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Ron's at his wits end - insomnia is extreme - any advice???


janetg

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It's me again. Ron is having a helluva time with not being able to sleep - he's starting eating finally. He didn't have any nausea from the taxotere - just no appetite. We had to take him to emergency Friday night because the Imovane 7.5mg (he took two within 3 hours) just would not knock him out. The MD in emergency gave him a shot of morphine and that let him sleep for about 5 hours. The a.m. MD gave us a prescription for a morphine derivative (hydrmor...con ?). That's doing absolutely nothing. The pharmacist says it's for pain but will not induce sleep.

We have a call into his GP to see if it's safe for him to double up on the Imovane. He was prescribed cipro to attempt to avoid infection since his blood counts are really low.

What in the "H" are we going to do? He says that he thinks he can start to bounce back if he could get some damn sleep.

Since many of you have similar experiences can you suggest anything? I'm at my wits end and poor Ron is ready to .....

Thanks,

Janet

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Janet,

My doc prescribed me Ambien to help me sleep. I don't know the drug you mentioned that Ron is on, so I don't know if there are any interactions that he needs to be aware of.

But, sleep is essential in this battle. Ask his doc if he can take some sort of sleep aid. The usual dosage for Ambien is 10mg, but I have the 5mg tablets and only take one. It works great.

Best of luck,

TAnn

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Dave has sleeping pills. he started off with Ambien, but he said they gave him nightmares, so he got something else and I cannot remember the name. I'll try to find out and post it.

I'd try a sleeping pill.

I take one or two benadryls at bedtime, in less than an hour I'm dozing. and have you or he ever tried melatonin?

Karen

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I'm going to check to see if Ambien is called the same thing in Canada. He did say that he had nightmares over the weekend but I don't know if that was when he was taking the Imovane or the morphine. We've been experimenting to try and get it right. He had tried Ativan too.

It sounds as if our house is becoming a pharmacy but it's really not.

Thanks for the information. Please pray for Ron to sleep.

Hope all is continuing to go well in this fight.

Janet

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Janet,

I had a terrible time sleeping even before I was dx'd with lc. No trouble falling asleep. Just staying asleep. I would be up 2-3 am every day and go to work ehausted.

I also tried various sleeping pills including ambiem and none of the worked. My wife suggested I try Xanex for anxiety thinking perhaps that was my problem. Well the xanex works good for me for over 2 months now. I only take one at about 10:30pm at night and I sleep really well. Give xanex a try, might help, cannot hurt if nothing else is working.

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Hi Janet.

I agree. Restful sleep is imperative for healing and wellness.

Oncologists are very aware that many of us suffer from restlessness for different reasons throughout our treatment and beyond.

I have tried Ambien. It will put me to sleep for 2 solid hours, but then I am wide awake for another 5 or 6...

I have also tried ativan. I will start with one mg. and if I am not out, in 20 minutes I will go for another. (don't tell anyone, but I have taken up to 3mg in desperate situations).

Tizanadine is anther one that is uncommonly used but works for muscle pain and sleep.

Restoril is another that helps.

I switch around as I need to. I don't want to become dependent on these aids and I haven't. I can hardly remember the last time I needed help with sleeping. But, when I did, I was grateful that I had something to help.

Also, if you could try the old glass of warm milk at bedtime. Limit the nap time during the day. Warm relaxing bath before bed. Clean sheets and pillow case. Dark, quiet room. No distractions. Warm feet. An 80 pound dog to snuggle into. Or a purring cat curled around his legs. These are some alternatives.

oh. And avoid caffiene and sugar.

Good luck. I am so glad Ron is home! Wow!

Cindi o'h

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Hi again and thanks for the suggestions. I'll certainly follow up.

I laughed at Cindy's post - at this point I would like to replace "me" with an 80 lb. piece of fluff. No sleep for the patient means no sleep for his buddy, too.

I "borrowed" one of his sleeping pills (that don't work for him) Saturday night because I'd been up for almost 26 hours Friday/Saturday because of working, going to a hospital fundraiser (where too much alcohol was consumed) and then to emergency at 3:00 am. After 1 1/2 hours of solid sleep for me Mr. decides asked for another "pillow"!!! I was wiped from the pill but staggered to his side to pass him a third pillow. Of course it wasn't a pillow he wanted. It was pill, no "ow." Duh! That was the end of stealing meds for me!!!

But seriously, I do appreciate all of the advice. Thanks, thanks, thanks.

Janet

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Janet,

Does he have a rash? I'm asking because I'm allergic to sulfa derivatives - Cipro is a sulfa drug. I discovered this the last time I was prescribed the drug - it kept me awake, gave me a heckuva rash (hives), etc.

Ambien gives me a good night of sleep the first night, but I can't sleep with it a second night. I haven't tried any other drugs for sleeping.

Cindi had some good advice on avoiding caffeine and overly stimulating activities.

Good luck! (and don't "borrow" prescription medication, that's not a good thing)

Becky

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Janet:

I have an infusion of dexamethasone with my treatment. It a a steroid and is supposed to help make the antinausea drug work better. It will keep me awake for most of the first night following treatment and part of the second night. Is Ron still on steroids? That could be the problem. I think there are other steroids available that would have a lessened effect in terms of insomnia. Plus, you could try the sleeping pill suggestions that others have have made. I hope you find just the right pill for Ron.

Don M

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Hi Janet,

My Husband had a terrible time with sleep also. We tried all kinds of meds but finally ended up with Xanax and it worked Thank GOD!! He would start with 1/2 a pill(I can't remember the strenght) and if he was not asleep in 1/2 he would take another 1/2. It usually worked very well. Good Luck!!

CathyW

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Guest marchwinds05

I am a new member, and learning a lot. Here is what is helping my DH : Triazolam and he takes 2. We have tried all of the above listed, and this seems to be the only one that works.

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