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Posted 6/13/2013 10:15 AM (GMT 0)
Has anyone had nightmares and the feeling of not being able to figure things out on prednisone? I have had a real bad time sleeping on it but lately I have had vivid nightmares and an overwhelming feeling of confusion over things that are generally not confusing to me.

I have been on 30 mg for the last 2 weeks. I tapered down to the point where my flare has settled down but when I take less it comes back with a vengeance. I plan to call my Rheumy in the morning.
Posted 6/13/2013 1:07 PM (GMT 0)
Hi good idea to call Rhumy it could be reacting with another drug if you are on or taking something else

personally i have not had that sort of problem on Prednison but Everyone is So Diffrent

and if this has just began now then it deserves a look

when you say Confusion do you mean Flustered Nervous Anxious or Not understanding ?

Posted 6/13/2013 3:24 PM (GMT 0)
Hi BadDay,

It's hard to describe. I get this feeling like nothing makes sense. I'm wondering if the lack of sleep is causing it. I am getting maybe 4-5 hours on average a night and I have always needed more than that to function well.
Posted 6/13/2013 5:19 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Don_D,
I have had similar feeling on prednisone. I had feelings of confusion and felt very stressed, especially while tapering. My GI doc prescribed Atavan, which really helped me a lot.

I am one who does not do well on prednisone, and I would rather not take it at all.
Posted 6/14/2013 2:44 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks everyone, I spoke with my Rheumy and took 20mg today instead of the 30 I usually take. I am hoping that I can get through this. I need to, it was a night of terror last night with the dreams. I am going to humira a try. It was approved yesterday by my insurance. Now I understand why everyone I talked to about Prednisone warned me about it and told me to be careful.
Posted 6/14/2013 5:51 AM (GMT 0)
Good that he lowered the dose but I hope that you will not continue to be in much pain like you mentioned.

When I was on 30 and 40 mgs, I didn't experience what you did. Instead I had hallucinations, crazy anxiety. I normally have mild OCD but on the high dose it was really magnified and I was seriously paranoid . That's why recently my Rheumy took me off 3 meds that I was on and only increased my Pred. to 16 and 20 mgs.
Posted 6/14/2013 2:21 PM (GMT 0)
Hey keep us posted about the humira, sure hope that can be of help for you...many well wishes and I hope the nightmares have stopped and that your pain gets in control!
Posted 6/15/2013 4:36 AM (GMT 0)
Day 2 at 20 mg and I am feeling it. I think that I will stay another day or two at 20 before I go to 15 to give me some time to adjust. Mentally though I feel MUCH better and was able to get some rest last night without having nightmares and anxiety.

Thanks to all of you for sharing your experiences and support. It really helps.
Posted 6/15/2013 5:15 AM (GMT 0)
Good to hear that you got some deserved rest.

From 20mgs., I only go down by 1 or 2 mgs per day for 3 days, then another 1 or 2 mgs. per day for 3 days. That way my body doesn't "notice" the decrease much, so I'm not feeling barely any pain and that pain may be cuz I've been doing a lot of yard work and exercise. Just as long as I take the Pred. at the scheduled times. I'm down to 12 mgs. at this time. Our bodies may react differently to Pred. decrease also. Mind you I was on the higher dose longer than you.

Take care and hoping that your pain stays easily bearable or none at all after the total decrease.
Posted 6/15/2013 2:38 PM (GMT 0)
msOuchie; Thanks for your thoughts, it is certainly a challenge. I'll try your suggestion on cutting only a few mg.

Last weekend I was in church and thought I was having a heart attack (No, confession was NOT involved :) I ended up in the ER for the day and it turned out that my heart is in good shape but I have been relying on too much ibuprofren and I have messed up my upper GI in the process. I was given a prescription for another NSAID but it so far has had zero effect. I was not very happy to hear that I had to stop with ibuprofren. It has helped me so much through the years to deal with achy mornings.

My mornings and evenings are touch and go again now that I am weaning back on the prednizone. As far as the pain I am having to use pain killers to manage it. In all of this I am ok with that. My body seems to have become very sensitive in the last couple years to all medications which I never had to deal with in the past.

