HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

prednisone insomnia

Support Forums
>
Ulcerative Colitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 2/4/2008 11:06 AM (GMT 0)
never had prednisone insomnia until last night....only at 20 mg...any suggestions?
Posted 2/4/2008 12:44 PM (GMT 0)
I had pred. insomnia the entire time I was on it. Suggestion wise...I took a warm bath at night and read to calm down. I had a newborn at the time so sleeping pills were not an option for me.
Posted 2/4/2008 1:54 PM (GMT 0)
I have terrible insomnia with Pred. Since I didn't want to take sleeping medication, I just tried to relax and decide that when my body needed sleep, it would take it. Also, I learned to sleep when I could. The "experts" always say if you have insomnia, don't take naps, go to bed at the same time every day, blah, blah. None of that worked for me. I went for a long time refusing to let myself nap so I'd sleep at night. What I found was that naps made no difference in whether I slept at night. So, following my dear husband's suggestion, I started sleeping whenever I could. If I was home and felt sleepy, I laid down and slept for thirty minutes or an hour.

If you don't mind taking another med, try calling your doctor and asking for something to help you sleep.
Posted 2/4/2008 4:02 PM (GMT 0)
On high doses of pred, much higher than 20, i would only sleep for about 4 hours a night. i took advantage and watched the sun rise, read books, and as judilyn said slept when i felt i needed it. It was actually kinda of nice. I took a vacation in the mountains and the sunrises were amazing.

I agree with Judilyn, if you need a regular schedule and don't mind the meds, call your doc.

Good luck!
Posted 2/4/2008 10:02 PM (GMT 0)
When I've had problems I take a couple Tylenol PM. Doesn't leave me feeling groggy, but YMMV. This past summer when I was on between 30 & 60mg I actually loved it. I was able to get to sleep most of the time at a reasonable time, and would wake up at 5 a.m. ready to go (I'm not a morning person!) Pred. isn't all bad!
Posted 2/4/2008 11:15 PM (GMT 0)
Funny thing....I am back on 60mg of pred due to a bad flare I am having and just last night...after being on this for almost 5 days now, I am having major insomnia! The pred is still not totally working for me yet though. I am giving it two more days...and then may have to see what is up because I feel worse then I have have on it. Usually I tolerate it very well, but not this time.
Posted 2/4/2008 11:39 PM (GMT 0)
i only weigh about 20 lbs, but do you think 20 mgs could actually be causing this? i had been tapered but settled on 20 for longer than a week - maybe my body is used to the taper? how ever my uc is better than its been a while. today even though i was exhausted, i didn't have much of an urge to go, kinda weird. btw, thanks to everyone's reply - always good to know in my frustration that i'm not along although i wouldn't wish this on anyone.
Posted 2/5/2008 1:02 AM (GMT 0)
PMI, it depends on your body's response. I have trigger fingers in both hands, and the treatment for these is steroid injections into the tendon sheaths. The last time I had this done, I had insomnia for about two weeks. Just from having steroid injections into my hands! So it depends on how sensitive your system is to it.
Posted 2/5/2008 1:07 AM (GMT 0)
I know how you feel. I'm only on Cortenema yet I totally am experiencing the "rush" if you want to call it that. I feel tired, and sleepy, but I can't sleep. It's the worst feeling. At the same time I don't feel like doing any work either. I hope I can come off of these soon!
Posted 2/5/2008 3:21 AM (GMT 0)
Prednisone needs to be taken as early in the morning as possible to avoid insomnia, because pred can cause racing mind it attributes to insomnia so it's best to take your pred first thing in the am.

:)
Posted 2/5/2008 11:22 AM (GMT 0)
hey, i slept great last night! hopefully that's the end of the insomnia....knock on wood. thanks everyone
Posted 2/6/2008 2:04 AM (GMT 0)
I take Tylenol PM and it usually helps me sleep at night and its fairly gentle. I was prescribed Ambien and Lunesta and neither really worked for me. Ambien made me feel very uneasy and the Lunesta gave me a headache.

