Plan B, part 1

Posted , 6 users are following.

Good afternoon everyone!

I hope everyone is pretty wellish in spite of the weather............!

I am just about to start the next bit of the new plan, reducing the Pred from 25mg to 20mg as from tomorrow. I did that bit fine last time, this time I am more worried as I still have considerable pain in my scalp and the left side of my head. Also, this morning I woke with a black eye on that side....it looks quite awful and I know it wasn't there last night. Think I will have to wear a paper bag tomorrow.

Just 4 more working weeks until I finally retire. Everything at home is geared up to getting me into work for those weeks and at odd times we are still clearing and packing ready for the house move. This is still scheduled for end May/early June. Spent time yesterday sorting and packing books which doesn't sound like heavy work, does it? But I was wiped out when I finished.

The permanent fatigue never helps either.........I find that I need to go upstairs for something or the other, while I'm there I look at the bed and think a 10 minute rest would be good.........and wake two hours later :oops:

In spite of everything things are improving, I was able to walk more last week than at any time since the beginning of January..........roll on Spring.

Nefret

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0 likes, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • Posted

    Yes, we know all about moving/packing books. It IS hard work. And putting them all back is, too!

    Hope the reduction in steroids goes well and the move. Best wishes

  • Posted

    Hi Nefret - oh dear, do you think you could have poked your finger in your eye while you slept? I'll know who it is if I come across someone wearing a paper bag over their head tomorrow! Seriously though, it seems as though you've made a step in the right direction for a change, doesn't it and do hope the reduction goes well. Keep it up!

    MrsO

  • Posted

    Reduction going fine to date.

    Apart from the uninvited black eye earlier in the week, I have discovered that I am bruising more easily than ever before. This 'might' have any one of a number reasons. However, have not found any more spontaneous bruises so far. I feel fine in myself (apart from the ever present fatigue) so am hoping it's just a glitch - I can hope!

    I have presented several armfuls of blood to the vampires and all the test results should be in by next Monday when I see the doctor again. Will let you know what happens next.........

    Still hanging in there for next Thursday!

    Nefret

  • Posted

    Things are going just fine at the moment. Not only did I make it to London yesterday but since Monday I have been on a 20/17.5 dose. During the last couple of weeks I have been feeling consistently better and the spontaneous bruising seemed to be just a blip as I had hoped. The final blood results taken during the week showed a complete return to my normal levels.

    From next Monday I hope to be on 17.5 and will stay there for one week at least before contemplating the next drop.

    Cheers to all!

    Nefret

  • Posted

    Hi Nefret! Glad you enjoyed your trip to meet the ladies - how are the eyes? I always feel sunglasses can be very flattering - and it seems to be the thing nowadays to wear them inside as well if you're a celeb!!!!

    Was just posting to say my GP in the NE was quite helpful in our discussions about tapering - and really emphasised the advantages of being VERY slow! I'd stick at 17.5 for more like a month at least (rather than a week) before even thinking about your next attempt at a drop. It seems to take a good week for your body to decide whether it wants to object to the drop so give it a chance to catch up!

    all the best with it anyway,

    Eileen

  • Posted

    Sorry, Eileen, should have mentioned somewhere along the way that for other reasons I need to get the Pred dose down asap. We know we are pushing it, but I just have to keep trying.

    Nefret

  • Posted

    Hi to all you lovely people out there, hope you are having a good Easter with as little pain as you could wish.

    Landed safely down on 17.5, been there for a while, now starting the next drop as from this week......15/17.5 alternate days.

    As it is now only about 6 - 7 weeks until our house move am fully prepared to have to go back up if necessary (or stay on the alternate days for longer), but because I have a couple of very relaxed weeks (for me!) due now, thought I would give it a go.

    Finally finished work 10 days ago, ummmmm.........haven't missed it yet!

    No more black eyes suddenly appearing overnight, probably will never know why that happened.

    Regarding house moves, I have been aware for ever that books breed if left alone in a room, but I didn't know handbags did too! I've never ever been a handbag person - one plain black or navy one gets used till it expires - but I've now found 11 of them which has left me quite bewildered, I don't remember any of them as being mine.......

    Best wishes to all of you!

    Nefret

  • Posted

    Hi Nefret,

    I am so pleased that the reduction of Prednisolone is working for you.

