Does any one know if chemo would make you sleep all the time, or if its the canc!
Question: Does any one know if chemo would make you sleep all the time, or if its the cancer itself!?
We just found out that my mother has lung cancer!.
The only thing the doctors can do is chemo treatments!.
She has 3days of treatments and 3weeks off!. As of right now
she has had 1 three day treatment, and that was over a week ago,
and all she wants to do is sleep!. Is this normal with chemo, or is it
the cancer itself!?Www@Answer-Health@Com
The only thing the doctors can do is chemo treatments!.
She has 3days of treatments and 3weeks off!. As of right now
she has had 1 three day treatment, and that was over a week ago,
and all she wants to do is sleep!. Is this normal with chemo, or is it
the cancer itself!?Www@Answer-Health@Com
Answers:
I have lung cancer and I find that I sleep a bit more on the days of chemo and a day or two after I'm on the same set up as your mom!. But I do force my self to go to work on Monday!. I have my chemo on Wen, Thur!. and Fri!. I go in for the 4th time this Wednesday!. Good luck to all of you!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
For me it was the chemo!. Before I even found out I had cancer, and before the chemo, I was generally ok!. But during the chemo I would spend most of my time sleeping!. I would only be up for a few hours a day!. I finished chemo a few months ago, and I still get exhausted by the end of the day!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Definitely, some chemo causes extreme fatigue/sleepiness!. Mine would hit on the second day after the infusion and last for 2 solid days!. I napped on and off through the day!. On the fourth day after, I could feel the urge to sleep lift like a veil being removed!. It was weird!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
some types of chemo can make you sleepy but the medication that made me sleep was the anti nausea drugs!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Often times, chemotherapy drugs cause patients to feel tired and sleepy throughout the day!. Therefore, patients on chemotherapy can end up napping or sleeping during the day and that leads to difficult sleeping at night or through the night!.
Sometimes sleep problems exist because of other medications prescribed to combat side effects of the chemotherapy!. For example, steroids, like dexamethasone, may be prescribed to control nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy and can also make you feel energized (and cause difficulty sleeping)!. Hence, it is helpful to avoid taking steroids after five or six o'clock in the evening!.
Stress and tension of the cancer and the treatment can also cause sleep problems!.
Things you can do to manage insomnia:
Try to identify the cause of your sleep problems!. What is insomnia caused by!? Are you in pain!? Are you worried about something!? Are you drinking too much caffeine!? Are you letting yourself sleep throughout the day!? Are you feeling depressed or anxious!?
Share your thoughts with your health care provider about your sleep problems!. One way to do this is by keeping a sleep diary!. Chart the times you are asleep and awake!. Note what you think may be contributing to your difficulty sleeping!.
Follow these guidelines to help overcome difficulty sleeping at night:
Do not eat or exercise within 2 hours of bedtime
Make the room dark
If you have an electronic clock, or one with an illuminated face, turn the face away from you!.
Use the bed only for sleeping (not for watching TV or reading)
Keep a consistent sleep schedule!. Make sure you go to bed each night and wake up each morning, at the same time!.
Minimize daytime naps!. If you must take a nap, do not sleep for more than an hour at a time!. Longer naps will make you feel more tired, and may contribute to sleep problems such as insomnia!.
If it's okay with your doctor, try some mild to moderate exercise during the day!. For example, take a twenty- minute walk most days of the week!. Exercise will help keep you up during the day, helps relieve stress, improve your mood, and oftentimes will help alleviate sleep problems!.
Ask your doctor or nurse if you are taking your medications at the right times of the day!. As mentioned above, it is best not to take steroids in the evening!.
If you are drinking a lot of caffeine, try to slowly cut down and avoid drinking caffeine in the evening!.
If pain is causing difficulty sleeping, make sure you are taking prescribed medications as recommended!. If this is not helping your pain, talk with your health care provider!.
If your sleep problems are becuase you are worried or anxious about your cancer, talk with your health care provider or social worker, and/or become involved with a support group!. Try to listen to relaxing music or partake in activities that help you feel less tense (i!.e!. singing, praying, cooking, painting, reading, etc!.)!.
If you are feeling depressed, notify your health care provider!.
Some people have found over-the-counter remedies such as aspirin, ibuprophen, diphenhydramine (Benedryl?), Simply Sleep by Tylenol? , or acetominophen with diphenhydramine (Tylenol PM? ) to be helpful!. As with any medication, Www@Answer-Health@Com
Sometimes sleep problems exist because of other medications prescribed to combat side effects of the chemotherapy!. For example, steroids, like dexamethasone, may be prescribed to control nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy and can also make you feel energized (and cause difficulty sleeping)!. Hence, it is helpful to avoid taking steroids after five or six o'clock in the evening!.
Stress and tension of the cancer and the treatment can also cause sleep problems!.
Things you can do to manage insomnia:
Try to identify the cause of your sleep problems!. What is insomnia caused by!? Are you in pain!? Are you worried about something!? Are you drinking too much caffeine!? Are you letting yourself sleep throughout the day!? Are you feeling depressed or anxious!?
Share your thoughts with your health care provider about your sleep problems!. One way to do this is by keeping a sleep diary!. Chart the times you are asleep and awake!. Note what you think may be contributing to your difficulty sleeping!.
Follow these guidelines to help overcome difficulty sleeping at night:
Do not eat or exercise within 2 hours of bedtime
Make the room dark
If you have an electronic clock, or one with an illuminated face, turn the face away from you!.
Use the bed only for sleeping (not for watching TV or reading)
Keep a consistent sleep schedule!. Make sure you go to bed each night and wake up each morning, at the same time!.
Minimize daytime naps!. If you must take a nap, do not sleep for more than an hour at a time!. Longer naps will make you feel more tired, and may contribute to sleep problems such as insomnia!.
If it's okay with your doctor, try some mild to moderate exercise during the day!. For example, take a twenty- minute walk most days of the week!. Exercise will help keep you up during the day, helps relieve stress, improve your mood, and oftentimes will help alleviate sleep problems!.
Ask your doctor or nurse if you are taking your medications at the right times of the day!. As mentioned above, it is best not to take steroids in the evening!.
If you are drinking a lot of caffeine, try to slowly cut down and avoid drinking caffeine in the evening!.
If pain is causing difficulty sleeping, make sure you are taking prescribed medications as recommended!. If this is not helping your pain, talk with your health care provider!.
If your sleep problems are becuase you are worried or anxious about your cancer, talk with your health care provider or social worker, and/or become involved with a support group!. Try to listen to relaxing music or partake in activities that help you feel less tense (i!.e!. singing, praying, cooking, painting, reading, etc!.)!.
If you are feeling depressed, notify your health care provider!.
Some people have found over-the-counter remedies such as aspirin, ibuprophen, diphenhydramine (Benedryl?), Simply Sleep by Tylenol? , or acetominophen with diphenhydramine (Tylenol PM? ) to be helpful!. As with any medication, Www@Answer-Health@Com