In all of this I am really grateful for this board and its members. It is a big help to have a place where I know others have dealt with the same things. Thank you!
Posted 6/17/2013 5:35 AM (GMT 0)
Goodness, that must have been scary for you. :( I was told not to use Ibuprofen. Yes for sure, some drugs can mess us up. There are many more anti-inflammatories out there for our use. Hopefully, you will find a kinder one for you. I was on Vioxx for 2 1/2 years but it was pulled because it was causing some people heart attacks and strokes after an 18 month use(I think it was). Thankfully, I wasn't affected by it.

I do not know which is worse, being overly sensitive to the drugs, as you are or none of the drugs even helping me a bit anymore except for Pred. Oh pooh, both situations are bad. :( I am thankful for the 4 times that I was put into remission through my years with RA with the use of the 4 meds, years ago.

I truly hope that you find a med that works good for you and that lowering the Pred. slower helps you feel better sooner. It's worst a try. You're welcome! Thank you for sharing your experiences and helping others also. :)
Posted 6/17/2013 5:22 PM (GMT 0)
Awe, so very sorry about you having to go to the ER, hope your doing better! I cannot tolerate Ibuprofen medication either as I've had two bleeding ulcer's. Hopefully your doctors can get you on a better medication, many many well wishes and do keep us posted...
Posted 6/18/2013 4:34 AM (GMT 0)
Please get off of the prednisone! I look and feel horrible a year later!
Posted 6/19/2013 4:45 AM (GMT 0)
I would love to. The catch is that when I get below 20mg a day I go into a flare up so bad I can't walk or pour a cup of coffee I am in so much pain. Once I get going on humira I will start tapering off of it. I hope that it works.
Posted 6/19/2013 12:20 PM (GMT 0)
I have trouble sleeping on doses higher than 20mg of Prednisone as well. Never had vivid dreams though, and I have been on doses as high as 60mg (short term). Like you, I can't seem to get below 20mg a day without feeling terrible. Was psycho crazy on Medrol. Plaquenil seems to give me crazy dreams though. I am starting Humira later this month as well. Good luck to you. Not being able to sleep is miserable.
Posted 6/19/2013 5:04 PM (GMT 0)
I spoke with my Rheumy yesterday and she wants me to stay at 20mg a day while I start Humira which will be tomorrow. We can start tapering once it starts working. At 20mg I do still have sleeping problems but not nearly as bad as at 30mg. Also I do still have pain and minor swelling in the mornings and evenings so if Humira starts working I should be able to tell relatively easily.

I just hope that it works. I was on Enbril for a long time and it worked great most of that time until I developed pustular psoriasis and started flaring at the same time. Im not sure why Humira would work if Enbril stopped being effective but it is worth a try.
Posted 6/19/2013 9:54 PM (GMT 0)
Don,

I still have some pain with the Prednisone, too, but it is way more tolerable than without it. I tried Ambien for the lack of sleep, but the craziness of my dreams was too much for me.

My husband has psoriasis and it looks quite miserable, although he doesn't complain much. I have been encouraging him to seek treatment for it, but he steadfastly refuses.

I hope the Humira helps you. Lack of sleep and pain are a vicious cycle. You will have to post your progress once you get going on the Humira.
Posted 6/23/2013 2:18 AM (GMT 0)
I think my reaction to prednisone is similar, but I just can't seem to get completely off it. I was diagnosed with RA & Fibromyalgia over 6yrs ago. I have been on prednisone for over 6yrs and am down to 5mg one day & 2.5 next, BUT, I do "nothing" but sleep, have muscle, joint & headache pain. Crying fits. At the high I was on 20mg day for months. Am I going to have to take a maintinance dose for the rest of my life? My Dr. says it is prednisone withdrawal symptoms & to tough it out. I have been "sleeping" for the last 4 weeks.
Posted 6/23/2013 2:37 AM (GMT 0)
Hi skw,

Are you sure that isn't an RA flare? It would make sense since you are tapering off of the pred. Before I started the Prednisone I was sleeping non stop but I attribute that to my flare, I was in really bad shape. I could not get any restful sleep so I was constantly wore out.

I started my first dose of humira. We are all praying that it works, I have not been myself on the pred and it is taking a toll on my family having me sick. They are all worried and stressed out. 20mg a day of the pred is just enough so that I can function kind of but any more than that and it gets pretty scary with the side effects. Ah, the wonderful world of RA. :)

I hope everyone is well, I will post more on how things progress with humira. -Don
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