Author Topic: Insomnia post-CK?  (Read 2883 times)

Tumbleweed

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Insomnia post-CK?
« on: August 06, 2008, 05:25:45 am »
Has anyone noticed a dramatic increase in insomnia following radiosurgery? It's driving me crazy! I wake up after 5 or 6 hours (sometimes 1 or 2 hours), exhausted but unable to go back to sleep.

How long did this last for you before you started getting longer sleep?

Tumbleweed
L. AN 18x12x9 mm @ diagnosis, 11/07
21x13x11 mm @ CK treatment 7/11/08 (Drs. Chang & Gibbs, Stanford)
21x15x13 mm in 12/08 (5 months post-CK), widespread necrosis, swelling
12x9x6 mm, Nov. 2017; shrank ~78% since treatment!
W&W on stable 6mm hypoglossal tumor found 12/08

Janet

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Re: Insomnia post-CK?
« Reply #1 on: August 06, 2008, 11:24:14 pm »
Are you taking steroids? Steroids can cause insomnia.
Surgical removal of 1 cm x .8 cm x .6 AN on 4/2004.

ppearl214

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Re: Insomnia post-CK?
« Reply #2 on: August 07, 2008, 05:40:55 am »
Agree with Janet. Potential side affects of Decacrap is insomnia and increased hunger/increased sugar levels. We have joked around here for a while now (Where is Vancouver Sue?) that on Decacrap, we had the best, cleaned homes at 3am....

Try to get some rest.
Phyl
"Gentlemen, I wash my hands of this weirdness", Capt Jack Sparrow - Davy Jones Locker, "Pirates of the Carribbean - At World's End"

Joef

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Re: Insomnia post-CK?
« Reply #3 on: August 07, 2008, 07:07:06 am »

The first couple days after my surgery  ... I really was not eating , I assume was because of the pain meds ... but once I came off .. but was still on Steroids.. I would get fatigued easly .. but would get up many times during the night ...(and would eat eat eat!) ....
4 cm AN/w BAHA Surgery @House Ear Clinic 08/09/05
Dr. Brackmann, Dr. Hitselberger, Dr. Stefan and Dr. Joni Doherty
1.7 Gram Gold Eye weight surgery on 6/8/07 Milford,CT Hospital

Tumbleweed

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Re: Insomnia post-CK?
« Reply #4 on: August 07, 2008, 10:57:35 pm »
No, I'm not on steroids. Maybe it's from working too much and tiring myself out. I get 4 or 5 hours sleep and then wake up with my mind racing. Or maybe it's post-traumatic stress syndrome??  ???

Tumbleweed
L. AN 18x12x9 mm @ diagnosis, 11/07
21x13x11 mm @ CK treatment 7/11/08 (Drs. Chang & Gibbs, Stanford)
21x15x13 mm in 12/08 (5 months post-CK), widespread necrosis, swelling
12x9x6 mm, Nov. 2017; shrank ~78% since treatment!
W&W on stable 6mm hypoglossal tumor found 12/08

goinbatty

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Re: Insomnia post-CK?
« Reply #5 on: August 08, 2008, 12:34:36 pm »
I did that also.  Didn't require steroids....not yet anyway.  With me, it was just stress.  Over the past few years, I go through periods like that where I wake typically around 3A and immediately have way too much on my mind.  I typically read for an hour or more which helps me get back to sleep.  And I've finished some great books!  I wish I was the type that had the attitude of why worry unless something happens.  Well it's just not my personality but I'm trying. 
1/2007 - 6 x 4.5 mm AN
8/2007 - 9 x 6 mm
CK at Georgetown 1/7/08-1/11/08; Dr. Gagnon
3/2008 - 10 x 7 mm
7/2008 - 9 x 10 x 6 mm (NECROTIC CENTER!!!!!)
5/2009 - no change/stable
4/2010 - 10 x 7 x 6 mm; stable/no change
5/2011 - 10 x 7; stable/no change
6/2012 - 8.1 x 7 mm
4/2014 - stable/no change

yardtick

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Re: Insomnia post-CK?
« Reply #6 on: August 08, 2008, 12:38:28 pm »
Tumbleweed,

I agree it post traumatic stress syndrome.  Its been an ongoing battle for me for the last 2 yrs and I did not have CK.

Anne Marie
Sept 8/06 Translab
Post surgical headaches, hemifacial spasms and a scar neuroma. 
Our we having fun YET!!! 
Watch & Wait for more fun & games

Tumbleweed

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Re: Insomnia post-CK?
« Reply #7 on: August 08, 2008, 10:09:39 pm »
Thanks for the replies. It's nice to know I'm not the only one goin' batty (goinbatty).  :D

I'm starting to find a way to combat this. The last couple nights, I did yoga right before going to bed, to calm my nerves and stretch my body. I took 1 mg of melatonin 20 minutes before bed and put another 1mg tablet right next to my bed on a nightstand. As soon as I wake up in the wee hours of the morning, I take the second 1mg dose. I'm usually up for about an hour before it kicks in, but it (so far) has managed to put me back to sleep. If I simply take 2 or 3 mg of melatonin before bed, it wears off by early AM and I wake up and can't get back to sleep.

Hopefully this will continue to work.

I think you're right, Anne Marie. The whole lead-up to CK and the treatment itself -- not to mention my symptoms immediately after coming home -- has probably stressed me out more than I realize.

Hopefully time will heal all (or at least everything that can be healed).

Best wishes,
Tumbleweed
L. AN 18x12x9 mm @ diagnosis, 11/07
21x13x11 mm @ CK treatment 7/11/08 (Drs. Chang & Gibbs, Stanford)
21x15x13 mm in 12/08 (5 months post-CK), widespread necrosis, swelling
12x9x6 mm, Nov. 2017; shrank ~78% since treatment!
W&W on stable 6mm hypoglossal tumor found 12/08