Head and neck cancer...30 radiotherapy treatments and 4 cisplatin chemo rounds...completed on 02/06/2023
Oramorph itch and antihistamine restless legs causing sleepless nights...this problem has surfaced in the last few weeks...I have been advised by support team to ask for sleeping tablets but worried about risk of dependency, how worried should I be?
Poor sleep cycle is causing low mood and fatigue....worrying
Hi Peter E,
Welcome to the online community. My name is Anne, and I am one of the Nurses from the Support Line. I see you have already joined our head and neck forum. I hope you have found this helpful so far.
I’m sorry to read you have been troubled by insomnia recently. I understand this is affecting your mood and energy levels. This must be a difficult time for you, and I am glad you have reached out for more support.
Short term courses of medication taken at night can be useful for some people. There are several different medications which can help, and your GP can discuss this further with you. As the medication is often only prescribed for short term use (1-3 weeks), the risk of dependency is low. Some antihistamines can also make you feel sleepy. It may be worth exploring this option if you are not already taking one of the ‘drowsy’ ones.
As your pain begins to improve, lowering the dose of Oramorph may also be helpful. As it is the Oramorph causing the itch, you may notice an improvement in the side effects as you start to reduce the dose. Again, it is best to discuss this further with your GP.
Recovering from radiotherapy can take time. It’s possible that the radiotherapy (plus the lack of sleep) may also be contributing to your fatigue. Our booklet Coping with Fatigue may be helpful.
Many people living with cancer suffer from difficulty sleeping. It can be a common problem but there are lots of ways to manage this, taking medication being just one option. There are several suggestions here which may also help.
Hopefully the sleep problems will resolve soon. Should you continue to feel low in mood or wish to access more emotional support, you may be interested in our partnership with BUPA. They provide free specialist counselling over the phone for people living with cancer.
Take care for now,
Anne - Cancer Information Nurse Specialist
You can also speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm) or send us an email.
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