sleep

[JAY0914]

anyone know anything safe to take to shut my brain up so i can get some sleep ...arg

[alagirl]

I told my employer that I was going to be on chemo and didn't really want to go into the particulars.  Of course, everyone now assumes that I had cancer.  But anyway.  I still think that in my case its probably for the best.  

I take ambien at night.  And sometimes benadryl.  

[banarep]

i take lunesta, the day of my shot and sometimes the next day.  other than that, just generic benadryl

[JAY0914]

thanks nygirl for reply....i have a close friend at work i trust that knows...problem is i work for a pharmacy and have to use their insurance to get meds...my boss or rx sup could look up what im taking and figure out whats wrong...but its against the law to do that...i like ur excuse if i have to use it...

[nygirl7]

Telling your employer is like a 50 50 gamble. Some people are understanding and not bigoted by the stigma of the disease but that other 50% wow they suck big time.

Most of us have found that telling the boss we had a blood disorder and were on chemo was enough of an explanation.  But wait and see how you do......some people make out fairly easy with sides.  

You do have to be careful about who you tell.......it's sad but true.

[skersj]

I agree exercise helps but about week 42 of treatment I became very aware of overwhelming anxiety. (I am on wk 48 of 72)  My doctor gave me a Rx for Buspar and it has made all the difference. I now can settle down and rest.  I wish I had started it earlier. For a few weeks there, I felt like I was on a caffeine high. Not a good feeling!

[IMstacie]

I take benadryl to help me sleep, in fact I cut it in half.

I agree with jd regarding telling the employer. I, personally, would not share this information. There is a lot of stigma surrounding this virus.  I do believe you need to tell them something, Many can't go thru this without showing signs of illness.  Some folks just say they are on Chemo and leave it at that.

[jdwithhcv]

I advise you not to rush into a decision about speaking to your employer until after you have a treatment plan with your doctor.  You do not have to make all these decisions right away.  There is a lot of ignorance, fear, and misinformation surrounding this disease, so think it through before you tell people.  

Try not to worry any more than you can help.  It will work out, and you will find a way forward, but it may not be clear all at once.  You may find that the picture emerges slowly over time.

jd

[JAY0914]

thanks jd..i will let you know what hep doc says arg...also would it be wise to tell my employer about this or not? seeing how it will change my attitude and some days ppl will know im not well ...

[jdwithhcv]

Jay, its pretty clear from your posts that you are experiencing a lot of anxiety.  I can relate, that makes it really hard to sleep.  I find Ativan (lorazepam) is very helpful for when I need to shut my brain up (I like the way you put that) so I can sleep.  When you see the doctor tomorrow, tell him/her about this problem and ask for a prescription.  Its not something you should take every day but it works really well for those times when you just cannot stop worrying.

Good luck tomorrow.  Try not to borrow trouble, plenty of people work through this treatment.  

jd

[Bill1954]

If that doesn’t help, you can try OTC melatonin or diphenhydramine (benadryl). You can buy these inexpensively at Walgreen’s, Kmart, etc. Additionally, your doctor might Rx something like Ambien to help you through situational insomnia; hope it doesn’t bother you for too long--

Bill

[Bill1954]

Exercise… even moderate walking or something similar is probable the best thing you can have for it. It doesn’t require too much either. Take care,

Bill