Steroids! Can't sleep.: I am on and off... - Lung Conditions C...

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Steroids! Can't sleep.

austral profile image
13 Replies

I am on and off steroids win all my chest infection s But I can never sleep, I is hell,does anyone else have this poblem.

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austral profile image
austral
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13 Replies
Tree20862 profile image
Tree20862

I do! If I have to take more than 30 mg, I sleep 5-6 hours daily. If I on 40,5 hours. If I'm on 60 I sleep 3-4 hours daily. Ugh!

Sometimes melatonin helps sometimes benadryl helps sometimes I don't sleep well.

I hope you get weaned down soon so you can get rest.

Lizzie34 profile image
Lizzie34 in reply to Tree20862

Yes this happens for most people who use Prednosone. I’m awake all night when I take Pred. Now I take a small dose of Serepax and it works for me. Do talk to your dr. About it and ask about sedation.

vittorio profile image
vittorio

Oh dear Austral - so sorry to hear about your added troubles .... I take one 5mg steroid pill every day , can't say it affects my sleeping , I know Steroids are infamous for side effects , and as we are all different , this may be a particular one , that affects you ...mind you , I guess with all infections , some of us may take too many , = whenever I have an infection , I will take , as in the so called " Survival pack " - antibiotics as well as a heavy dose of steroids , but when the infection has gone ( check the colour of your mucus - white to yellow to light brown etc ) , - just return to my daily dose , i think it may be time to have a chat with the Doctor on this one ....as I say , we are all different ,what helps one , may not be suitable for another person ...= Good luck ..

2greys profile image
2greys

Take them first thing in the morning is the only tip I can give. I take them at around 5/6 am and go to bed around 11:30 pm, which works out okay. My current infection has not gone despite taking my rescue pack, so another course of Doxycycline to take and my GP has now upped the steroids from 6 to 8 x 5mg per day, hopefully it will not affect my sleeping pattern.

Amanda3011 profile image
Amanda3011

I always had this problem until I took the prednisone just before I went to bed instead of mornings that way I managed to sleep before they kicked in

sarcoid123 profile image
sarcoid123 in reply to Amanda3011

Same with me. When I was on 30mg prednisolone and took them in the morning I was often still awake at 3am. I gradually took them later and later in the day until I was taking them at bedtime, and I could then sleep through. After weaning off them very very slowly, I still take 5mg (as instructed by consultant) and take them at bedtime.

I'm only taking 5mg daily now, after weaning down from 40mg daily over 2 years. No for chest though, I have Vasculitis. This dose doesn't keep me awake. As I'm on Fentanyl patches for yet another condition, I can't stay awake. 🙄

Candyred profile image
Candyred

Aww the devil tablet .. I can’t function properly on 8 a day .. I don’t sleep and find myself up at all hours of the night .. I shake on them to and can’t string a sentence together either .. 6 is my tolerance level .. and that’s at a push! X

O2Trees profile image
O2Trees

Always! I do more housework in the middle of the night when on pred than all the rest of the year.

Lizzie34 profile image
Lizzie34 in reply to O2Trees

Yes I know the feeling! They like to stimulate and so we have a very clean house!,

Jomo46 profile image
Jomo46

I hardly sleep if on steroids. The early morning dosage didn’t work for me. I insist on sleeping tablets from the hospital or gp if put on steroids. That works.

Xx

Burbagegran profile image
Burbagegran

Yes, steroids affect my sleep badly too, usually I can't sleep at all for the first forty-eight hours. That's a good tip from Amanda3011 to take them at night, I'll try that! I also find they make me very depressed, just what I need. Anyway, good luck with it all.

lKeith profile image
lKeith

austral

Hi, read your post so sorry that steroids appear to be giving you grief. For the record they do not give me any side effects or sleeping problems. Obviously something is not mixing well with your other meds, suggest you talk with your GP.

IKeith

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