This is because it affects the hormones that help you feel energized (cortisol) and sleepy (melatonin). So it's common for people to report difficulty sleeping while they're taking prednisone.
Official answer. Prednisone does not usually cause sleepiness but may make you feel dizzy, irritable with mood swings, or cause you to have trouble sleeping (insomnia). If your dose is stopped too quickly or if you take prednisone for a long period of time you may feel severely fatigued.
Steroids are commonly used for fatigue relief in terminally ill cancer patients. However, steroid-induced adverse effects including depression, myopathy, and hyperglycemia may contribute to fatigue. We report our experiences with aggravation of fatigue with steroid use in three cases.
Prednisone can cause an increase in energy. You may also develop insomnia, or difficulty sleeping. Taking the medication in the morning may help to prevent this.
It's normal to feel some mild symptoms for about a week or two as you taper off prednisone. Don't take any OTC pain medicine or prescription drugs without asking your doctor first.
It takes approximately 16.5 to 22 hours for Prednisone to be out of your system. The elimination half life of prednisone is around 3 to 4 hours. This is the time it takes for your body to reduce the plasma levels by half. It usually takes around 5.5 x half-life for a drug to be completely eliminated from your system.
Prednisone has a tendency to raise the level of glucose, or sugar, in the blood, which can cause increased body fat or diabetes in some people. It is important to avoid "simple" carbohydrates and concentrated sweets, such as cakes, pies, cookies, jams, honey, chips, breads, candy and other highly processed foods.
Mood changes
You might feel more anxious and emotional than usual when you take steroids. You may also feel tired and sad for a while after you stop taking them. Up to 6 out of 100 people (6%) experience serious mental health problems when they take steroids.
Long-term use of prednisone may lead to bone loss and osteoporosis. It can cause changes in the distribution of body fat which together with fluid retention and weight gain may give your face a moon-like appearance. Stretch marks, skin thinning, and excessive facial hair growth are also not uncommon.
Hyperactivity. While prednisone is not a stimulant, it can make you feel more alert or jittery. “It doesn't really interrupt sleep, but some patients find it keeps them awake when they don't want to be,” Dr. Ford says.
Prednisone is a steroid medication that can cause side effects. One common side effect is insomnia. People taking this medication may have difficulty falling asleep, awake during the night, or sleep less overall.
Side effects of steroids
But sometimes they can cause unpleasant side effects, such as an increased appetite, mood changes and difficulty sleeping. This is most common with steroid tablets.
There is no set limit on how long you can safely take prednisone. It depends on the dose of prednisone and the condition being treated. It may be prescribed short term or long term. The dosage will be adjusted or stopped based on your response or lack of response to the medication.
Prednisone generally works very quickly — usually within one to four days — if the prescribed dose is adequate to reduce your particular level of inflammation. Some people notice the effects of prednisone hours after taking the first dose.
Some people experience an improved mood, while others feel more depressed. Mood swings are common, too. In rare cases, people experience disorientation and hallucinations — a condition called “steroid-induced psychosis.” This is more likely if you're taking high doses of prednisone for a longer period of time.
Research shows that mild to moderate reactions, like anxiety, occur in about about 28 percent of people who use corticosteroids, like prednisone. In another study, 11.3 percent of participants experienced anxiety or depression while on a glucocorticoid.
Steroid drugs, such as prednisone, work by lowering the activity of the immune system. The immune system is your body's defense system. Steroids work by slowing your body's response to disease or injury. Prednisone can help lower certain immune-related symptoms, including inflammation and swelling.
Fluid retention can cause weight gain but as steroids are reduced, fluids will usually reduce as well, along with some of the weight gain. Drinking plenty of water and exercising can help with fluid retention.
Official answer
You could expect a dose of prednisone to stay in your system for 16.5 to 22 hours.
It can. While most side effects of prednisone resolve after you stop taking it, some may be permanent. These include vision problems like cataracts and glaucoma, and problems with bone health, including thinning bones (osteoporosis) and bone death.
The most common side effects of prednisone withdrawals are:
Lightheadedness. Loss of appetite. Nausea. Severe fatigue.
Prednisone usually works very quickly, within a few hours to days of taking the first dose depending on the condition you are treating. If the prescribed dose of prednisone is effective at reducing your inflammation, then you may notice an effect within hours.