If I am still awake after an hour or so I'll take a Xanax, between the Ty PM and the Xanax that usually does it til my alarm goes off in the morning.

I have to get up at 6 am and if I don't get a full eight hours of sleep I am useless the next day. I also need an hour nap in the afternoon. I think it's the inflammation my body is fighting. But with the Pred wanting me to be awake (that "racing mind" someone else mentioned) it can be a battle to get all the sleep I need.
Posted 2/10/2008 4:18 AM (GMT 0)
I'm currently on50mg of pred. and i only sleep about 4-5 hours a night. It's horrible!!!! i'm such a 8 hour sleep girl and it's killing me. I usually take a xanax at night, it helps me fall asleep. I just am not a big fan of taking any more meds, but sleep is very important right now and u need to do what u can to get some. The weekends i usually nap when possible. Definitly crappy- makes me moody. mad
Posted 2/10/2008 4:32 AM (GMT 0)
mood swings are also a side effect from pred....take your pred first thing in the am to aid with insomnia but it won't help with the mood swings.

:)
Posted 2/10/2008 4:38 AM (GMT 0)
I always took my Pred at 6 AM. Didn't keep me from being up until 2 AM, and nothing I tried overcame it. My system just doesn't tolerate steroids well, I guess. Sometimes I was so sleep deprived I hesitated to even make a decision because I didn't feel my brain was working all that well.
Posted 2/10/2008 5:21 AM (GMT 0)
I have been taking Ambien every night since I've been on steroids and I will continue until I get off these darn roids. I teach high school and go to school at night, I cannot afford to be "out of it" or I'm worthless. Don't make yourself sicker by becoming sleep deprived is what I say. If you are on steroids you are already taking one of the nastiest drugs there is, may as well throw some good sleeping pills in the mix!
Posted 2/12/2008 12:29 PM (GMT 0)
I didn't sleep a full night for more than a year. Up at 1, then 3, then 5 I was out of bed. I tried to relax. I didn't take anything to help me sleep. This was just 1 of the symptoms I had on pred. Talk to your GI and see if he / she can help. Judy
Posted 2/12/2008 3:57 PM (GMT 0)

Tell your doctor! I had insomnia before I ever started taking steroids. I would literally go days and days without sleep, to mention the slew of other side effect that the "crazy pills" brought to town. Thank goodness I told my doctor and was perscribed Ativan. It helped me to sleep and counter the mental disorganization I was having as well. After I got off the steroids, I switched to Ambien for long term maintence of my insomnia... it knocks me out quick and keeps me asleep. You don't have to take it every night. Before having UC I just dealt with my insomnia and lived with it which was fine then.... but as the other posters have mentioned... Sleep deprivation is really the last thing you need when in your condition... it will only make it harder for you to heal. You need all the strength you can get!!!

Posted 2/12/2008 4:05 PM (GMT 0)
I had the insomina as well, my suggestion get a netflix account deal with it.
Posted 2/12/2008 6:51 PM (GMT 0)
i've never had it either (tho have had all the other side effects = ) and been at 60/40 alt days, up until a few days ago, now at 40mg a day. I feel more clear headed the past couple of days.

Hope you are ok!
Posted 2/12/2008 10:39 PM (GMT 0)
hey all, i am doing great as far as the insomnia...seemed to be a one time thing, lets hope it stays that way, thanks for all the help!
Posted 2/12/2008 11:13 PM (GMT 0)
I know I have issues with insomnia around my period time regardless of being on prednisone, anyone eles notice a pattern with insomnia and their periods?

:)
Posted 2/13/2008 3:36 AM (GMT 0)
Brand new member. Haven't figured it out yet but have to provide input regarding insomnia. I use hypnotic sleep tapes/CDs....use little earphone plugs that aren't uncomfortable. I Never stay awake through a whole session...just drift off to sleep. Mine are about weight loss but you can buy all kinds. Worth a try. Sure do know what you're talking about regarding insomnia ...a great time to catch up on reading.

Sunshine9
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply