Prednisone and sleep

[bellawhite]

I guess I'm just weird, but if the Pred is keeping you from going to sleep at night,,,, why don't you take it in the morning?? I have always taken mine that way. I've never had a problem with it and I get to sleep at night!!! I have never been told I couldn't take it in the morning!! Am I wrong?? One thing's for sure, you will never have to worry about going to sleep in the daytime!!

[PMRpro Ambassador]

The best and recommended time to take pred is in a single dose in the morning - but for some people it still keeps them awake the next night, especially when they are on really high doses for GCA. Pred doesn't keep me awake either, it did make me a bit wired when I had a week on a high but fast taper but at the usual PMR doses I had no problem.

Everyone reacts differently - one lady couldn't keep awake when she took her pred in the morning. She switched to taking it at night, slept like a baby and was awake during the day!

[piglette]

I think most people take pred in the morning, that still did not stop me not being able to get to sleep at night. Before pred I could get to sleep in seconds.

[HeronNS]

I slept extremely well when I first started pred, because I was no longer in so much pain that movement woke me up. Now that my dosage has been cut by just over a third I am more insomniac. But, as I've posted elsewhere in this forum, I don't mind getting up in the night.

[lesley2015]

I, as most have said take mine in the morning and am lucky if I get 3 -4 hours broken sleep, on a bad night I cannot get any at all. But I am working full-time so find this so distressing, it leaves me frustrated and exhausted- but still unable to sleep! I am actaully signed off sick (3 weeks in total) to try and balance things, but unfortunately I go back next week and it is exactly the same.

[lillegirl]

I have always taken mine in the morning, waiting for a time that I can manage more than 3-4 hrs in 24 hrs sleep, constantly on a high, take all the usually precautions to induce sleep but nothing really work! Either get up and do something or continue to listen to musi/audio books! I refuse to pick up programmes on iPad or watch tv, trying to encourage restful atmosphere although I don't think it really makes any difference, if you are programmed to react to Pred, you are programmed to react and nothing seems to change that! Started on 50 mg in September, now down to 30 mg, a little way to go before I can hope of any change in circumstances, but ever hopeful!!

[Rjw2014]

I have always taken mine in the morning. At first when I was on very high dose I was taking it with breakfast, and was awake from three or four each morning. When I eventually got to see a rheumy she advised me to take it when I woke at three or four with a glass of milk, as the insomnia was caused by a drop in blood steroid levels. I used this regime successfully until on less than 10 mg, when I reverted to taking at breakfast time when on holiday so as to not disturb the rest of the family. When taking it at three, I could go back to sleep again after about 20 minutes. I now sleep through (apart from bathroom breaks!)

[suzy1959]

I take it in the morning and was really struggling to get any meaningful sleep until I started to take Amitriptyline which has really helped the sleep ( you take it in the evening) and also some of the pain. I don't like to be on more drugs but at the moment and until I can get to a lower dose ( at 11mgs and have been for most of the 3.5 years), I need it in order to function, especially at work.

[Lafontainepam1]

I have read it should be taken before 9:00 am. I find that taking it as soon as I get up is best. Rest is key to PMR so taking something at night to help you sleep would be a good idea I think.

[Hidden]

Pred needs to be taken first thing when the body's steroid levels are at a natural low, any later it probably will keep you awake.

[tangocharlie]

I'm confused now. I asked my GP if I could take my preds at night as I struggle to get to sleep and wake up about 4 even if I do get to sleep by then. He said as I've been on pred so long I'm just toping up the dose and it will make no difference when I take them, just so long as I keep taking them regularly. I'm sure getting more sleep would help my body heal, wish there was an answer.