Can’t sleep!

Hi Cat lou, nothing worse when you can't sleep, I had many sleepless nights, I usually read and if I'm still awake an hour later I get up.  It's usually when I'm on the steroids after chemo and I spoke to my oncologist who suggested dropping the evening one which has helped.  It might be worth speaking to yr Onc or your GP..  xx

I was up between 1.30 and 4.30 - not worrying particularly - just not sleeping! I am waiting for results of scans to see what's going on this time. There's no magic solution. I go to bed crazy early (often at 8!) as I find it easier to sleep earlier and then it's not so bad if I miss the middle of the night. Certainly playing around with timings of meds can help. I listen to the radio all night: on low it doesn't disturb anyone. And try not to obsess about it. It's happening and is associated with all the craziness. Get up, have a cup of tea, accept it. It's when it's just night after night it can get you down. Best wishes! And deep breathing and mindfulness techniques do work, but they are hard!

Hi thanks for the reply I was thinking it’s the chemo it’s my week off chemo so I hoping it’l improve xx

Hi I’ve got a telephone consultation today just hope they can help my anxiety is through the roof at the moment xxx

It’s good to know other people are experiencing the same and I’m not going mad I just feel so down x

I know hun, hopefully you will manage to get a few good night's sleep in your week off.  Its horrible when the anxiety kicks in and such a lonely time when it's the middle of the night and your alone with yr thoughts.  Hopefully when you have yr tel consultation they will be able to help.  Take care.xx

Hello Cat Lou

Hello Cat Lou,

 I have this problem. Always worse when taking the steroids. My medication has  been changed so I take steroids early morning and at lunchtime rather than 12 hours after first daily dose. This has helped a bit.  I also asked if it was okay to take sleeping pills and was told it was fine if they could be bought over the counter. I sometimes do take them but always concerned in case I get into the habit of taking them, so only take them  for maximum of three days just to get some decent sleep and feel so much better for it.

 Sometimes I cannot go to sleep no matter how tired I am ,so I just resign myself to reading as my mind is sometimes just so active with nothing in particular. Meditation techniques do not work as my mind seems to go off at a tangent and my ability to concentrate on the mediation is  zero!

 Likewise if  I wake , usually about 5.00 a.m., just tend to read and then have an afternoon rest/sleep if lucky... Have tried to stop worrying about  it  as it was becoming such a big issue  that I dreaded going to bed but decided  just accept it, if I sleep it's a bonus, if I don't  just enjoy reading and that makes me sleepy.

 I have also  stopped taking my mobile and tablet into the bedroom, as I would spend hours browsing and that did not help. Also I turn the clock face away from me so I don't know what time it is to worry about. Just rely on the alarm going in the morning!

 Hope you find a solution, sweet dreams.

Catsski

@ Catsski hi  I ended phoning the doctor and she’s given sleeping tablets and antidepressants but only for the short term so I’ve slept for two whole nights.  Thanks for the advice and I have started leaving my phone stairs xxx

So pleased that you have had  a couple of night's sleep, it makes all the difference.  Let's hope it continues!

xxx