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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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How Can Insomnia After Chemotherapy Be Treated?

Hi my wife is a cancer patient who has just finished her 7 chemo sessions. She is on Lorazepam (total of 2.5 mg a day). She is having trouble sleeping these past few days and wonders if it is okay to take a 3 mg tab of melatonin to help. What do you think?
Wed, 7 Jun 2017
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Psychiatrist,  's  Response
Hello and Welcome to ‘Ask A Doctor’ service.
I have reviewed your query and here is my advice.

As you have mentioned your wife is on chemotherapy and taking Lorazepam for sleep. Lorazepam is actually very good medicine for sleep but it has high addiction potential. So, it has to be taken for a short period of time only. Melatonin is considered good drug if other sleeping tablets fails to respond. I would suggest you to stop lorazepam for your wife and try other safe medicines like Zolpidem. You can also consider melatonin but only after consulting psychiatrist.

Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.

Regards,
Dr. Prashant Gohil
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How Can Insomnia After Chemotherapy Be Treated?

Hello and Welcome to ‘Ask A Doctor’ service. I have reviewed your query and here is my advice. As you have mentioned your wife is on chemotherapy and taking Lorazepam for sleep. Lorazepam is actually very good medicine for sleep but it has high addiction potential. So, it has to be taken for a short period of time only. Melatonin is considered good drug if other sleeping tablets fails to respond. I would suggest you to stop lorazepam for your wife and try other safe medicines like Zolpidem. You can also consider melatonin but only after consulting psychiatrist. Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further. Regards, Dr. Prashant Gohil