1. < Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR)

PMR, prednisone and Poor Sleep or Insomnia

Posted by shonnie @shonnie, Feb 20, 2022

Hi
I was diagnosed with PMR Jan 3 and I am on 20mg prednisone. I have terrible insomnia that seems to only be helped by Tylenol PM which I don't want to take everyrnight. Last night I tried tea with Valerian and it worked pretty well. I didn't feel groggy at all in the morning. Now I have read that it might not be good to mix with prednisone. Does anyone have an answer on taking it with prednisone. I will ask my doctor but not sure he will know.

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tjmjsjwj | @tjmjsjwj | Dec 4, 2023

I'm no doctor but healing the gut is part of the remission process with PMR and many of the autoimmunes. The sleep part of it is difficult. I went through it and just this week when I changed to 7 mg I started waking up at 2 AM again. Prednisone also impacts your melatonin production. You can google that. This also impacts your sleep. The drawback with taking melatonin is they say it can tamper with the effectiveness of the prednisone. I took 1mg of melatonin for the last 3 nights and really improved my sleep. I don't have any pain at night though and have not for a long time. I'm on day 189 of prednisone. I dropped below 20 on Day 31. Have you changed your diet?

REPLY
1 reply
pag1949 | @pag1949 | Dec 4, 2023
In reply to @tjmjsjwj "I'm no doctor but healing the gut is part of the remission process with PMR and..." + (show)
@tjmjsjwj

I'm no doctor but healing the gut is part of the remission process with PMR and many of the autoimmunes. The sleep part of it is difficult. I went through it and just this week when I changed to 7 mg I started waking up at 2 AM again. Prednisone also impacts your melatonin production. You can google that. This also impacts your sleep. The drawback with taking melatonin is they say it can tamper with the effectiveness of the prednisone. I took 1mg of melatonin for the last 3 nights and really improved my sleep. I don't have any pain at night though and have not for a long time. I'm on day 189 of prednisone. I dropped below 20 on Day 31. Have you changed your diet?

Jump to this post

No change in diet. Just waking up at 3 or 4 every morning. Lots of awake time all night long, but my FITBIT usually gives me a “Fair” score, so I am sleeping more than I think I am.

REPLY
tjmjsjwj | @tjmjsjwj | Dec 4, 2023

I'd look at changing what you put into your body if you have not already done that. Most Rhuems won't touch the subject. They seem to be good at one thing, prescribing medication.

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pag1949 | @pag1949 | Dec 17, 2023
In reply to @johnbishop "Hello @pag1949, You will notice that we moved your post to an existing discussion on the..." + (show)
@johnbishop

Hello @pag1949, You will notice that we moved your post to an existing discussion on the same topic so that you can learn what others have shared. If you click the link below it will take you to the beginning of the discussion:
--- PMR, prednisone and Poor Sleep or Insomnia: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/pmr-prednisone-and-valerian/.

I see that you have connected with @jnwwells. Have you talked with your doctor to see if they have any suggestions?

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I may have found a way to lessen my insomnia. I received a “good”” in my Fitbit sleep app and that NEVER happens. So, I take 2 Tylenol P.M. at about 7:45 p.m. and I heat 5 or 6 dried prunes from 7:30-about 9. I go to Ed between 9-9:30 (and set the timer on my tv for one hour with “spa” music playing. I generally fall asleep before the timer turns off the tv. I still wake up in the middle of the night but I can generally fall asleep again. So, maybe this will help someone else with this awful issue. (Prunes, by the way help to produce melatonin). Sweet dreams.

REPLY
2 replies
pag1949 | @pag1949 | Dec 17, 2023
In reply to @pag1949 "I may have found a way to lessen my insomnia. I received a “good”” in my..." + (show)
@pag1949

I may have found a way to lessen my insomnia. I received a “good”” in my Fitbit sleep app and that NEVER happens. So, I take 2 Tylenol P.M. at about 7:45 p.m. and I heat 5 or 6 dried prunes from 7:30-about 9. I go to Ed between 9-9:30 (and set the timer on my tv for one hour with “spa” music playing. I generally fall asleep before the timer turns off the tv. I still wake up in the middle of the night but I can generally fall asleep again. So, maybe this will help someone else with this awful issue. (Prunes, by the way help to produce melatonin). Sweet dreams.

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correction on my post: I go to bed between 9-9:30, not go to Ed. 😂

REPLY
susang222 | @susang222 | Dec 18, 2023
In reply to @pag1949 "I may have found a way to lessen my insomnia. I received a “good”” in my..." + (show)
@pag1949

I may have found a way to lessen my insomnia. I received a “good”” in my Fitbit sleep app and that NEVER happens. So, I take 2 Tylenol P.M. at about 7:45 p.m. and I heat 5 or 6 dried prunes from 7:30-about 9. I go to Ed between 9-9:30 (and set the timer on my tv for one hour with “spa” music playing. I generally fall asleep before the timer turns off the tv. I still wake up in the middle of the night but I can generally fall asleep again. So, maybe this will help someone else with this awful issue. (Prunes, by the way help to produce melatonin). Sweet dreams.

Jump to this post

Very interesting about the prunes and melatonin. I will try it as I have terrible insomnia. Thanks for sharing,

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