ANA Discussion Forum
Archive => Archives => Topic started by: amylynn on August 28, 2006, 03:19:46 am
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Cant sleep since my diagnosis. its been about a week. sx is not till october if my insurance wiill pay for House. any suggestions?
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Nothing like starting with a hard question hey. Only 1 week since diagnosis. I imagine you are still in shock and trying to get as much information as possible. This site is great for you to listen and learn from others who have been through the same. I'm sure your doctor can point you in the right direction if you ask. Good luck and keep positive.
Regards
Chris
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I don't think I slept more than a couple of hours for the first few weeks. Tylenol PM really helps me, but I only use it only occasionally. I can tell you it does get better after a month or so, but there are still times I toss and turn thinking about it.
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By all means tell your doctor about it. Lack of sleep stresses you out and can make you sick and cause your symptoms to worsen. There are safe prescription sleep medications out there these days. No need to suffer. If these are not for you, melatonin, 3 mg is also a safe alternative, but still tell your doc.
Capt Deb 8)
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Tylenol PM got me through that fisr month after diagnosis. Probably not the healthiest route, but it worked!
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Sleep?  I almost forgot what it is.  I've tried all of the prescribed meds and a few really older ones.....still no uninterrupted sleep.  I wake up every hour or so all night long.  The only thing I have found works for me is total darkness, total quiet and meditation for a while and I pray.  I try to catch a nap anytime I'm feeling like I need it and even if it is only fifteen minutes I grab it.  WHen I wake up during the night if I don't fall back asleep in five minutes I get up.  I relax in the recliner or on the sofa.  I am usually more rested than when I try to force sleep in bed.  I'm fourteen months post op tomorrow. 8) BrendaO
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xanax for anxiety
ambien for sleep
Talk to your doctor!
Melatonin will help you sleep which is an over the counter supplement.
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It has been 5 1/2 years since my surgery and I still can't sleep unmedicated-I rely on ambien. I have been taking it for years and I am worried about its long term effects on the body. Does anyone think that an AN and the surgery could cause this? Patti
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How in the world has your doc kept you on Ambien for 5 years????? There's a new med called Lunesta which is supposedly less habit-forming than Ambien. And there's yet a new on which I forgotten the name. I have always been a bad sleeper and I shuffle back and forth between Lunesta, Ambien and melatonin--don't want to "habituate" with any of the prescriptions. It is really important to get sleep pre-AN surgery. Lack of sleep compromises your immune system and you don't want to go into major surgery like that.
Capt Deb
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I never tried the ambion, the OTC stuff, tylenol ,excderin etc PM made me very groggy and unproductive the next day. My GP prescribed me Trazadone, which in low dose, 25mg, worked great for me. Kept me asleep through the night and I felt fine in the AM. I was told it was not habit forming, but just in case I went off. I do my best to stay off these meds. I still use it once in a while when needed but I could use it every night for months and skip a few nights and never feel like I had to have it. Good luck, lack of sleep is no good for you, adds too much stress to the body when you already have enough. Do what you need to to get some sleep.
Patti UT
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One of the things I did pre-op was bump up my exercise. I had 2 months between diagnosis and Tx and I went into surgery in really good shape and I think it made a huge difference in getting back on my feet. I also helps with sleep.
Capt Deb 8)
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Drugs. I mean meds. Ambien works well for me, they now have timed-release. Been on it for 8 months now, they don't usually recommend that. And an anti-depressant boosts it, called Remeron. Natural remedies don't work for me, unfortunately.
Nan (DD)
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Amy
Sleep deprivation is a shocker. I have very strong "power of the mind" and can shut a lot of things out (except for some of the extreme headaches I get. My wife went through a rather serious bout of depression (non AN related) i think it was coz she was married to me!(LOL) seriously now, she tried lots of things - ended up seeing a shrink who prescribed her a cocktail of meds - she is now only on one and thats a mild dose and she sleeps quite well. She needed the drugs to help her.
When my worries get the better of me, I try two "non drug related remedies".
1. laughter - spontaneously laugh - this seems odd and especially if you are in a crowd or at work but get your mind swinging over to something funny. Look at a picture on a wall and change its shape into something else and just laugh. If you do this often enough, you will find that you can swing yourself out of the depressed mind set you have from time to time and may allow you the opportunity to close your eyes. It is much easier said than done.
2. Not sure about this one but you can by cd's titled sleep music. play it on continuous mode under your pillow or something. Most of them are water related. This helped a bit.
You are probably saying, how can i laugh about a surgery to remove this grotesque growth in my head? and you are right - but try. For a light mind relief, I also find the Good Morning thread terrific for my therapy. Especially if I am having a rotten headache day, if I don't post, i certainly look at old posts (coz there are 70 pages of posts) and have a giggle over some of the stupidity and silliness that exists on that thread.
message - divert your mind.
Laz
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im new here as well and i have not been able to sleep very much at all.
i have clonazepam which helps, or tylenol PM really works and im not too affected in the morning
with lasting affects.
You are not alone, if you ever want to talk please PM me, our situations are quite the same.
Take care of yourself,
T
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I too found the time between diagnosis and surgery very stressful and had trouble sleeping.A friend brought me a yoga meditation cd .You lie down in the dark and the soothing voice tells you to breathe,and works through a relaxation of all of your limbs etc.
The woman's voice put me to sleep every time...I'm sure similar cd's are available at local health food stores or yoga centers.
Jacobs
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It's Patti again. I am so happy because last night I slept without medication. I told my husband to hide the ambien from me. The night before I had a dose of lorazepam and it helped greatly but I felt badly yesterday because I rely so much on ambien and when I try to stop I have anxiety about falling asleep and take one of my husbands lorazepams. Last night I had no anxiety and it worked. Here is the catch though-I have two teenage daughters-one who we took away to college as a freshman last week. Between my part-time job, my daughters and the occassional marital squabble there is usually something that bothers me at night. Last night was just a good night. I am not working for 5 days to let this sleep thing sort out. I guess I get anxious easily. I have tried therapy for years. It has helped with a lot but anxiety is still an issue. I used to be a science teacher and now I can't teach anymore. Therapy has helped me with accepting that but it still gets in my mind. I am babbling today. I will enjoy the good day! Patti
PS- how do you add the biographical stuff to the bottom of your entry?
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PS- how do you add the biographical stuff to the bottom of your entry?
See the "how to's tips for newbies" postings in the Welcome Message Area it's under "signature"--you can even post your pic!
Capt Deb