Insomnia

[GargR]

Hello friendsn under ibrutinube tgerapy for about 2 yrs. for 11 q delitiin. Underwent TURP in Oct 22. Eversince restful sleep has become a problem. Tried imtriptyline 10 mg, but it was effective only for a fortnight or so. Melatonin seems to be of little effect. Yes, zolpidem is most helpful, but it being a habit forming agent, do not wis to be hooked upon.Seek considered advice

Regards, wishing each one of the society to have complete remission.

[AussieNeil Administrator]

Welcome to our community, GargR, I'm sorry that you have been waiting for a reply for a while, but you haven't shared the symptoms preventing you from sleeping. Also you have linked the start of your sleeping difficulty to your minor prostate surgery, not your CLL. I don't recall a similar question. There are some Related posts which are listed below or to the right of this post, which might help. Otherwise, you may find more relevant help from some of the men's health groups on HealthUnlocked

With respect to the medications you have tried, you have appreciated that it is best not to need them long term, so it is very important to try to find out why you are now having difficulty sleeping so that you can address the cause. If side effects from ibrutinib are effecting your sleeping, some find shifting the time they take ibrutinib can help. If you want to try this, then you need to move the time you take your ibrutinib slowly. The Imbruvica/ibrutinib site doesn't provide any guidance on doing this, but shifting in 3 hour steps should be fine.

The dose of amitriptyline you were prescribed is low and it typically takes two to three weeks to help. It's also fairly common to adjust the dose until it helps.

mayoclinic.org/drugs-supple...

I hope this helps you to sleep more soundly.

Neil

[GargR in reply to AussieNeil]

Thanks Neil. CLL in itself, or ibrutunib intake, for that matter. caused no sleeping problem for a yr. and half. It is only after prostate surgery, four months back, that i developed signs of insomnia. Yes, i had been impatient with the use of amitriptyline, shifting to melatonin onky after a week. Would certainly follow your advice. Hope it helps.Regards.

[LeoPa]

If the sleeplessness is not connected to frequent urination problems then two things come to mind. Alcohol consumption later in the day, as well as carbohydrates ( starches, sugars) consumed later in the day. If one's blood sugar noticeably drops during the night he might wake up. Try to avoid carbohydrate rich meals in the afternoon and do not eat anything at least 4 hours before sleep. See if that helps.

[GargR]

Thanks Leopa. Would certainly try to maintain eating schedule, as you suggested.

[The-Man-with-a-Plan]

GargR.

Saw your post. Wanted to follow up. Like you, I suffer from insomnia. Unlike you, I've been dealing with it for decades, not months. I've taken a lot of supplements. I've been prescribed a number of sleep medications. I've also worked - successfully - with a sleep psychologist.

Pushing aside all the sleep and CLL science for the moment, I personally believe that getting a good night's sleep is the single most important thing you can do for your overall well-being and health. If you can't sleep, everything (figurative and literally) goes straight to hell in a relatively short period of time.

If you remain concerned/afraid of prescription medications, I urge you to speak with a sleep psychologist. She/he can help you develop better sleep habits and - in an ideal world - help you figure out why you can't sleep.

Man-with-a-Plan

[GargR]

Thanks a lot 'man'. Did not, heretofore, considered going to a sleep psycholigist. The suggestion is certainly worthy of putting ny mind to it.

[Gradyboy]

Have you tried a Benadryl at bedtime? That is what my oncologist suggested for me. It works very well when I need it.