Dropped to 20 mgs now for last 4 days

[arvine]

well as posted previously, rheumy did bloodwork, markers flagged "High" , put on40 mgs for one week , about 3or more wks ago, then drp to 30 for 2 weeks, now 20 mgs for 4 days, suppose to stay there for 2 weeks, what I find strange is, first of all, sleep deprivation, weak, agitiated, weird, but seem to feel a little better by end of day, makes me think the prednisone dose, taken at 8 ish each morning, is causing me to feel this way, then starts to wear off by end of day? but then again, that doesn,t explain insomnia problem, still waiting to hear re catscan on neck(arteries), and stroke clinic, any thoughts on why feel somewhat better by end of day?

[Sharitone]

I can't give you any explanation, but I have also always felt a bit better in the evenings. the insomnia, like search lamps being turned on in my head, was untenable and I was very thankful to have sleeping tablets, which I was able to wean off successfully as the pred dose came down.

[micpenn222]

Same situation with me...the depression, anxiety, and weird feeling of depersonalization, and not being " right " start in the morning, and on most days follow me throughout the day, and then slowly by evening I am usually back to normal. Then I can't sleep so I have to take a pill, otherwise I doubt if I could sleep at all. Prednisone is toxic to me but I can't live with the extreme pain and inflammation of PMR either. I am between a rock and a hard place in Canada ( like you fellow Canadian I think. )

[arvine in reply to micpenn222]

Well with me, this all started about a month ago when seem to have symptons of GCA, so rheumy immediately put me on 40 for a week, which I didn,t have a problem with, had a case of what they called gasteritis, just after midnight New Years eve , and violent vomiting and diaharrea , was so weak by 8 am my boyfriend called the paramedics, and I spent day in hospital, dehydrated etc, they did lot of bloodwork, ct scan etc , lot of abnormal blood results that day, next couple days felt better, had to stay on the 40 for week, then 30 for 2 weeks, near the end of that round started to get the symptons having now, and really got worse when had to drop another 10 to 20 mgs, so not sure if its the big reductions or what, but feel like zombie most of day, weak, and just weird, most days do feel a little better by evening, but like you by that time cant sleep, even though Im surviving on about 4= 5 hrs sleep previous night, . So, were you on a higher dose previously, and dropped to a lower dose, and have your symptons like mine been there from starting prednisone, I know it,s a feeling don,t like, and can,t function most days, can,t manage without sleep, head is swimmy, my rheumy is sending me for more tests however, and afternext week , im suppose to reduce to 15 mgs, as my inflammation markers have been decreasing in number,

[micpenn222]

Oh, and I forgot to add that among many of the side effects of Prednisone insomnia is one of the most common listed, so there's really not much of a question there. Also, I too now have come to the conclusion that the prednisone dose wears off as the day goes on so that is why it must be that I always feel better at night.

[arvine in reply to micpenn222]

well yes, I can understand that, wearing off part, but if that,s the case , how do they explain pred cause insomnia later at night, such a difficult disease to understand

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to micpenn222]

The substance prednisone itself is out of your body after about 15 hours or so. However, the various effects last longer, the antiinflammatory effect that deals with the symptoms lasts 12-36 hours depending on the person - if you are towards the 12 hour end, then you will find symptoms returning before the next daily dose is due. The same applies for other effects.

It varies from person to person - I am currently on about 10mg pred - and I sleep like a log most nights though I do have the occasional bad night like anyone. If you have great difficulty sleeping - speak to your GP.

medicalnewstoday.com/articl...

mentions that pred interferes with melatonin but it isn't advisable to take melatonin to help sleep as it interferes with the pred so it isn't as effective.