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Insomnia

YMP
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Hi, i was diagnosed with estrogen related breast cancer in Nov and have had surgery and just finished radiotherapy. I am taking letrozole and like so many of you have painful joints, but my main problem is insomnia and because I can't sleep my mind runs away with hundreds of questions. I've tried meditation, hot drinks etc  but once I'm awake i can't relax again, to be honest its purgatory. Does anyone get the same .

  • Hi YMP,

    Welcome to Cancer Chat. I'm sorry to hear this - I can understand how difficult this is.

    It's difficult to give anything other than general advice for this, such as the things you have tried - finding time to relax, staying away from screens in the evenings, setting a routine for bedtimes and getting up times, and so on. If you find you have questions during these times, perhaps you could have a notebook by your bed to write things down so it can be referred back to and not overly worried about at the time.

    Aside from this, it would be worth speaking to your doctor to see if there's anything they can suggest to help with this.

    Hopefully you'll get some more replies to your post soon - you could also have a search of the forum (using the bar at the top of the page) for any other potentially relevant discussions.

    Wishing you all the best,

    Ben
    Cancer Chat Moderator

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    I used to.
    You wouldn’t believe the number of books I read during that period of my life, just to avoid thinking about my worries. 
    Lord of the Rings, the Game of Thrones, War and Peace … 

    It will get better. 

    Good luck
    Dave

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    Hi ymp. I'm on Letrazole excactly the same . I just find it so difficult to fall asleep awake most nights,I'm lucky if I get 2/ 3 hrs sleep.. I've been on Letrazole for 3 yrs have another 7tyrs to go. But I won't stop taking it untill I have to as the fear of the breast cancer returning.  If its helping keeping it at bay ,I'll pay the price of pains and sleeves nights . But I do know how your feeling its not nice . 

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