Just started TX, sleep problems

[tomofficial]

I just started my 48 wk adventure last Sat. I am type 1a, taking 180 pegasys wk and 1200ribv daily. Have not been able to sleep more than 2 or three hours a night since start of TX. Lunesta does not work neither does ambien. I have had prior sleep problems but not every night. Any advise for the rookie

[painterlady13]

Don't know if this will help but it's worth a try.
It may be the ribavirin making your sleep probs even more enhanced, It does tend to cause sleep probs.
I had to start taking my Riba at 4 so I was able to sleep. I  also take ambian cr so I even if I wake i am able to go back to sleep fairly quickly

[Cindy10]

I too had issues the week or so and did the same thing. I take the second round of riba around 3:30 or 4pm as well, big difference. I wish you well with your tx.

[Pdilly]

I too take my Riba when I get home from work...immediately.  I also do not drink any caffine after 5pm.   I will not drink any unless I have drank at least 10 cups of water.  My doctor said to stay clear of caffine.  Riba sleep issues is probably why.
Good luck!

[NYgirl]

Even with the Ambien extended release I don't sleep through the night.  It helps me zonk out and get a few hours but after the initial sleep wave...it's sleep, up, sleep, up, sleep up.

The ribavirin really does affect the sleeping.  I'm a geno 1A and 1B and on week 63 and I can't tell you  how MUCH I am looking forward to finishing just so I can finally someday get a real night sleep!

If you aren't on Ambien or another sleeping aid...I'd suggest you call the doctor for one pronto. Caffeine doesn't really seem to make a difference with me.....if I don't drink any for DAYS I still don't sleep straight through EVER.

I do take the pills as early as possible but...once you build up a steady stream in your blood, and you have the full serum level built up-that doesn't make any difference at all anymore.

It's just something we have to muddle through and deal with.

It is chemotherapy so remember...it's tough. But we CAN do it!

Hang in there.

[Sally01]

Hi, are you going to 70 weeks?  I'm watching your progress but I don't remember if it is 70 or maybe 60 something.

[Lady E]

I've been taking Ambien too, and have found that lately, it doesn't really put me to sleep in 1/2 hour like it used to.
I am pretty restless at night (I don't usually get up)..but wake up & look at the clock 2-3 times per night. I'm usually awake about 15 minutes before my alarm goes off at 5 am.
*yawn*

[sass_blue]

I am into week 6 of treatment, geno 1, 1000mg Riba a day and 180 Peg a week.  I was determined not to take any other meds while on treatment but have ended up taking temazepam 10 mg a night when I need it.  I am also contemplating going on a mild anti-depressant....crying all of the time..anything that helps me to stay on treatment I have decided that I will take....good luck..

[FlGuy]

Welcome to the game. In addition to moving the riba times (assume you take 3, twice a day) you may also be affected by the peg which, I found, also causes lack of 'good sleep'. Don't worry it should resolve in 47 weeks or so. Your fluid intake, if it hasn't already, should increase while on tx.  The increased intake with the almost diuretic effects of the meds, keeps me up and going at nights and keeps me away from the good rem rest.  I usually use ambien on shot nite and the folloing two nights and find that it helps me get to sleep - but not for long.  You probably need to do some experimenting with meds, eating schedule, exercise til you get a little more settled in.  But, a solid 8 hours of rest is a thing of the past for a while. Caffeine and sugar effects I think are a little more exagerated on treatment. Good luck as you go on. I'm in week 5 and still getting acclimated to it all too.

[tomofficial]

47 wks does not sound like a long time if you say it fast. Thanks for the advise, I'll move my meds up to 4:00PM or so and see if the ambien cr works.

[goldyn]

I too suffered not enough sleep but also found out that ativan will calm you down and help you sleep, it has been around for a long time, its a calmer downer pill and is also used for anxiety, and insomnia.....

[painterlady13]

Xanex works well for that too.  Anxiety has been a big thing with me too and it really has helped in the sleep department also.

[sfbaygirl]

LOL Welcome to jumanji...When I first came on the forum I wondered what these people were talking about all the pills they had to take on tx. I thought there is only the Riba, what's up? Well, I found out quickly and over the 31 weeks my pill drawer seems to grow by the week. Lot's of things I don't take anymore, or once in a while.

