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Prednisone and Insomnia

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Posted 4/14/2009 3:23 AM (GMT -5)
Hi, I am on 10 mg of pred and having trouble sleeping every night now. In the hosp. it wasn't so bad but I think that's cuz I was on a lot of painkillers and the nurses woke me up all the time at night there anyway. I have tried taking 1 mg Ativan but it's just not helping, and now am taking the pred. earlier in the day, still not helping. I am also on Prozac now, take in in the morning but I'm pretty sure it's the prednisone that's keeping me from sleeping. My GI prescribed Ambien but I'm afraid to start a new sleeping drug. Has anyone had luck with ambien or other sleep meds? (Tylenol pm doesn't work for me... same ingredient as benadryl, makes me jittery).
Posted 4/14/2009 7:36 AM (GMT -5)
Take the Ambien! Prednisone is notorious for causing sleeping issues. Our bodies do their best healing when we are sleeping, if we aren't sleeping, we aren't getting better as fast as we can. So you need your sleep, not just rest. If you are afraid of how you will react to the ambien, try taking it early in the evening, that way, if it really knocks you out, you will have time in the morning to "get over" it. And if it makes you jittery, the effects will have worn off a bit too. But it should be fine. Or if it is just straight Ambien and not the CR kind, you can try just a half pill. The CR (controlled release) can't be broken in half.

Good luck
Posted 4/14/2009 12:04 PM (GMT -5)
Yes, absolutely, it causes insomnia in very high doses, 40 and above for me. If take it early in the morning, by the evening the effects wears-off and I am in bed by 11:30 at the very least. Take something if it helps.
Posted 4/14/2009 12:06 PM (GMT -5)
If you're only taking 10mg, I would blame the prozac myself. SSRI are notorious for insomnia.
Posted 4/14/2009 12:13 PM (GMT -5)
I dunno Rider, I am very sensitive to prednisone. At first I was jittery every day from it and i was horrible. My prozac is only 10 mg which is the smallest dose too and I don't take it at night anymore.
Posted 4/14/2009 12:39 PM (GMT -5)
Taking your pred first thing in the early am should aid with the insomnia.

:)
Posted 4/14/2009 12:51 PM (GMT -5)
I found I started to sleep better on 10 mg how long has your doseage been 10? Wishing you the best and hope you get things worked out. lol gail
Posted 4/14/2009 6:57 PM (GMT -5)
oh yeah, take the ambien!
Posted 4/14/2009 7:21 PM (GMT -5)
I tend towards insomnia anyway, so I have a lot of trouble when on Pred. I'm down to 10-12.5mg of Pred, which I take in the morning, but still have trouble sleeping and Ambien has been a HUGE help.
Posted 4/15/2009 12:13 AM (GMT -5)
i just took 1/3 of an ambien pill tonight to see if it helps at all. I'm too nervous to take the whole pill yet. I don't want to have any side effects of not remembering things because I have to take pain meds at night and don't want to accidentally overdose.
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