HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Rough day & prednisone

Support Forums
>
Rheumatoid Arthritis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 8/30/2012 2:45 PM (GMT 0)
I've been on 5mg prednisone a day for about a week. The past two nights I've had trouble getting to sleep and staying asleep. I'm also still having bad joint pain, stiffness and swelling. Hands hurt so much this morning it almost makes me cry. Low grade fever too, 99.9. Same as I've had on and off for years.

Don't have a definitive diagnosis of RA. So far it's sicca syndrome and gastroparesis.

Any ideas on the insomnia? Will it get better?

I'd call my rheumy, but holding the phone is too painful.
Posted 8/31/2012 2:58 AM (GMT 0)
Prednisone does that to me everytime I take it. Try to take it early in the morning and don't drink caffeine late in the day. I often get up and read for an hour and then go back to sleep.

If it was me I'd double the prednisone for 3 days but you better talk to your rheumy before you do that. A short sharp burst of pred can knock a flare on the head. I have permission from my rheumy to adjust the dose accordingly. If I have a big day ahead I often double it before hand fo one day only just to get me over the extraactivity.

But it is a pain fo sleeping. Relaxation tapes help too.

Sorry my message is a bit garbled, I'm sick right now.

Regards golitho

Posted 8/31/2012 10:12 PM (GMT 0)
Hello,

So sorry you are hurting like this. Have you tried heat for your hands, and/or any topical arthritis pain relievers. I know they only deaden the nerve endings for a while, but hey, any break in pain is a good thing, right? I do the same as Golitho with my prednisone, but I have cleared this thru my RD, too. If you were to call him, he might direct you to raise your prednisone for a couple of days.

Best Wishes,
V
Posted 9/2/2012 12:40 PM (GMT 0)
Good monring, Sayyadina,

I have done that dance w/RA myself. Sometimes, if I cannot sleep because of the prednisone, I take a benadryl, and that helps. You are on a very low dose of prednisone. You don't get that energy boost from steriods at that low a dose. And the truth is, fatigue is one of the wrost things to deal w/when you have RA. It can be disabling. BTW, I use Biofeeze topical. It works well for me. Can you use that one?

Hugs,
V
Posted 9/2/2012 5:46 PM (GMT 0)
Geeez. So sorry! Well then, I would suggest ice and or heat, and lotso f rest. When I don't get enough rest, my RA flares.
Posted 9/2/2012 7:46 PM (GMT 0)
I'm on 10mg of prednisone and it's definitely not giving me any energy but it has helped with the swelling in my hands. They still hurt but not as much as they did when I wasn't taking any.

I'm having a difficult time with fatigue. I had Friday off and I slept til 9am (late for a work day) got up, fed my cats and took my meds. I went back to bed and watched some tv and fell asleep until 2pm. I got up did very little, ordered in for dinner and I was back asleep by 9pm and slept til noon on Saturday ! I was really stiff when I woke up after that amount of time in bed.

Last night I was up until 1am. I took a flexeril and that makes me sleep. Woke up this morning at 9am (thank you kitty cats) took my meds and did a repeat of Friday.

All this sleeping and I'm still tired! No energy. I know the mtx can cause fatigue but I only take it on Sundays. Is it supposed to make you tired all week? And I'm on a low dose, 5mg a week.

I have an appt mid Sept with my doctor and I plan to discuss this.

I can't really help with what to do because I'm just starting to find my way through all this. I can only share what's happening with me.

Oh and I knit also. I love it. I just need to get some energy. I work full time so if I'm sleeping the rest of the time, hard to get the knitting in :)

Hang in there!
Posted 9/4/2012 12:44 AM (GMT 0)
I was just remembering that a local health food shop reccommended magnesium supplements when you can't sleep, it seemingly helps to relax muscles. I guess its worth a try?

I get so annoyed if something wakes me up, a siren or people shouting (we live near a main road with a pub a few blocks away but you occassionally get the odd drunken person yelling their heads off) because once I'm awake thats it I'm like totally awake.

The joys of prednisone huh.

I know magnesium helps me when I cramp but I do remember him saying it can help you to relax too.

Best wishes, golitho

✚ New Topic ✚ Reply