I am taking 40mg per day of prednisone for poison oak. it's causing me moderate insomnia and i'm epileptic and need sleep. should i be worried?

Epilepsy: Sometimes there are no good answers you're being treated correctly for the poison oak. One would need more history about the new relationship between sleep and your epilepsy. I take it you have a return visit to your physician please speak to him or your neurologist.

No for short-term: Large doses of oral steroid often cause insomnia. I suspect that the dose is being tapered down daily at this point and the insomnia along with it. If the skin problem has become under control, be sure to ask your doctor to speed up the tapering or get you a sleeping pill for a few days. If not improving, please read my postings on other measures needed related to this condition.

Yes: Prednisone is a strong steroid that can cause many side effects physically as well as in mental health such as mood swings, mania and insomnia. All of these can increase risks of seizures. Please talk to doctor who prescribed this an stop it as quickly as you can.

Transient: The side effect should be short term only on the prednisone. Assuming you are also on medication for the seizure disorder, that therapeutic level should not be effected. Benadryl (diphenhydramine hcl) is often used for the anti-histamine effect and itch of poison oak as well, and has a side effect of sleepiness, so ask your doctor if this drug is advisable for you. Best wishes.

Take only in the mor: Take it only in the morning or early afternoon. If taken late in the day it will interfere with your sleep