Does anyone know of a study regarding...

.... the effects of Tamoxifen on sleep?

If they do, grateful for any links.

María

"María" <noemail@xyznothing.me.uk> wrote in message
news8-dnS2zUatvhhjYnZ2dnUVZ8te3nZ2d@bt.com...
> ... the effects of Tamoxifen on sleep?
>
> If they do, grateful for any links.
>

I haven't found anything significant via research, but did start having
major problems with sleep interruption insomnia after treatment (including
chemo & Tamoxifen) started, and it has continued way past chemo (6 years
out now, and it's better but not great). And I'd always been a good
sleeper - 10 or 12 hours straight without waking was easy pre-treatment, and
afterwards I was lucky to get one 3 hour block of sleep before I started
waking up every hour or hour & a half. Switched to Arimidex, and still had
problems. Tried *everything*, including sleep clinic (plus warm baths,
chamomile tea, sleep mask for total darkness, increased exercise - I could
go on & on). Got treated for sleep apnea, which may've helped the short
blocks of sleep become more restful, but didn't stop the wake-ups.
Hypnotherapy helped the most, but didn't totally solve it. I think
Melatonin has helped, too, but I'm not sure enough to consider it
scientific. I'm not willing to stop the Arimidex entirely because it's so
effective as a treatment. I'd rather be alive & tired . . . .

Are you encountering sleep problems? If so, of what nature?

Take care,

Ann T.
Remove 'dontsendspam' from address to reply by email

What you're describing really rings a bell... I didn't have chemo, just
radio and I was on Zoladex + Tamoxifen until last August when the Zola came
to an end, still on Tam, though. I was diagnosed in 2004 at the age of 40.

I used to be a really deep sleeper, now most nights I wake up after two to
four hours and just can't seem to get back again. It's not just the night
sweats, though, of course, those don't help, it seems that where before I wd
drift off straightaway and stay away 'til morn, now that doesn't happen.
It's made worse by the fact that I'm working full-time and have a three hour
commute every day.

The reason why I asked the question was that my previous manager let me work
from home on Wedenesdays when the Centre is closed to the public, thus
sparing me the travelling. A new manager has discontinued that and I want
some evidence to back up my argument that even though I was diagnosed two
years ago, current treatment is still having an effect on me...

Thanks for your reply, as I suspected, I'm not alone.

Regards

María


"A.P. Thorsen" <annthorsendontsendspam@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:em4fid$h13$1@news.msu.edu...
> "María" <noemail@xyznothing.me.uk> wrote in message
> news8-dnS2zUatvhhjYnZ2dnUVZ8te3nZ2d@bt.com...
>> ... the effects of Tamoxifen on sleep?
>>
>> If they do, grateful for any links.
>>
>
> I haven't found anything significant via research, but did start having
> major problems with sleep interruption insomnia after treatment (including
> chemo & Tamoxifen) started, and it has continued way past chemo (6 years
> out now, and it's better but not great). And I'd always been a good
> sleeper - 10 or 12 hours straight without waking was easy pre-treatment,
> and afterwards I was lucky to get one 3 hour block of sleep before I
> started waking up every hour or hour & a half. Switched to Arimidex, and
> still had problems. Tried *everything*, including sleep clinic (plus warm
> baths, chamomile tea, sleep mask for total darkness, increased exercise -
> I could go on & on). Got treated for sleep apnea, which may've helped the
> short blocks of sleep become more restful, but didn't stop the wake-ups.
> Hypnotherapy helped the most, but didn't totally solve it. I think
> Melatonin has helped, too, but I'm not sure enough to consider it
> scientific. I'm not willing to stop the Arimidex entirely because it's so
> effective as a treatment. I'd rather be alive & tired . . . .
>
> Are you encountering sleep problems? If so, of what nature?
>
> Take care,
>
> Ann T.
> Remove 'dontsendspam' from address to reply by email
>

"María" <noemail@xyznothing.me.uk> wrote in message
news:OcSdnXNJBOmRcRvYRVnyvgA@bt.com...
> What you're describing really rings a bell... I didn't have chemo, just
> radio and I was on Zoladex + Tamoxifen until last August when the Zola
> came to an end, still on Tam, though. I was diagnosed in 2004 at the age
> of 40.
>
> I used to be a really deep sleeper, now most nights I wake up after two to
> four hours and just can't seem to get back again.
<snip>

That sounds very familiar, though I have to admit I am/was able to go back
to sleep quickly -- but the sleep was so broken up by waking that I wasn't
getting nearly enough rest. I was exhausted for several years.

Like I said, the most helpful thing for me was hypnotherapy, but other
things have perhaps made tiny incremental improvements as well.

> The reason why I asked the question was that my previous manager let me
> work from home on Wedenesdays when the Centre is closed to the public,
> thus sparing me the travelling. A new manager has discontinued that and I
> want some evidence to back up my argument that even though I was diagnosed
> two years ago, current treatment is still having an effect on me...

Another thought: You might want to ask for a referral to a sleep clinic.
They might be able to help you, and even if not, they could document the
problem. I don't know how this all works in the U.K., unfortunately, but
over here one could ask for the schedule variance as an accommodation under
the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act). Using the ADA is a two-edged
sword: They're not supposed to use it against you, but it can happen . . .
..

Hope you're able to work something out!

Ann T.
Remove 'dontsendspam' from address to reply by email

Hmmm,

Never thought it had anything to do with the Tamoxifen??? My husband
switched schedules after 12 years of working afternoons, he now starts at
5:30 a.m.. He get up at 4:45 and I usually wake up then too and haven't
been able to go back to sleep and then fall asleep almost 6:00 and miss the
alarm for school for my son at 6:30!!! I always was one who once was up in
the A.m. -that was it but if it was early enough I could go back. Maybe it
has something to do with the Tamoxifen and we don't have to get separate
bedrooms!

Tamara

"A.P. Thorsen" <annthorsendontsendspam@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:em76ql$k3e$1@news.msu.edu...
> "María" <noemail@xyznothing.me.uk> wrote in message
> news:OcSdnXNJBOmRcRvYRVnyvgA@bt.com...
>> What you're describing really rings a bell... I didn't have chemo, just
>> radio and I was on Zoladex + Tamoxifen until last August when the Zola
>> came to an end, still on Tam, though. I was diagnosed in 2004 at the age
>> of 40.
>>
>> I used to be a really deep sleeper, now most nights I wake up after two
>> to four hours and just can't seem to get back again.
> <snip>
>
> That sounds very familiar, though I have to admit I am/was able to go back
> to sleep quickly -- but the sleep was so broken up by waking that I wasn't
> getting nearly enough rest. I was exhausted for several years.
>
> Like I said, the most helpful thing for me was hypnotherapy, but other
> things have perhaps made tiny incremental improvements as well.
>
>> The reason why I asked the question was that my previous manager let me
>> work from home on Wedenesdays when the Centre is closed to the public,
>> thus sparing me the travelling. A new manager has discontinued that and
>> I want some evidence to back up my argument that even though I was
>> diagnosed two years ago, current treatment is still having an effect on
>> me...
>
> Another thought: You might want to ask for a referral to a sleep clinic.
> They might be able to help you, and even if not, they could document the
> problem. I don't know how this all works in the U.K., unfortunately, but
> over here one could ask for the schedule variance as an accommodation
> under the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act). Using the ADA is a
> two-edged sword: They're not supposed to use it against you, but it can
> happen . . . .
>
> Hope you're able to work something out!
>
> Ann T.
> Remove 'dontsendspam' from address to reply by email
>
>