I took Lunesta, got migraines. I took ambien and slept 3-4 hours, then took another. That gave me the sleep I needed. My dr. says the CR doesn't work so well...Now I can't stop sleeping. I can't watch any Tv, cuz I fall asleep. So this too can change...sleeping may not be an issue next week. I haven't needed the sleep aids for over a month now. I still wake up, but try not to worry about it. If you worry about not sleeping it seems to make it worse. The anxiety sets in and then your'e in trouble. Now I just wake up, relax and go back to sleep. If not read, write etc for awhile and fall back asleep. Try not to worry too much unless you are absolutely miserable.

[Forseegood]

I've had insomnia for years and these are the things I do...I listen to hynosis tapes on my ipod, while I'm resting in bed, there is a good site to pick them up, Hypnosisdownloads.com, they are only like 7 bucks a piece, they are wonderful for sleeping...often, I'm out by the time the tape is done and I just pull my headphones off and I'm gone...

They have one tape that consists of breathing exercises and relaxing images....it is said that if you do 7:11 breathing, it is very relaxing to the body....this is also good for anxiety producing situtions, often when we are anxious, it's harder to sleep or even relax....I've listened to these tapes, or better said, downloads, that often when I lie down to sleep, I'm "programmed" to relax, going over their tapes in my mind, and I'm better able to turn off the worrisome, noisy thoughts that keep me awake in my feverish little mind...ha ha!

7:11 means you breathe in through your nose to a quick count of ten, then breathe out through the mouth for a quick count of 11...do this for awhile and you'll see how relaxing it is, I try to do this twice a day, that way the body is "trained" to breathe like this on it's own, where the breathing is much deeper and slower...many anxious people are shallow, rapid breathers, which only makes their anxiety worse, one works on the other...and of course, youre on drugs that tend to make many people anxious..


Also, I've found that some people are like me, I don't do well with "sleeping pills" per se, and I do better with tranquilizers that "relax" me to sleep...sleeping pills will knock me out alright, but I wake up within a few hours, while tranquilizers keep me asleep longer, either ativan or xanax, I prefer ativan and it says on the "lit" of ativan that it is the most liver friendly of the tranquilizers...maybe this will help you...

I try to eat bananas right before retiring for the postassium, which is supposed to help one to sleep, also a good calcium/mag supplement or better yet, a food with calcium and magnesium in it...of course, run all this by your doctor

Youre on treatment so youre insomnia is prob worse then mine, but you might get some helpful hints from my post anyway, at least I hope so...

[Forseegood]

In a paragraph above I said 7:11 breathing improperly, of course you breathe in to a quick count of 7, then breathe out to a quick count of 11....it's been a long day at the dentist...always fun! at least he doesn't have hairy hands so I've got something to be thankful for...

[NYgirl]

Hi!  I'm doing 72 (on 63 of 72 this week!) It seems like it's been FOREVER right now but I can FINALLY see the light at the end of the tunnel.  I did great until about week 50 then I started to go BLAH! why am I doing this YUCK...but I rebounded again.

It's so much a matter of spirit I think. But EVERYBODY gets down once in a while. It's times like that this board come in so so so invaluable!


You know guys I have to wonder...why do I sit at my desk all day and feel like I could put my head down and just sleep HARD but as soon as I've gotten the 3/4 hours a night I'm like bing bing bing bing...off the walls again?

I feel like an old lady that needs a nap! I remember when I used to wonder why "old people" slept in chairs all the time and stuff. Ouch does that scare me!  ;)

[petespin]

I was using an ambien plus melatonin at the end of tx.  As a consolation, sleep was one of the first things to return (about 3-4 weeks post tx).

[ADKmtnMan]

Read your question and thought I would share with you my solution -- I was advised by my Doc to take a couple tylenol PM's and an ativan (1 g) --> I sleep like a baby for a good 6-7 hours.

Good luck -- I am in week 6 of 48 and the SX have grown a bit more bearable but I must admit, this is no cakewalk!