Not Sleepy

For the last several days, after working outside all afternoon building a platform to get in and out of the hot tub, and then relaxing on the couch for a couple of hours watching detective series on BBC, I have had difficulties falling asleep when retiring to bed around 11:00 p,m.   On some of these days, there has been afternoon naps for about 90 minutes but on other days there has been no afternoon naps, yet the sleeplessness persists...  I am tired but once I lay down there is no sleepiness that arrives until after 2 hours or so.  In the mornings, when I awake and get out of the bed around 8:30, I am tired like I have not slept enough which quickly fades after being up for about 30 minutes whether I drink coffee or not.

Could this be my THYROID MEDS?

Perhaps...  regulating the Thyroid, as I understand it, is a tricky business...  and, while my diagnosis is relatively new, I suppose there is still enough time for me to have been "thrown out of balance," and will need my dosage changed.

Being in my 70's, I know that my age puts me into a category where normal body functions fluctuate, putting the overall body into a physical condition that does not necessarily follow the norms of a younger body when it comes to physical strength, endurance, stamina, eating and sleeping habits.  I am certainly no exception here...  but, as my THYROID MEDS has removed my fatigue, I find myself becoming more and more active...  and, it could be that change in behavior that has caused this sleep disorder to appear.

ISOLATION

What is the psychological impact of isolation?

There is substantial evidence linking perceived social isolation with adverse health consequences including depression, poor sleep quality, impaired executive function, accelerated cognitive decline, poor cardiovascular function and impaired immunity at every stage of life.

Yet, this is exactly what we must do and continue to do for 1-2 more months.

Isolation Has Profound Effects on The Human Body And Brain. Here's What Happens...

SARITA ROBINSON, THE CONVERSATION
3 FEBRUARY 2019

Imagine being confined to a small, dark room, with no social interaction whatsoever for 30 days. Not many people would jump at this opportunity.

But, in November 2018, a professional US poker player Rich Alati bet US$100,000 that he could survive 30 days alone and in total darkness.

He was kept in a small, completely dark room with nothing but a bed, fridge and bathroom. Even with all the resources he needed to survive, Alati couldn't last the month. After 20 days he negotiated his release, taking a payout of US$62,400.

There are countless negative effects that social isolation and extreme isolation can have on our minds and bodies. Alati was no exception, reporting that he experienced a range of side effects, including changes to his sleep cycle, and hallucinations.

But why is isolation so difficult for humans to withstand?

One of the reasons that living in isolation is difficult is because humans are social creatures. Many people that have lived in isolated environments – such as researchers stationed in Antarctica – report that loneliness can be the most difficult part of the job.

Yossi Ghinsberg, an Israeli adventurer and author who survived weeks alone in the Amazon, said that loneliness was what he suffered from most and that he had created imaginary friends to keep himself company.

Loneliness can be damaging to both our mental and physical health. Socially isolated people are less able to deal with stressful situations.                                 

Read Complete Article

Side Effects

2:16 am} and, I cannot sleep...

Retired, so I worry about very little other than what am I going to do tomorrow...

My eyes and body feel tired but when I lay down in the bed, I feel wide awake and just lay there wondering when the drowsiness will put me to sleep...

So, here I am drinking coffee with a little Cappuccino Mix in it to make it swallow a little easier...   and actually, I think I have become addicted to this sugar-free or fat-free mix because straight coffee no longer tastes good to me which is typically all I used to drink after being in the Navy...

I was in communications and worked in the Radio Shack on the USS Recovery ARS-43 which was a salvage and rescue ship.  It had less than 100 men aboard her and every two years she would spend 6 months in the Mediterranean Sea patrolling outfitted with the latest surveillance gear before leaving port at Little Creek, VA which was part of the Norfolk Naval Base.

About 1:00 am this morning I awoke from sleep because I had to take a piss and after laying back down in my soft, comfortable warm bed, laid there for a hour unable to return to sleep.

Because of my non-Hodgkin's "B" cell Lymphoma, I take 2 - 140 mg tablets of IMBRUVICA  daily which is considered an Immunotherapy Drug, not a Chemotherapy Drug.

Common side effects of Imbruvica include:
low platelet count,
diarrhea,
neutropenia,
anemia,
fatigue,
musculoskeletal pain,
muscle spasms,
joint pain,
swelling of the extremities,
fever,
upper respiratory tract infection,
cough,
shortness of breath,
nausea,
bruising,
indigestion,
constipation,
rash,
abdominal pain,
vomiting,
decreased appetite,
swelling of the mouth and lips,
urinary tract infection,
pneumonia,
skin infections,
sinus infection,
weakness,
nosebleed,
decreased appetite,
dehydration,
dizziness, and
headache.

Of course, my inability to sleep could be coming from my enlarged prostate and a PSA count that was twice what it was last year and over the recommended amount and the reason why I am going to a Urologist to see if I have prostate cancer next week.

In addition to my IMBRUVICA, I am receiving a monthly infusion of OPDIVO to control my Metastatic Melanoma which in a matter of 41/2 years went from my foot to my groin to my neck; although, when it was removed from my neck, the Melanoma was DEAD thanks to the radiation treatments I had along with the OPDIVO infusions; apparently, when OPDIVO is combined with radiation, the radiation super-charges the OPDIVO to fight the Melanoma...   lucky me...

Common side effects of Opdivo include:

• fatigue
• rash
• itching
• cough
• upper respiratory tract infection
• swelling of the extremities
• shortness of breath
• muscle pain
• decreased appetite
• nausea
• vomiting
• constipation
• diarrhea
• weakness
• swelling
• fever
• abdominal pain
• chest pain
• joint pain
• weight loss
• irregular heartbeat
• eye inflammation
• infusion-related reactions
• increased amylase
• increased lipase
• dizziness
• numbness and tingling
• skin peeling
• skin redness and
• psoriasis.

YEAH...  I was pretty frigging amazed when I saw these two lists too...  I have been taking immunotherapy drugs for two years but I have also been taking chemotherapy drugs for 10 years, all of which basically has the same side effects...   

WHILE sleeplessness in not on the list...  WTF...  I experience it once or twice a week like clockwork...