insomnia | Arthritis Information

For the last month I've had awful insomnia. I can go to bed and try to sleep at 10ish and I'm still unable to get to sleep at 2am. Then I have to get up with my daughter when she gets up and I'm so tired I can barely make her breakfast before I have to lay on the sofa.

I know RA is to blame for the fact that once I'm asleep I often wake up with pain in my toes or some other area (that and the fact that our mattress is almost 15 years old!). But is it to blame for the fact that I can't fall asleep. It's not pain keeping me from falling asleep- even if I'm hurting or aching it shouldn't be severe enough to keep me from falling asleep consindering that in the afternoon when I'm hit with fatigue (my daughter willing) I can fall asleep for a nap.

So is it possibly part of the RA or is it just run of the mill insomnia?

I don't know your history or what meds you're taking but it could be the meds. Pred. is infamous for causing sleep problems as are some of the other meds. Stress is a big factor along with pain. Some pain meds rev you up instead of knocking you out. Also, each individual responds to meds in different ways. If you've never had insomnia before then you should talk with your doctor. LindyI am certain that Lynn posted >>this<< article earlier in the month, but my search skills and patience are nil-to-none today, so I will take the easy way out and post the link.

As your pattern of sleeplessness has lasted a month it is probably time to discuss this with your physician.

Cheers, Shug
I was thinking maybe prednisone too. When I was on a high dose I had trouble too. My body was dead tired but my mind was racing with all kinds of ideas and plans of what I wanted to do,,,, Insomnia can be caused from many things. I had a problem with insomnia for over a year. I just kept putting off calling the doc. Then, anxiety set in (I guess from the lack of sleep). I finally made an appointment with my GP and she said that it's common in menopausal women. I had insomnia off and on since my RA got worse in 2005. I use to think it was the pred, but then I was DXed with fibro last year. My RD tried sleeping pills with me, and well... it was kinda hard to get the recommended # of hours of sleep, because I HAD to be the one to wake everyone up in the morning, and no one would leave me alone to fall asleep when I took my sleep pills and went to bed at 9pm.

Then my RD finally put me on Lyrica for my fibro, and I have not had any insomnia since! I am SO greatful for this, because I was beginning to go nuts with lack of sleep and it was causing me more pain and problems because when I do not get good sleep and 8 hours of sleep my fibro acts up and in return it makes my RA act up and then they both get pretty bad from there and I am just SOL.

I hope you get help with your insomnia. I know how it is to have it, and it totally sucks.