Prednisone and disturbing dreams.

[Cairocat]

I’m slowly tapering down from 30 mg (July 2018) to 5/6 and my rheumy is very pleased. Blood work is good and she says my own adrenalines are beginning to wake up so we are going to continue the slow and steady taper. Great, but my “newest” issue is recurring , vivid, disturbing dreams. There doesn’t seem to be a consistent reoccurrence of possible causes (I.e. spicy food, excess wine, scary tv, etc...) so is Pred to blame? Google findings indicate that Pred does impact sleep patterns ...but I trust the wise folks on this forum. Opinions and suggestions always welcome. Pmr is certainly a journey....

Happy first day of summer...

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I know people have complained of vivid dreams on high doses of pred - but it seems strange to link them to pred at such a low dose if you didn't have them before.

Out of interest - what convinces her your adrenal function is waking up if you are still at above 5mg pred?

[Cairocat in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you for your prompt reply. I have always been a "dreamer"...and usually forget them but I have noticed more frequent, memorable dreams in the last 3 or 4 months and they're not particularly pleasant either. I thought I had a fairly decent understanding of the side effects/nature of PMR, but when I googled "disturbing dreams and prednisone" I was surprised at the number of responses. Life long learning on the PMR road.

My rheumy said that the adrenalines start to kick in around 6 mg and since I have standing order blood work done each month, she might have seen an indication??//?? Perhaps she was just re-assuring me? She said the "original" plan when I was diagnosed in July 2018 was to taper off within a year. I told her I didn't think that was going to happen and she agreed and also approved of my own ....how I'm feeling...taper plan. It has taken a solid month of 6 mg, then some upping and downing to 7, then back to 5 to get to the 5 right now. She said I may need to do the same as I drop from 5 to 4....and it could take 2 months of 5/5/4/5/4 etc. Okay.

Again, thank you for your reply and your wise words. I read all of your comments.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Cairocat]

I doubt she will have been checking cortisol levels - and they should be checked without having just taken a dose of pred so you should be aware.

If you read my comments - you will know PMR doesn't often go away that fast!!!

Thinking about it - I wonder if you are remembering your dreams because you aren't sleeping as soundly?

[Cairocat in reply to PMRpro]

After following this site since last November ( and I am so glad I found it) I am well aware of the uniqueness of PMR. I would just like to be able to get the prednisone under 5 mg as that seems to be when the side effects are greatly diminished. Right?

Cheers

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Cairocat]

Wouldn't we all!!! I can't really speak to that though - I have next to no side effects from pred whatever dose I'm on, not even 15mg!

When you know how it is not too difficult to manage many of the side effects of pred pretty well. Ask and someone will almost certainly have suggestions that worked for them.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Cairocat]

True the side effects are lessened as you get below 5mg, but it is also much more difficult to reduce as well. Slowly, slowly, little steps required! Can you reduce from 5 to 4.5mg rather than 5 to 4. At this low level you’d be surprised how much difference 0.5mg makes.

[Cairocat in reply to DorsetLady]

Yes, that's what my dr. said as well, that's why she has recommended the staggered 6/6/5/6/5/5/etc. I may give the .5 a try, but the 1 mg are so small to start with and I am a bit of a hazard with a knife, or purchase a pill cutter.....slowly though.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Cairocat]

Get a pill cutter - quite cheap from any chemist.

[linda49 in reply to Cairocat]

There are also 2.5 mg uncoated prednisone pills available. These combined with 1mg pills would remove the need to cut pills until you get to 1.5. dose.

[SheffieldJane]

I went through a phase of vivid, weird dreams. Not nightmares but strange. I think it is in the side effects. I feel that I read it somewhere when I had a particularly odd dream.

[Hidden]

I have very vivid lucid dreams but believe mine have been due to amitryptiline in the past and lately with duloxetine for neuropathy. They can be disturbing and there is a bit of coast line that if I ever find myself on it in "real" life I will leave asap. I go with the flow now and enjoy them!

[GOOD_GRIEF]

Before pred, I had maybe two or three dreams in my life that I remembered upon waking.

At higher doses, I was enjoying my "movie making", even the disturbing/scary dreams. They are, after all, just movies.