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stress

Posted , 5 users are following.

margaret22251
margaret22251

on my way to the doctors this morning my husband said to me he wanted to see the doctor as he felt i was not my normal self he said i was panicking really bad and was this normal, i said i dont know, so does anybody else feel like this at times and is it normal to do so.

he said he understands that i will have my off days, but feels that we should not go away if we enjoy because i get upset. 

is this normal to be like this, 

 

0 likes, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • pat38625
    pat38625 margaret22251

    Posted

    Hi Margaret, good luck with the drs.  I can only tell you my experience and I don't have a medical background.  At the start of taking 20mg pred, I felt anxious like butterflies in my stomach all the time.  After my system got used to the steroid, things then settled down.  

    What dose of steroid are you on?  How long have you been on it for?  In the meantime the best you can do is rest, rest and more rest, it will only help whereas stress, stress and more stress will not help PMR/GCA.  I hope you get sorted out.  Please let us know.  Good luck.  Pat

    • margaret22251
      margaret22251 pat38625

      Posted

      Hi Pat i am on 10mg since 23rd january this year, but my doctor wants me to down to 1mg, and keeps reducing me by 2.5, but i have put myself back to ten as i can cope with this, 

      thank you pat

    • pat38625
      pat38625 margaret22251

      Posted

      No problem Margaret.  I think you are being sensible going back up to 10mg.  Your dr is not the one who is in pain.  The reduction (in my humble opinion) is far too much too quickly.  I stayed on 20mg for 9 weeks, then 17.5 mg for 6 weeks, now am on 15mgs for 6 weeks and am hoping to reduce down to 12.5mg for 6 weeks and then 10mg for I don't know how long as I have yet to see a Rheuma.  I still feel panicky, twice while driving and getting lost, this is not unusual but my reaction to it was.  I panicked really bad but got home eventually safe and sound.  

      I don't want the yo yo effect, reducing pred too much too soon, then have to up the dose because of pain.  It takes my body about 3 weeks to adjust to the new dose and so far so good.  Hope you get sorted out today.

    • linda17563
      linda17563 margaret22251

      Posted

      My family have noticed the difference in me since taking Pred (3 years) They say I am more direct with people, and short of patience!  I do feel like my  hert is racing sometimes, but tell myself it`s the pred, and to keep calm, and carry on!

      This last week though, I have caught a second cold in a month, which is making my chest feel tight...I feel quite ill, and have lost my appetite, but I`m trying not to stress about it, but it`s not easy.  Seeing my doctor Wednesday, but rest is the answer I suppose......good luck with seeing your doctor....hope you get some answers!!

    • Mrs.Mac-Canada
      Mrs.Mac-Canada linda17563

      Posted

      Hi Linda, again I'm not a medical person but I know that reduction of pred. MUST be done very slowly. Yes, we are all different but this is one rule that seems to apply to us all.

       Most of us seem to have changes in our moods and I don't really know if is from the frustrations of PMR or the pred.  I find to that I have to consciously bite my tongue sometimes.  I also find a quiet time with some conscious relaxation (deep breathing, listening to natures sounds or meditation) calms me down and lightens the load.  

      If you are having a really sad or anxious time that lasts for more than a few weeks though  you can speak to your Dr. To see if he thinks additional meds might help.  

      If your husband is with you and your Dr. is knowledgable about PMR maybe he can explain to your husband that this is part of PMR and maybe he will have a better understanding of what you are going through and offer his support. A couple of important "maybes" there😉.

      I think this forum is like group therapy.  We can reach out to other people that have a good understanding of what we are going through and the support makes us feel better.  Keep posting💐

      i do hope that you are feeling better soon.  

      Hugs, Diana🌸

    • linda17563
      linda17563 Mrs.Mac-Canada

      Posted

      Thanks very much for that.....I think the thing is with me, is I`m confused sometimes by it all!!  I was lowering three years ago from 15mg, and got to 7mg, then all went haywire....blurred vision etc, and pain, fatigue....I was sent to emergency eye hospital, and put back to 20mg, and have struggled to reduce ever since!  I am down to 15mg, but have had two colds, this one I have now, has left me short of breath and energy.  I am also now getting shoulder pain etc, so I`m thinking, will I ever be able to reduce, without these problems.....not sure the pred is dealing with the pain!  Hoping my doctor will have the answers, but I think this forum, has more knowledge!  My husband is rather like Margaret`s I`m afraid, so will see the doctor myself, which I don`t mind.  My husband does realise it`s the pred that maked me edgy, but I get told......"I told you no good would come of you taking those pills!!"ahhhhhhhhh.  Thank heaven for this forum as you say..thanks again..Linda
    • Mrs.Mac-Canada
      Mrs.Mac-Canada linda17563

