Trouble Sleeping, taking Predisone | Arthritis Information

IDK, maybe I am sensitive to predisone. I get all amped up at night and sleepy during the day. I take it in the morning, maybe I should try taking it at night? Anyone have problems with Predisone keeping them up?

Awake In Ohio,

Lisa

YEP, I was on 30-40 mg. daily for about 4 years and night sleep was impossible. I'd sleep for a couple hours, up for a couple, back to sleep, etc. Luckily I was able to sleep during the day, so I managed 6-8 hours a day but it was in 2 hour increments. I understand the problem that you're having and about all you can do is sleep when you can. Wish I had some other advice but I didn't find anything that worked and the doctors didn't want to give me sleeping meds. It's not fun but hopefully you'll be tapering and off Pred. soon. LindyEveryone has that problem while taking prednisone as far as I know. LOL My sister is taking prednisone and she was up all night and then taking naps during the day. I thought she would never turn off the light last night.

When ever I stay at her house we both sleep on a large L shaped sofa, her at one end and me at the other. It is funny because there is an empty bed. I think once we put the kids to bed we don't want to go back to the bedrooms for fear of waking them up. Plus the sofa is closer to the kitchen. Remind me not to stay there when she is on pred again. Oh my! LOL She will be off of the prednisone soon. She had an injury about a week and a half ago or so.

I was on prednisone for the better part of two years. So I have been answering questions for my sister all week. She has been getting jumpy muscles, eating everything in sight and staying up studying or doing something. It is all just part of it. When the amount you are taking gets decreased enough you sleep better.

Let us know if you get bored maybe someone will be up to talk to you. How much are you taking?

milly2010-02-10 22:09:56Welcome to my life. That has been me for over 5 years now, and since I have dropped below 5mgs I have been sleeping better at night and actually not so sleepy thru the day. I do get occassional bouts of insomnia when the fibro acts up, but when it abates, I am able to go to sleep at a decent time and wake at a decent time and stay awake until time to go to sleep again.

Now that I have upped pred back to 10mg since a week back, I am unable to sleep at night, want to eat all the food in the house and then fantisize about the yummy food at the stores and resturants. You know how hard it is to sleep with a growling stomach and wake up hungry? LOL! But as of Wednesday... I am back on 20mgs of pred for a week and then I am to taper down 5mg every week until I get back down to 3mg and then every month taper down 1mg until I am able to be off the pred completely or can stand the pain without the pred.

I hope you get some sleep soon.

I'm a freak. When I take prednisone, I feel better, I eat less, and I sleep better. My doc can't figure me out! There have been several drugs that I seem to have the opposite side effect than what's listed. Milly, I am taking what I believe a relatively low dose. My Rheumy knows how I despise Steroids. I had a really bad experiance on solumedrol (sp) IV therapy for a MS flare, I ended up in the hospital, my edrenal glands were not functioning properly, it effected my thinking, my heart raced, anxiety levels went through the roof, my breathing was rapid in my sleep, my DH woke me up because I scared him, lets just say it was NOT a good experiance.

I had Iv pushed through me at a very rapid rate with some high speed diuretic, and heart monitered, and some other thing added to the mix to replace what I had lost...just can't remember any longer.

My dose schedule is as follows: I recieved 30 pill of 5 mg

3 tabs every morning with food for 5 days

2 tabs every morning with food for 5 days

1 tabs every morning with food for 5 days

Kweenb, You are fortunate!

I only had trouble on high doses and what helped was to take the bulk of it before noon and than like 10 mgs. at noon to keep me comfortable thru the night and early morning.

I found it was better not to fight it when I would pop fully awake like "it's time to make the donuts!" at 3 AM. I would get up and turn just one light on and read until I felt drowsy enough to get back in the bed and lay still. Luckily I was on medical leave so I didn't feel pressured about not sleeping. I napped during the day if I had to.

Best of luck to you with resolving this issue!

Inflamed,

I think that the prednisone is broken down to prednisolone or something like that like an adrenaline rush. And from what I've been told, that is the "stuff" that the body shoots out in a dangerous situation, like a fight or flight situation. Therefore you can understand not being able to sleep if your body is putting out that stuff into your brain. In a fight or flight situation the last thing you'd be able to do is sleep. There is however, some medical reason to take the prednisone at about 9am. Apparently the body puts out it's own prednisolone at about the 9am time. And the pred wears off in the morning and so at that time, our bodies become low prior to the kicking in of our morning dose. I did at one time start taking pred in the evening. Not a good idea. It really screws up the natural balance. Of course, all of my information is what i believe to be true but you really need to talk to doc before switching times.

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LinB, I shutter to think about taking predisone every day for FOUR years. So glad you do not have to any longer :)

Lev, Thanks for the advice, It make sense to me. I have that fight or flight feeling...sort of skiddish. ( Disclaimer noted, it made me smile )

I slept a little better last night, I was exhausted. I tried to answer some e-mail and make some post and my eyes got so heavy I shut the PC down and was asleep in less than a minute ( exhausted ) . I managed a few hours at a time and would wake up...then doze.

Well at least I got some sleep, for that I am thankful. Two more weeks and 2 days left taking this stuff...YUK

On the upside,

My joints are better
I am going to the office today
I am flying to Florida on the 19th to see my daughter and my beautiful Grandson Gavin!

( Gavin is pretty much the reason I decided to be gritty and take the predisone, I want to keep up with the toddler)

Take care everyone, and thank you for the support.

(I truly hate pred...it is like an evil love hate relationship...nice to know others understand)

Good Morning Inflamed,

Glad you are feeling better. About the long term prednisone, I think that as the body gets used to the extra prednisolone, it is easier to get a good nights sleep but still harder to reach that third stage of sleep. I am still at 6 mg of prednisone but after three and a half years of high doses, it's just hard to wean especially at about 6mgs. Still way down from the 20-25 mgs that I was doing. And I do no other drugs with the exception of my 6 month rituxan regimine. And yes, I too have a love hate relationship or fear relationship. But so far no real problems from the pred but it sure has given me much relief over the years.

Hoping you enjoy your trip and time with loved ones.

LEV

It always feels so good to just feel better.
On that jingle jangle morning I'll come fly with you.

(this is how I am feeling this morning)