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a little frustrated / venting

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 9/6/2010 8:26 AM (GMT 0)
I am up again not able to sleep - I am becoming all to familiar with the wee hours of 0100 - 0400.  I'm on 40 mg prednisone and remicade.  I'm getting real tired of not being able to sleep throughout the night.  My doctor has prescribed for me to take the prednisone twice a day and I think I read somewhere that it is better to take all in one shot in the morning so it doesn't interfere with your sleep cycle.  Also tonight was the first night that I am experiencing joint aches in my ankles, knees and outer side of left calf.  Not sure if the joint and leg aches is associated in any way to the prednisone.  I feel like I'm working at clearing up the symptoms of UC only to take on other symptoms.  I so just want to go back to a normal lifestyle, UC flare fixed and no drug side affects.  Thanks for letting me get that off my chest!
Posted 9/6/2010 11:51 AM (GMT 0)
I understand exactly how you feel! I was on 40 mg for 6 months and it was tough. My emotions ran wild, I was always either angry or crying over the littlest things. Oh, and the moon face! It was just horrible, I looked like a chipmunk lol.

But to address your concern, I took my pills in one dosage, early in the morning, so I do think it helped keep my sleeping cycle relatively normal.
Posted 9/6/2010 12:46 PM (GMT 0)
I just posted a thread about the shaking the predinsone makes you do. I started on the same mg. now I am being weened off. As far as all your symptoms I have had all of them try drinking more water during the day and go swimming for the muscle cramps. I had them so bad for a week I could barely walk to the bathroom. That helped for me! :)
Posted 9/6/2010 12:52 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the information and support - sometimes it feels like you are the only one and you are going crazy. Especially when you are the only one up in the house at 0230 and it seems like the rest of the world is resting/sleeping peacefully and healthy. I'm prolly feeling a little sorry for myself at the moment and shouldn't - I'll crawl out of my hole. I'm supposed to see my GI this coming Thursday and he will determine if I return to work. I have been out a month and my flare isn't completely gone - I'm wondering how I am going to deal with the not sleeping, general feeling of being on a roller coaster(preoccupied) and the stress of a fast paced work life. Guess we will see what he thinks. I will inquire about taking all the prednisone in the morning. I have a prescription for Ambion (spelling?) but even that doesn't keep me sleeping throughout the night. Again thanks for all the support from this site. This has been a great place to ask questions and confirm you are not alone! :)
Posted 9/6/2010 3:54 PM (GMT 0)
I have the exact same issues. I split my dose for 5am and 2pm yet by 11pm the D comes on strong and from 3-5am im wide awake having to go every 30mins~ Its so frustrating not getting much sleep and my GI doc doesnt seem to have any thoughts of why its so bad at night. I have tried taking all of the pred in the AM and no change other then from 2pm ish on seems like everything starts getting worse again.
Posted 9/6/2010 4:34 PM (GMT 0)
I had the same problem with prednisone. (horrible stuff!) I had insomnia before taking predinisone so it may have affected me more than most. I literally could not sleep at all and would be up for days with no sleep. The morning dose did not help at all for me. I asked my doctor for more Ambien. I took it before periodically, but my doctor said he had no problem with me taking it every night while on prednisone. 10mg would only give me 6 hours still, but better than nothing! Mabey you could try another sleep medication.
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