      Posted

      Does he realize that without the prednisone he'd be taking care of himself and pushing you around in a wheelchair 😡?  He needs to get informed and be supportive.  Not a good example of biting my tongue this time🙊😛

      hugs🌸

    • linda17563
      linda17563 Mrs.Mac-Canada

      Posted

      I tell him in no uncertain terms! 

      He does housework etc, and also cooking at the moment, but he had a mother (lived to 93!) who complained all day, every day, but never had anything wrong, so....and my husband has wonderful health, he`s 70 this spring, and hasn`t had a cold since he was 15.  I have had ME/Fibro for 20 odd years as well, so it`s just another illness to him!. Trust me....I don`t bite my tongue..and.have told him, if he wakes up with PMR.........perhaps he`ll come up with a miracle instant cure....now there a thought!   Thanks Linda...

    • erika59785
      erika59785 Mrs.Mac-Canada

      Posted

      Good point, Mrs. Mac.  I agree, and Linda should tell him what might be inolved with very few options.
  • erika59785
    erika59785 margaret22251

    Posted

    Margaret, I have noticed myself that it is difficult to  control emotions when taking prednisone.  The body is under a lot of stress while taking the medication.  I have panicked at times when I normally would not.  I had to explain this to my son because he was surprised.  I am widowed and I live close to my son's family.

    Hopefully, your doctor can explain this side effect of prednisone to your husband.

    All the best to you, Erika

  • MrsO-UK_Surrey
    MrsO-UK_Surrey margaret22251

    Posted

    Margaret, without a doubt Prednisolone can make us tetchy and emotional.  I used to find my body trembling to the extent that a few bits of crockery missed their intended target and landed on the floor.  This may have been exacerbated by starting on a high 40mg dose of Pred.  However, the good news is that this is something that will pass as you get lower on the steroids.

    I wouldn't describe the way I felt as "panicking", and obviously if you are experiencing real feelings of panic then this does need to be discussed with your GP.  Have you experienced anxiety or panic attacks in the past?  If so, it could be that these feelings are being heightened by the steroids.

    One thing is sure:  you really need to avoid placing stress on yourself either physically or emotionally as this will not help your recovery.  Is there a local Tai Chi/Qi Gong class in your area - this can really help to calm you.  Meanwhile, deep breaths, relax, and good luck with the GP.

     

  • christine_fay
    christine_fay margaret22251

    Posted

    Some days i get the 'shakes'... however if I go and do something like digging the garden or cleaning the kitchen or if I feel really inspired cleaning out the chicken house... It usualy subsides. So does the bad temper and sharp retort! I feel that the amount of steroids, although needed for the pain, also increase the energy which has nowhere to go because we feel incapacitated. Perhaps because of the pain and incapacity experienced pre steroids ? If we are pumping up our adrenaline then we should be using it.... also helps the heart deal with the racing I think although my palpitations, which I thought were from steroids, completely stopped after I ceased taking Omneprazole. If I lower my steroids to ten (at present 20) I am confined to an armchair and feel as if I am wearing a lead suit and take half an hour to crawl upstairs to bed. I am now on 20 because I had to work for a few days and feel fine but did have the shakes this morning... going to get the garden ready for the brassicas. I am going to do the reduction suggested on here very very slowly and see if I cant get off this stuff by the late summer. However I am not so paranoid about Preds after being on here.... and my doc can shut up because I am now armed with info which, unlike him, can explain my problems.
    • erika59785
      erika59785 christine_fay

      Posted

      Well said, Christine!!  It is sad that one needs to educate some of these doctors.  I am lucky that I do not have this problem with my GP.  I just saw him today, and he said that my back problem with deeply inflamed muscles is due to a big PMR flare, and he doubled prednisone for 3 days (40 mg!)  and then by 5 mg lower for 7 days etc.

      He also gave me a cortisone shot in each side of my spine.  Ouch!!!

      I would rather have this than the extreme pain I had to endure since Thursday night.

      Good for you to straighten out your doctor. :-)

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