Depomedrone injection and sleep.

[Tawney]

I had a depomedrone injection about two and a half weeks ago. It's the third time I.ve had one this year, but this time. I.ve become a bit too active and lively and almost sleepless for to or tree nights, with no feeling at all of tiredness . I know this isn't right and I need to be careful this new feeling of well being doesn't get out of hand. I guess asking for help to sleep might ne an idea, tho I don't like sleeping ills. I'm worried about taking my concerns to the gp as I find this med very useful, particularly as I cannot use any dmards for a few months till kidney issues with methotrexate get sorted out. What to do? Does anyone else feel a bit high on depomedrone?

[allanah]

Yes I do! I get awful hyper in my head lol ! I know it's gonna happen so I just watch tv , get milky drinks and accept it now. But if it's making you more " manic" then they might have to see you as it can be problematic. But as they ease my pain it's a price I pay!!it does ease off tho for me after the first week or so x

[Jora]

I go completely manic on high doses of steroids, whether oral or by injection. Utterly sleepless, extravagant, unrealistically optimistic. But I did find that the injection ( both the intended effect and the side effects) start to fade at about three weeks. With the pills, I had to come down very slowly or I became dry depressed.

[TerrilouiseS]

Yes I definitely get a bit too lively after a steroid injection. I had one about a month ago (had three others this year) and had about a week of difficulty sleeping. The funny thing is I expected to feel tired after a restless night but didn't at all. I found on the patient information leaflet given by my GP that steroid injections change your hormones so sleep hormones are interfered with hence the sleeplessness you are feeling.

A quick Google search lists insomnia as one of the side effects.

I also didn'T resort to sleeping tablets so to help myself sleep during this time I didn't drink caffeine after about 5pm, did some exercise that would tire me out but not make me fatigued. I would say the best advice is to not go 'hell for leather' with your new found energy as you're correct it is a false sense of wellness. Use the feeling of wellness instead to look after yourself as best you can without overdoing it.

Also I found laying in bed at night and worrying about not sleeping was the worse thing I could do, so try to wind down at night, perhaps with meditation or reading, but definitely no need to worry. Embrace your new found energy and use it in positive ways.

Hope the mtx works out for you when you recommence.

Terri

[oldtimer]

Yes, not only me noticing it - my daughter says I talk too much when my steroids are increased.

It will wear off so don't worry about it.

[Hidden]

I understand and have had a similar reaction, but mainly to oral prednisone. Hopefully as you say, it will pass. Cheers Doreen

[Tawney]

Thanks for all your nice replies. I tend not to toss and turn much, I just wonder what I can do to pass the time.

But I like the idea of using the sense of wellness to look after myself more. Now that I'm aware of what's happening, I shall be careful. Heavens, in one of my wilder enthusiastic shopping sprees I seem to have accumulated seven bottles of washing up liquid? What was I thinking of? I like the idea of no caffeine near bedtime too. I'm glad you all seem to say it doesn't last too long. Sadly Terri, I cannot go back on mix. I think they are going to try sulphasalazine after the kidney issues are sorted, hopefully early next year.

I'm certainIy going to try reading, meditation and relaxation. I think that may help to slow everything down a bit. Thanks all for kind and thoughtful advice.

[Kathyfitz12]

I must be lucky as I hsvevjust had Depo injection & I am just pain free...however I believe there are different types of steroid injections so maybe if you need one in the future you could ask your rheumy to give you a different "mixture".

In the meantime spoil yourself & enjoy being pain free........catch up on all those books you meant to read.....God bless the Kindle...I can't hold a book these days, but with my "Kindle on a cushion" I can read for hours!

Hope you calm down

Kathy

[farm123]

There always seems to be payback with this disease. My family groan when I say I have had an injection and duck for cover. Along with the sleepless nights at the start there is also an element of 'PMS' like symptoms. Think about which jobs (not major home improvements more that cupboard you keep meaning to clear out and other bits that would make normal everyday easier) you would like to get done while you are under the influence that normally you do not have the energy for but be careful not the overdo it. Farm

[Tawney]

Thanks Farm, and Kathy. I've had to add tramadol and paracetamol to stay pain free, but not nearly as much as without the depomedro. And I think maybe the feeling of rather ott happiness may also be the joy of experiencing life without the methotrexate. I was grateful for it, I even think it was beginning to work when I had to stop, but it did make me feel a bit tired and grim. I feel, apart from ache and pain more like the self I remember before diagnosis of RA. It's all a long journey, isn't it. I'd have thought, a year on from diagnosis , I might be settled on some mess that help. But I'm no further on, and won't be for a few months yet.

And yes, kindles are amazing.......now I've got used to not trying to keep turning pages that aren't there! Thanks for replies. Xx

[earthwitch]

Yes, thats a well recognised side effect. Try to do everything natural you can to help sleep before resorting to any kind of additional meds. It will pass, but you may need to do things like relaxation exercises, warm bath before bedtime, etc to relax you a bit and get you feeling more like sleep. I don't worry about being hyper for a day or two, but then really make an effort to calm myself down as I know its not good to go too long without sleep.

[Tawney]

Good advice Earthwitch. Thank you. I can tell you've been there. If I've had a night without any sleep, I stay in bed a little longer than usual and try and go into rest mode, rather than dashing about, wondering what I can do next.does anyone know, since I'm only taking hydroxichloroquine by itself at the moment, if the depomedro even injections do the same thing? Ie reduce the inflammation? I worry about what damage is going on with this big gap without another DMARD?