yes i do have trouble sleeping. my neck and sholders wake me up they get so stiff. some time's it's my hips too. so i understand what your saying.

I have always had trouble sleeping - due to a variety of reasons. #1 - sleep apnea. I wear a CPAP (just got it last week, although have used it before about 10 years ago) and I'm trying to adjust to it again.

also, pain is a notorious factor in keeping us awake and miserable. Are you taking something for pain?

even just tylenol PM (OTC) might help you without going the prescription sleep med route. I will not take Rx sleep meds either.

I also have fibro, and sometimes with me, it's not joint pain per se that keeps me awake - but muscle pain. So I'll take an occasional muscle relaxer - Robaxin (methocarbamol) which is probably the weakest muscle relaxer they make -it doesn't give me a hangover effect the next morning.

check out the sleep apnea scale (I think it might be called Epworth's?) and see if you "fit in" to the possibility of sleep apnea - it is very common, and if you score high, talk to your doc about it, they may want to do a sleep study...

Also if you're on pred for your RA, that can cause sleep issues. Even if you do take it early AM...I know that can do it for me too!

There are a lot of factors involved - sometimes it's difficult to pin down!

Good luck!!

yep...I do have a real hard time sleeping when I am in a flare. They don't come as often now that my rheumy adjusted my dose, but I can relate.
Also when i was on prednisone, I found that taking mine right before i went to bed always helped.
Most of the time I wouldn't have trouble going to sleep, it was the waking up in severe pain part...then of course it takes an hour or so for any pain meds to kick in, then back to sleep only to wake when the meds wear off...ugh vicious cycle...hopefully you'll get some pain relief and that will help.

Hugs
Missy

Can't sleep well here either.... :(

Sleeping through the night has been difficult for me for some time now. I usually need to get up once or twice for the bathroom, and then of course I have trouble getting back to sleep. I sometimes have an achy type of pain which makes it hard to get back to sleep. My rheumy prescribed Lunesta for me, but I only take that if I have had more than one sleepless night. I do take the Tylenol PM like mariefnp suggested and that seems to help. I can't remember the last time I slept through the night. Hope you find something that works for you.

It may not be a feasible option for you but I am doing a lot better with the sleep issue now that my hubby and I got a new mattress. I still have trouble now and again but it is not as bad as it was. Just a thought!

Thanks guys for all the info! I fall a sleep just fine but when I turn over from side to side, I have horrific pain in my back and hips. We just got a new mattress and it's helped some. I'm so proud to say though that after having the worst flare I've ever had recently(September threw last week)Having Mono, CMV,(because my immune system was so low)and after 3 rounds of steroids since Novemeber... I have FINALLY started to feel a bit normal! I feel like a new woman! I still have issues with pain here and there but NOTHING like it has been. Everything is tolerable! Late night and mornings will always be an issue for the rest of my life but I can't tell you how happy I am to feel a little better. I can't even express to you all how the people on here (along with praying!) were the only thing that got me through! I felt all alone and like no one understood the daily pain and suffering I went threw. Talking to people on here with the amazing support system is what kept me pushing forward. It's very hard for people to understand if they don't have it. My kids and fiance just kept saying "Your always sick!" You guys were my support when no one else could understand! Thanks again to all my friends on here! God Bless! :) Liv

OH yeah! Definitely have troubles in the sleep department!!! Hope it gets better for you! I'd also try some Tylenol PM, or even just Benadryl....might help!! :) Good luck to all!

Haven't slept for years....I take ambien when I'm at my wits end but like you I hate to take yet another drug for sleep....sometimes you just have to though.
Sue

I was taking Lunesta for years, But would always wake up in the middle of the night in pain. Plus your body needs more as time goes on and it's expensive. Specially being on Medicare.
My Pain Management doctor started me on Gabapentin that is the generic of Neurontin. You start off slowly, Now I sleep through the WHOLE NIGHT!!! that hasn't happen in 20 years!!!
And it helps with pain too.

The sleep issue has come up on site before. Lots of advice already given but will add my usual about no caffeine drinks after 6.00pm and maybe lighter evening meal not so late...Also that for some people homeopathic drops work. Dont know if they are easy for you to access but over here a couple of companies produce combinations and I use one called sleepmed. It has about five homeopathic remedies in it including one that works on those underlying thought worries... Can take sprays of it every 15 mins. After a while I find I become sleepy and then sleep. There are also herbal remedies out there eg with valarian and other herbs but because of RA drugs herbs always need checking for inter reactions. Good luck.

Also I take Natural Melatonin you can find it at WalMart etc. It comes is 3mg, 5mg and 10mg. You don't need much. Ones you feel your self sleepy, go to bed.
I found myself on the sofa a few times. i never made it to bed LOL.

I have a terrible time sleeping as well! I tend to get horrible cramps in my legs that will wake me up and I also get night sweats that are just horrible, but my rhuemy is not sure that is from the RA/lupus?? Hope you end up finally getting some sleep!!

I have a hard time sleeping. Once I am asleep, I am good till morning. BUT, in the evening when kids are in bed and kitchen is clean, I sit down and veg in front of tv. My legs start to tingle and pain sets in. My toes and feet ache, my hands, etc. It is when my body is at rest when it starts getting bad for me. I see someone takes the prednisone just before bed, I will try that.

Pcreamer are you on prednisone? It can cause night sweats. I can't take predinsone any later then 3 or I'm really up all night. Last night I took advil before bed and I slept through the night.