Tiredness and trouble with sleep weeks after prostatectomy...???
Irv had his surgery on November 9th, almost 2 months ago. He seems to feel tired a lot and isn't sleeping well. He wakes up in the middle of the night and doesn't fall back asleep.
I worry about him. Why is this happening? He went for another PSA test and we'll get the results at his follow-up visit on January 4th. I'm afraid to find out what it is.
Is this tiredness and sleep trouble from the surgery or from the cancer? He's also having some issues with his bowel and we don't know if it's his colitis (which has been inactive for several years prior to this), constipation and/or hemmorhoids.
My biggest fear is that the cancer is starting to ravage his body. Is this possible after a prostatectomy? He had extensive nonfocal extracapsular penetration, a unifocal positive margin and seminal vesicle involvement. Not a nice way to start the New Year. Any insight would be appreciated.
Rhonda
The following user gives a hug of support to honda50: IADT3since2000 (01-02-2011)
Re: Tiredness and trouble with sleep weeks after prostatectomy...???
Hi Rhonda,
It's a bummer that Irv is having trouble with sleep on top of the other recovery issues. I hope you will get some responses from surgery veterans who can share their experiences, but I'll give you some things to do that might help.
Quote:
Originally Posted by srhonda61
Irv had his surgery on November 9th, almost 2 months ago. He seems to feel tired a lot and isn't sleeping well. He wakes up in the middle of the night and doesn't fall back asleep.
I usually sleep well, but not after intense exercise, and sometimes not in the first month or two of each of my cycles on full triple hormonal blockade therapy. I've found that melatonin helps, at least in getting to sleep, and I think it also helps me get a more restful night. However, of several brands I've tried, Schiff is the only one that works well for me.
Sometimes buffered aspirin helps, especially if I'm sore from exercise. Other NSAIDs might also help.
One simple tactic that nearly always helps me get back to sleep in the middle of the night is to eat a piece or two of toast with jam. I do that sparingly as I don't need the calories or extra carbs, but those carbs apparently promote sleep.
Turky meat also has a chemical that can promote drowsiness. It might be worth a try.
Of course there are also OTC and prescription sleeping aid drugs.
Quote:
I worry about him. Why is this happening? He went for another PSA test and we'll get the results at his follow-up visit on January 4th. I'm afraid to find out what it is.
He's probably worried too. At least you will know soon. If the results do not provide peace of mind, you might want to both seek some counseling. Some major centers have excellent counseling services for cancer patients, and of course religious institutions can also be a great resource.
Quote:
Is this tiredness and sleep trouble from the surgery or from the cancer? He's also having some issues with his bowel and we don't know if it's his colitis (which has been inactive for several years prior to this), constipation and/or hemmorhoids.
My biggest fear is that the cancer is starting to ravage his body. Is this possible after a prostatectomy? He had extensive nonfocal extracapsular penetration, a unifocal positive margin and seminal vesicle involvement.
My impression is that it is very unlikely that Irv is now being ravaged by cancer. For the vast majority of us, prostate cancer is fairly or very slow growing. It seems likely to me that his trouble with sleeping is probably due to recovery from the recent surgery.
I suspect that a doctor would be able to determine what is causing the bowel problems. While the surgery may be involved, my layman's view is that it's unlikely the cancer is causing the trouble.
Quote:
Not a nice way to start the New Year. Any insight would be appreciated.
Rhonda
I hope you both get a break with the result of that PSA test. However, if it is unencouraging, there is a lot that can be done. Here's to a happier new year!
Re: Tiredness and trouble with sleep weeks after prostatectomy...???
Hi Rhonda,
So sorry to hear what Irv’s been going through. As always, I love Jim’s response. (So practical and encouraging.) I certainly don’t have a lot to add, but wanted to share a bit of my experience. I was diagnosed with PCa in November of 2007 at the age of 50. (PSA of 66, Gleason 7, both seminal vesicle and lymph node involvement.) Since I wasn’t a good candidate for surgery, I started hormonal therapy immediately, and radiation therapy in early 2008.
There’s so much going on during the season of therapy (surgery, radiation, hormonal) that many of us guys get overloaded. It’s like the cancer takes over our lives. Along with the physical toll of surgery, it’s possible that Irv is still dealing with the emotional stress of the situation. It takes a lot of strength and energy to walk through these things, and that can zap the best of us. So as you might expect, depression – at some level or other – is very common among those of us with prostate cancer. (Especially during the first year or two after diagnosis.) And this often results in fatigue, insomnia, hopelessness, or frustration. I’m thinking that this might be some of what’s causing Irv’s constant tiredness and waking up in the middle of the night. He certainly wouldn’t be alone in this. I’ve been through seasons during the first couple of years where I battled both of these things.
Well, this is where some of Jim’s practical suggestions come in, so I think I’ll bow out now. Bless you both as you walk through this tough season. I’ll be praying for you.
Re: Tiredness and trouble with sleep weeks after prostatectomy...???
Hi Rhonda,
Another possible cause for sleep loss is excess cortisol, brought on by stress. A couple of years ago, the stress of work and life finally lead me to a cortisol overload, which resulted in anxiety attacks and a general breakdown of my ability to handle any stress at all. I experienced ringing ears, anxiety, cranial and neck muscle tension, and an inability to sleep more than a few hours before waking up.
The doctors I visited had no clue, as there aren't standard tests that detect this condition. I was essentially told to visit a shrink for my mental condition. It was only after finding an alternative medicine doctor in San Fransisco (Dr. Cowan) that the real cause was discovered. He prescribed a natural remedy called Cortisol Manager (available online) which really helped. My cortisol is now under much better control and the symptoms have receded to a much less bothersome level.
My wife subsequently researched the issue and found that the active ingredient in Cortisol Manager is magnolia bark, and I've since switched to that much cheaper remedy. I take two pills when I go to bed, and if I wake up in the night, I take another.
I don't know if this applies to Irv, but Dr. Cowan opined that cortisol imbalance is a very common malady of people in their fifties and above. If other approaches don't give any results, you might try these; aside from a little expense, they don't really have any side effects.
I hope this helps a little, and I wish you and Irv the best.
Tom
Last edited by Gleason9; 01-04-2011 at 05:22 AM.
Reason: removed mention of online seller
The Following User Says Thank You to Gleason9 For This Useful Post: IADT3since2000 (01-04-2011)
Re: Tiredness and trouble with sleep weeks after prostatectomy...???
I had a robotic prostatectomy last September and didn't sleep at all for two weeks after returning home. I attribute this to the fact that I had never had any surgery previously and feel my body clock was upset by the anesthesia during the surgery. In any case, I wound up going to an acupuncturist who treated me for two weeks and gave me two herbal compounds called Calm ZZZ and Somnolin which I took at night along with Melatonin. The first night after treatment, I slept for five hours and have not had sleeping problems since. You may want to give acupuncture a try.
The Following User Says Thank You to calrep For This Useful Post: IADT3since2000 (01-04-2011)
