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Low Cortisol Level

Posted , 7 users are following.

sami5555
sami5555

Hi Eileen, and all you sweet dollies,

I wrote the other night for the first time in 5 years to Radman. My story is there. Been on this wonderful site that is so comforting. I am much like you Eileen. 1 year not knowing what all this pain was about, although I know you went a lot longer, anyway I also have shown normal blood tests all along. I was a total text book case though. Prednisone curing the pain. After 5 years of prednisone I am down to 7. I still have pain and fatigue but can manage it. Recently I had a blood test for cortisol level. Dr said it was low. 4. I just had it done again Monday. Will get results at my appointment. Im thinking that it would be low because of being on prednisone for 5 years. What do you think. I work and am energized with all my customers but I have times where the fatigue hits me like a brick wall. The fatigue is crazy like some one just drugged me. Crazy. Thank You

I am in the USA California

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • faye05942
    faye05942 sami5555

    Posted

    Hi Sami

    I'm in Australia, I was diagnosed in June with PMR, put on Prednisone, only to find out 2 weeks ago I've got RA so now I'm on MTX and PRED. I went to my GP and told him I was not taking two different nasty meds, so he gave me some pain killers to get off the pred.. so now I take three lots of nasties, and guess what I'm pain free and off the pred. in 6 weeks. 1mg drop each week....my side effects to the pred are so bad, I felt like a total waste of space..side effects to MTX zero and pain killers zero. side effects to RA fatigue I can live with that.....maybe...

  • EileenH
    EileenH sami5555

    Posted

    It is low BECAUSE you are on pred - the body knows there is near enough the right amount of corticosteroid present and no more is needed so it doesn't produce it. Just like your central heating boiler doesn't add to the heat from the wood burning stove when the thermostat is sensing it is warm enough.

    Sometimes I really do wonder about how much some doctors understand about physiology...

    The fatigue is part of the autoimmune part of PMR which continues to attack your body a bit like a flu virus does - pred only relieves the symptoms, it has no effect at all on the real disease. The fatigue has to be managed by pacing and resting - and if you work, that is much more difficult. Have a read of the links in this post on another forum:

    https://healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk/posts/135650532/fatigue-pacing-spoons-and-a-gorilla...

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