Meds belonging to a class called corticosteroids are used for the treatment of inflammation as well internal swelling. These drugs alter the way your immunity works and thus help treat allergic conditions. Prednisone is a commonly administered form of corticosteroid. It is prescribed to treat painful joints, skin-based disorders, immunity system-related dysfunction and incidence of different types of allergies. But, can you prednisone make you sleepy? It is good practice to have needful inputs in this regard.
Prednisone is one of the popular forms of steroidal meds; this drug is categorized under a sub-class called corticosteroids. The key ingredients of this med mostly work on your immune system, and inhibit its typical responses to counter allergic spells. In the process, prednisone and its active chemicals can reduce discomforts – caused by allergies – such as swelling / inflammation, itchiness, hives, rashes, etc.
Due to such properties, prednisone is administered for treating inflammation of joint, pains in joints, discomforts associated with arthritis, eye-related problems, breathing disorders like panting, wheezing as well as gasping for breath.
Can the steroidal med prednisone make you sleepy?
Sleepiness is not a common side effect prednisone is likely to cause. Instead, the active ingredients may make you dizzy or giddy. In some users, this steroidal drug has caused mental conditions such as depression or changes in moods. During the recovery phase, this med can make you very tired, week and also sleepy. But, these spells may go away in a short span of time. Those who see these adverse effects to persist for long are advised to talk to their caregiving team.
What other side effects prednisone can cause?
Prednisone is also known to trigger a few other side effects. These include sleeping troubles (insomnia), changes in your personality, severe spells of migraines / headache, mental conditions like being in a confused state of mind, etc. If you are noticing side effects such as traces of blood in stool, discharge of darkened stools, display of aggressive or impulsive actions, an acute pain in lower abdomen, respiratory problems (gasping), etc., seek emergency help on an urgent basis.
Those who live in US are recommended to call 911 without much delay. US residents may also call the helpline of federal drug body – food and drug administration (FDA). Those who reside in Canada must establish quicker contact with Health Canada or rush to a closest poison control cell.
So, how to safely administer prednisone?
It becomes essential to know that this corticosteroid is not taken through self-administration or as an over the counter (OTC) drug. Its administration and dosage levels are as per the advice of a qualified medical practitioner.
It can be dangerous to stop consuming this drug amid your treatment plan i.e., without taking consent from your treating physician. Your doctor may taper off the last few doses to arrest withdrawal symptoms. But, those who discontinued all of a sudden witnessed headaches, fatigue, weakness and abdominal problems like vomiting, indigestion or nausea.
If prednisone is not stopped in a gradual fashion, you are likely to see signs like being dizzy, involuntary shaking of body and acute levels of drowsiness. While consuming this med, it is not safe to do tasks that demand high level of mental focus and attention. For example, keep away from doing tasks like working on heavy machinery, adventurous actions like swimming, driving, etc.
Education: Master’s in Clinical Nutrition from Tufts University. Experience: 6 years of experience as a registered dietitian and freelance writer, creating content on nutritional science and weight management for various health websites.
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