    Good luck with the house move! I keep thinking about downsizing but three days lying in a darkened room usually helps get over the thought! LOL.

    Moving house is a traumatic experience and I haven't moved for thirty years.

    Loads of wishes for happiness in your new place.

    Tilly

  • Posted

    Tilly, we've been here 42 years........nuff said!

    Most of the hard work, which was clearing and sorting this end, has been done. I found moving from a 3 bedroom house to a 1 bedroom flat quite easy in the end, just divided it between the charity shops, family, and the community tip!

    I have to say I've had little real involvement in the process, apart from saying 'Keep that' or 'Bin it'. Hubby and daughter have worked hard to save me from stressing out about it.

    We are now just waiting on new windows being put in the other end and carpets laid and that will be that!

    I thought leaving this area in Surrey where I was born would be traumatic, but of course it simply isn't the same place any more.....now that we've taken the plunge can't wait to get down to Sussex.

    Nefret

  • Posted

    Directing operations is what I am good at!

    Unfortunately, there is nobody else to direct most of the time!!! LOL. Seriously, I am sure my daughter would come up trumps!

    Sussex is lovely and I am sure you will be happy there. I live on the Sussex border so some friends and restaurants are there.

    You relax and only worry about the tea and biscuits at the other end!

    Take care,

    Tilly

  • Posted

    Hi girls!

    I did our last move in stages and feeding the daughters, the charity shops and the tip too! We have never lived in a house for more than 10 years and have moved from Scotland to Germany to Scotand to England and now Italy but I still got to the stage where I would have welcomed a skip outside that I could just chuck everything into! Didn't happen! We'd had the flat here for 3 years and had pretty much furnished it - problem was it's only 3 rooms albeit with a garage and cellar room and all of a sudden my husband annouced he was going to need to bring most of the contents of his office at the hospital as he now works as a freelance consultant! But I had to chuck MY stuff! And we had a house that was smaller than our previous one in Scotland but the flat here was smaller than the ground floor there. We told the girls - if you want it, take it. A year later it was \"where's...?\" and \"oh, but we didn't like to take the things while you were still living there, it didn't seem right\". It helped moving first from the biggish house to a 2 up 2 down terrace a mile down the road but it was still awful!

    Anyway - you're nearly there, don't forget the kettle, tea bags, milk and mugs are the last things to be packed and first unpacked. Travelling in the car with you so they don't get lost. And a nice bottle of something chilled - that's even in the caravan for once we've pitched!

    EileenH

  • Posted

    Hi to all you people - hope you all had good holiday weekends in spite of the weather!

    I encountered something of a blip during this week, but it seems that I was in company with quite a few of you at the same time.

    I've put my problems down to a combination of Easter, paint fumes and that very cold wind we had here for a week or so prior to and over the holiday (I truthfully never went anywhere near an Easter Egg; I guess the lunching out bit did for me!). The paint fumes, which I had done my best to avoid, caught me out and started an asthma attack - which then sent everything else into overdrive.

    I've had to go back to 20mg Pred, with an extra extra dose at the beginning as it seemed as if the GCA was making it's presence felt big-time. Whatever, I seem to have done the right thing as those symptoms are abating quickly. If all goes well over the weekend, I will get back down to 17.5 as from Sunday. I have an appointment with the Rheumatologist in little more than a week, so unless anything alarming happens in the meantime, will hang in there till I see her.

    The house move plans are swinging merrily along.........not long now. I will be thankful when it is over and we are settled, but I've really been so lucky with it all.........well, so far!

    Best wishes to you all

    Nefret

  • Posted

    HI Nefret

    Sorry to hear you have been suffering It must be very difficult having Asthma as well as everything else as that is treated with steroids also isnt it

    Im sure you did the right thing increasing your doseage as a house move is very stressful and when you are finally in your new house you can relax a bit and tackle the steroids then Best wishes

  • Posted

    Nefret

    Watch that GCA - take no chances.

    I know, but this does work and if I were you with asthma, I would keep them fresh all the time. Cut an onionin half, put it in a saucer or a nice bowl One in every room. Through them out once they go black.

    The onion quickly loses its sharp smell, but picks up everything else lurking, including paint smells - yes even the paint that is not supposed to smell.

    Give it a whirl, nothing to lose and everything to gain.

    Ger

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