Is it just sleeping or is it because of the anxiety? For trouble sleeping I use melatonin or valerian, they both help me fall asleep. You can even get them together in the same pill. They are natural and non habit forming.
I hope you get some rest

Beth

I have tried melatonin, it's o.k. and definately worth a try! This is going to sound bizarre, but the best thing that I've found is relaxation techniques. I went through biofeedback for migraines when I was pregnant b/c I couldn't take any meds, and when I really can't sleep I do the relaxation cycle and by about the 2nd or 3rd time through I'm usually asleep. You have to slow your breathing and on each exhalation think the word "calm", and once your breathing is slowed you start at your toes and visualize each set of muscles relaxing and releasing all tension. As the tension releasing you imagine a warm sensation overcoming those muscles. If you have any pain, you imagine that pain going as well. The more specific you get with each area of the body the better, and if you get to your head and are still awake then you start all over again. It actually works if you can stop your frustration at not sleeping from creeping in. We're already on so many meds, it's hard to add more for sleep. Plus then you wake up like a zombie. Try the relaxation - it also works really well for anxiety. Good luck!!
Shannon

I have horrible insomnia with prednisone and I have never taken it for more than a week at a time. I hate prednisone! It makes me have horrible mood swings, I can't sleep, it makes me grind my teeth all day and all night and sometimes it makes me have horrible pain in my hips. I always have to have some sort of sleeping pill when I am on it or I will be up all night long. Usually I use tylenol pm or some other type of over the counter sleeping pill, but my rheumy gave me ambien the last time I was on prednisone, because I told them I would not take the prednisone without something to help me sleep. Hopefully your doc can help you!
-Kate

Thanks for all the advice. The rheumy's office never called me back, never called in a script. Maybe, since I'm such a new patient there, they think I'm a pill seeker. So, I called my GP of the last 13 years and have an appointment first thing tomorrow morning. He knows me very well and I believe he won't hesitate to give me a sleep aid.

I'll let you know what happens.

I could not sleep because of the prednisone .My eyeballs were bouncing 60 miles an hour behind my eyelids. .It was like speed to me .I babbled 90 miles an hour ,but it sure made my pain go away

At 5 mg, my blood pressure is out of control. At 2.5 mg, I'm in huge pain. Next option is plaquinel. I don't like the side effects of either drug, caught between a rock and a hard place.

Sorry to hear about your insomnia. That just stinks when you can't get the rest you need. I have had tremendous success with Melotonin. Love it! Can't sleep without it. Advil PM also has helped me in the past. Good Luck and hope you can get some relief.

My GP gave me free samples of Silenor (antidepressant) which didn't help me at all. Then two days after I called my rheumy, my closest CVS called me saying I had a script for Elevil from my rheumy. I took one last night before bed and it had little to no effect either.

I'm off the prednisone and just one 2 doses of 200mg Plaquinel now. The pain has been almost unnoticeable, but the insomnia continues. I'm taking the Elevil along with my ongoing daily dose of Lexapro. Maybe between the two antidepressants, I'll start to calm down.

Anxiety has been high, pain minimal. I guess if I must pick, I'll deal with the anxiety. No magic answers, that's for sure.

I took clonazipam for awhile. It really helped me sleep. It is an antianxiety med. Took it at night for about 18 months, then stopped and was still sleeping fine! I think I needed to be retrained to sleep!
Mary Ann