Steroids and the dreaded insomnia!

[robbo87]

Ok so i started on 40mg of pred last wednesday and im struggling so much with being able to sleep. constantly feeling anxious and i feel like im slowly starting to go crazy.. anyone know of any ways of easing the side effects? im dreading going to work in the morning as i know it will be a long day made even worse if i have another sleepless night.

 

[Astra]

Hiya Martin

it is scary, but if you're anxious it'll make you worse. If you go with the flow, and realise that your jitters and wizziness is the Pred, not you, this will make you feel better, hope that makes sense! it's what I did.
'It's not me, it's the Pred, it will pass' was my mantra!
use the Pred energy to your advantage, burn the energy up at work, I was like a bee on acid!
Take the Pred very early too, about 6am to ward off insomnia
You'll be ok Martin, and it'll soon settle down as you taper down, good luck!
xxx

 

[Crohn's_Doll]

Hi, I know that insomnia feeling very well. I also have panic disorder and anxiety, before starting the pred. I felt very hyper yet the need to sleep. It does makes you feel like you are losing it, but like astra said.. Know that it is the meds and not you. It will ease when you taper down. hang in there.

 

[vonfunk]

my only recommendation is classified as a class B narcotic.

 

[aliciars]

I asked my doc first before trying....and I found 1 or 2 mg of Melatonin was enough to help knock me out while on the 'roids. I picked some up at my local pharmacy.
I have one day left of those bad boys...WHOO HOOO!!! Been on them since first week of Aug....hope you achieve a long and lasting remission!

 

[Mountaingem]

I asked my doc first before trying....and I found 1 or 2 mg of Melatonin was enough to help knock me out while on the 'roids. I picked some up at my local pharmacy.
I have one day left of those bad boys...WHOO HOOO!!! Been on them since first week of Aug....hope you achieve a long and lasting remission!

Yes, I totally agree-Melatonin works great. I'm taking it right now, with my 40of pred, tapered from 50, so I can't sleep and have the appetite of a puma!

 

[Lydia]

A gravol at bedtime works well too.

 

[Astra]

Amitriptyline has been my wonder drug!
It knocks me out at bedtime and it kept me calm whilst on Pred!
In low doses (25mg) it acts like a pain blocker, it helps with my shoulder pain and headaches.
xxx

 

[DB1986]

I had the same issue, it really sucks, but I discovered that the cause of my own IBS was my own steroids, and a lack thereof.
I dicovered that I had low cholesterol, and cholesterol is used to make Cortisol, which suppresses inflammation and controls the immune system as well.

If you are one of the many posters here who have low cholesterol, you may want to try eating eggs to get some relief. I, and all the Crohns sufferers I know get a huge amount of relief from eggs, and all of us had low cholesterol.

Just give it a try, just for the hell of it, and see if it works. I slept soundly for the first time in a very very long time the first night I ate eggs. I rarely had eggs before that, due to the taste, but the only times Ive ever felt better just happened to be when I had eggs. Beef doesnt really help that much, and I think it has to do with metabolism of fat.
There have been several studies of Crohns which link cholesterol, or metabolism of fat and therefore of Cholesterol. Its worth a try, is it not?
Just remember not to have any caffeine when you do, because it interferes with cholesterol for some reason or another.

 

[robbo87]

Thanks for the tips guy's, i have tried taking the tablets first thing in a morning at 6, which helped at first but my "sleeping" pattern has become so messed up that its just impossible to take them at the same time in the morning now. I think i managed roughly an hours sleep last night. And my thoughts are going crazy and just constantly sending my mood further and further down arhhh

 

[aliciars]

Do you have a regular doctor you can go see? I was able to get an anti-anxiety script to help combact the funk moods. Or maybe your Crohn's doc can help you out. Definately ask, as it's only going to continue to get worse without any sleep. Sorry. Hope you get some relief soon. It's a horrible drug. Is it atleast helping with your Crohns?

 

[Ian]

Sorry to hear the 'roids are causing you such problems, they didn't affect my sleep too much when I took them, although I did sometimes wake up drenched in sweat! Lovely

I'm probably not being very helpful here but would anything non-medicinal help? As a child I got into the habbit of falling asleep to books on tape! And now it's DVDs. It has to be something I've seen before otherwise it will keep me alert wanting to know what happens next, and ideally something with a silent menu so that I don't get woken up by the menu screen music playing over and over and over again once the DVD has finished playing! (that's why TV doesn't work, it doesn't switch itself off and just wakes you up again later). But I'm a chronic worrier and often go to bed with a full head (even when I'm not on powerful drugs!), and I find watching a familiar film really relaxes me and clears my mind of thoughts that would otherwise keep my brain buzzing. And at worst, if you still can't sleep, at least you're being entertained while you're awake

 

[Terri]

I sometimes get the insomnia from prednisone, but not anxiety, or any of the effects that are common with it (weird I know) and i've done the same thing and just thought 'it's the prednisone' and was able to sleep. I also sweat too.

 

[scifi-enthusiast]

I get insomnia, irritability, anxiety, and hyperactivity when I'm back to 40mg. I don't get the night sweats like terri, but I do get them with Flagyl real bad.

 

[littlemissh]

I have been on since early october now and can't seem to get below 20mg. My main issue is night sweats to the degree where I have to get changed..(though I had these before pred with crohn's so not sure if pred only culprit). I am waking at silly hours in the morning. I have found getting up having a drink, playing on the computer and then going back to bed is better than lying there all night. I do seem to sleep better when I go back to bed. I always take first thing in the morning as well.

 

[Mountaingem]

Yes, I'm going throught the same thing-so annoying! Have you tried to get your doc to prescribe something like Ativan? When Melatonin doesn't work I take that for the anxiety and sleeplessness.

As for the night sweats, I keep a change of clothes close by the bed, and take like 3-4 showers a day.

Anyone have any suggestions for us with night sweats?

 

[littlemissh]

I might take to sleeping in a fridge !