Insomnia

[Libs66]

Been on 15mg of Pred for 2 weeks and been pleased with how I have been, hardly any pain and feeling very good spirits. However, last few nights I have been wide awake for hours even though I have felt tired at bedtime. I take it this is a commen side effect. How have others managed this?

[Yellowbluebell]

I have an on going problem with insomnia. I get around 3 or 4 hours max and often less. Try your gp as a small dose of amitriptyline is often prescribed and seems to work for a lot of people. As i take amitriptyline for depression this wasnt an option for me and my gp has tried numerous antihistamines as well. You could also try OTC sleep tablets but check with the pharmacist before taking with your pred. I have tried phenergan which does work slightly for me. Its really a case of trying and seeing what works for you. Good luck. YBB

[suzy1959]

Yes, I take Amitriptyline, 35mgs at about 7:30-8pm and if I forget it for one night I can’t sleep at all. I hate taking extra drugs but it does work for me.😊

[Yellowbluebell in reply to suzy1959]

Lots find a low dose works wonders. X

[Blearyeyed]

Insomnia is a common side effect with doses above 10mg because of the effect that steroids have on your adrenaline and cortisol levels.

You can also experience night sweats or overheating during the day and pins and needles or aching hands and feet.

These types of side effects can be worse if you are also going through the Menopause or are on HRT or have current thyroid issues ( either diagnosed or undiagnosed ones).

Sometimes insomnia can be helped by changing the time of day you take your medication.

If you have sleeping medication sometimes it can help to take it earlier in the evening.

Amytriptyline us prescribed to some people and is effective but some people find it can increase their insomnia , it all depends on the individual and what other health issues might effect them.

Trying some "Sleep Hygiene" methods can help many people to reduce the symptoms.

Having a relaxing bath or shower ( not too hot ) earlier in the evening.

Reducing caffeine intake from tea, coffee or chocolate in the evening .

Eating the evening meal earlier. Eat less heavy meals , carbs and sugars after 7pm.

Having a warm milky drink, a relaxing green tea flavour or sleep tea, or some oats at supper.

Clean teeth an hour before bed as sometimes the peppermint in it can stimulate your mind and wake it up , mint is a daytime scent.

Massage in some lotion and use some gentle joint rotating and stretching exercises on the bed then do some deep breathing and slowly relax your body from toe to head to prepare you body for sleep.

If you have something on your mind that you need to do or talk about get it down on a To Do list for the following day or week , if you know you have a plan you won't think about it as you try to drop off .

Making your sleep enviroment more conducive to sleep by the following:

Changing your pillows . Get a large sleep pillow to rest your whole body on.

Wear comfortable loose clothing.

Use oils like lavender , camomile , rose and petit grain on a handkerchief inside your pillowcase.

Using bedding or a room temperature which is not too warm or too cold.

Turning off phones , reducing screen time on computers or the TV for an hour before bed.

Listening to music or reading a book , but stop reading half an hour before you want to settle to sleep and put the light very low or off.

Turn the music off too if you can or have it on auto sleep mode.

If you don't sleep at your normal time , don't force yourself to lay still , worrying about dropping off makes you tense then you can't sleep.

Sometimes having an entrenched " bedtime" can hamper your sleep when on medication as you become anxious at not going to sleep at the right time.

Get up and stretch your legs , have a drink , look out at the sky , relax and try again as you feel calm.

If you wake in the night and find it hard to get to sleep again sit in a quiet place with a warm drink to relax then go and lie down again as you feel your body relax.

Don't be afraid to have a short nap ( about an hour) in the day if you need one. Sometimes being over tired because you didn't nap actually makes it harder to sleep a night. If you suffer from insomnia in the long term you have to learn to sleep when you need to not just when you think you should .

If all else fails you can ask the GP for more help with medication or check that a herbal remedy you want to try is alright to use with your current medication. Most of these things only work for short periods of time and are better to use little and occasionally rather than every night as the begin to become ineffective.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Blearyeyed]

"If you wake in the night and find it hard to get to sleep again sit in a quiet place"

You mean if you wake up don't think about whether you might or might not need the loo - get up straight away and go! Preferably without putting the light on ...

[Blearyeyed in reply to PMRpro]

Yes , obviously the loo run comes first , it would be hard to sit and and relax in a quiet place if you had to keep crossing your legs!!😋😂😂😂

Sometimes , I do find if I drop off easier than normal at a reasonable time though that I wake up for no good reason two hours later and then find it hard to drop off again if I just lie still , that's when the nighttime potter helps xx

[Libs66 in reply to Blearyeyed]

Many thanks, some valuable advice

[Hidden]

Blearyeyed has provided a beautiful response. Yes.. the insomnia is most likely the pred.

I initially took my dose with my main meal... (the gp didnt suggest the best time to take it) I enjoyed 100% relief from pain but was only managing around 3 hrs sleep (if that!) at night.

I changed to taking the pred early morning. Which helped.

Please rest. Please please please...DO NOT get caught out like most of us here initially did and think you're ok to continue; I made that mistake...and my first two tapering attempts were unsuccessful.

I wish you all the very best. Read up on info. Arm yourself with knowledge...and you will beat this.

[Libs66 in reply to Hidden]

Many thanks yes I will.

[Daffodilia]

I use Tropics sleep spray on pillow - lavender plus

[dillydally1]

I have had a problem with insomnia for years, even worse now since taking pred. I have been taking amitriptyline for a few years now. I have got down to 20mg at night. I take it about 18.30pm because of the grogginess in the morning. however amitriptyline does not help put you to sleep but once asleep it seems to help you sleep a little bit longer x