for 4-5 days after chemo session, oncologist said it was the dexamethasone and to take second dose at 2pm, this made no difference so he presc me zopiclone sleeping tablets to take for 5 days, really helps, still dont sleep properly but alot better than mind racing staring at the ceiling all night!! after 5 days i go back to sleeping normally which is a relief as i am one that needs 8 hours sleep or else! never been able to cat nap, and my 2 little ones wouldn’t give me any peace if i tried.
this way has worked for me and makes me feel alot more human than i otherwise would be ,hope you find some way of helping you sleep & some of the tips from others help.
love Fiona
I had my 1st chemo on 11.1.08 and I had the same thing, sleeping on and off every night for about 3 hrs. Cannot handle not sleeping especially when I have to go to work the next day.
I will mention it when I go back for a check up. Dont want to take sleeping tablets but if I have to I will. I was told it was the steriods I was on. I had to take 3 a day and I was taking the 2nd one around 1 pm and it still did not help.
went to have treatment Tuesday 22 jan , they would not give it me said i was totaly excausted which i know i am, gave me some nitrazipan 5mg to help me sleep,but not working either, cant understand how i cant sleep, lie awake saying to myself go to sleep but it doest work,ha ha, but seriously i am weak from lack of sleep and no chance of napping in the day, also looking like a large baby budgie doesn’t help,lol!! but hey like another lady on this site said we are like t bags we don’t know how strong we are till they put us in hot water!! it wont last forever so we have to get through the best we can eh!!
love hugs and rainbows
tillie
I have just accepted the fact that I can’t sleep at night now. I snooze during the day and have stopped stressing out about not going to sleep. I use my night time to catch up with all my emails and browse through the forums for a couple of hours, listen to the radio and then read a book. And at some point about 3am I fall asleep.