PMR Exhaustion

Most of us have same issue - exhaustion. How do you handle it? Two methods - pacing yourself and not doing too much. If you have overdone it, then take a brake and rest - recharge. I can work in a yard for several hours, take a sower and then take a nap...After that I am ready for whatever is next on "to do" list.

Some of the comments mentioned that pred causes "surge" of energy. It could be true, but everything is relative... Before dx I could not do anything and spent most of the time in bed. After I started pred, all of sudden I felt the pain go away and that optimism gave me surge of energy. It is common and usually people go overboard and do too much... and payback next day.

So, pacing and rest is the key. Know your limits... As you reduce dose, for me 6mg and below gave me even more energy back, but still I take nap after hard(er) workout or yard job.

Andrew,

Yes, the exhaustion issue can be very limiting and frustrating. I think that Nick's comments about rest and pacing ones self are very on target along with the rest of his message.

I've had diagnosed PMR for almost exactly 2 years and am currently at 8.5 mg of prednisone. I'm 63 and have managed to continue working a 5 day week. It hasn't been easy but over time I've adapted, taking more breaks, knowing my limits, etc. Over the 2 years I've had to be constantly adapting and adjusting my life to accommodate PMR and Prednisone. I've become very sensitive to what my body's telling me and not trying to be what I was prior to PMR.

"Prior to PMR" - the life I used to have. Yes, I occasionally mourn the loss of that lifestyle but more importantly I have accepted that my PMR life is what I've got. My exhaustion can be extreme at times if I don't behave and then it'll take days to recover to a "normal" level. Now days I sleep and nap whenever time and place allows. Sleeping isn't just for nighttime anymore!!

Everyone is different with PMR. Some have all the side effects from prednisone while others have very few. Some are able to reduce on pred quickly while others feel stuck at a high dose forever. I notice that when I start dropping my dose to the next level, that's when my exhaustion becomes more pronounced. After 2-3 weeks of gradually settling in to that dosage level the exhaustion doesn't seem quite as bad - IF I'm paying attention and not overdoing it.

Some people like Michdon are fortunate and are able to rigorously work out, bicycle, ski, etc. Others are exhausted screwing in a light bulb. I remember about a year ago that I noticed that Michdon and I were at the same dose level. I see now that he's around 6 mg or less while I'm still up at 8.5 mg. To me it doesn't matter how quickly I reduce - just so I don't flare up time and again.

Our choices are pretty few. First, we can accept that this is the new life. The old life is gone but hopefully it'll come back someday if the PMR decides to go into remission.

Second, we can take pred to deal with the pain, be reasonably comfortable and deal with the side effects as best you can.

Third, we don't have to take pred, so we don't have side effects, but be an invalid from the pain for the most part. That's about all the choices I see. Take care and good luck.

Exhaustion !!!! I think I might have found my cure for it !!!!!! I am so over the moon at the moment I am almost scared to talk about it in case it fails me.

I have had Fibromyalgia for 22 years and Poly for about 3 and 1/2 years. I had been deteriorating for months again. We thought it was a Fibro flare.

On the 22 anniversary of Fibro , I had a 2 year old tantrum, I went away for 2 months. I rested, did what I wanted, when I wanted. When I came home I was so frustrated, because of the pain (probably Fibro pain) and the never ending exhaustion. I decided that I was going to take pain killers every 4 hours, 24 hours a day, until I got the work done which I wanted to get done. (I have only taken these in the past when pain gets unbearable-probably due to fibro) It takes 3 doses over 8 hours to get any relief at all. 6 tablets and 8 hours of pain

I took two pain killers before I started work !!!!!! I had intended to take them every 4 hours, but i got working and forgot to take the next lot. 6 hours later I was still working !!!!!! I had no extreme pain and I still had energy. A first in many years. I felt surreal. I could not believe it. I have been experimenting with this for a month now.

Fibro came with exhaustion too, so I was going to post this on the fibro site, but when I saw Andrew's message I decide to put it on here too. Extreme, unbearable pain always has set in after a couple of hours in my garden. For a month now I have been doing about 6 hours work a day with acceptable pain, but without the extreme exhaustion. !!!!!!!!!! I am in shock

I still wake up every morning feeling, stiff, sore, achey and unmotivated. The pain is within the bearable limit tho. I still have to talk myself into getting up and getting started every day. I take my pred, anti depressant, and 2 painkillers. 20 minutes later I start work. Even if I am not feeling great at the time, once I start to get more energy. It really is unreal. I do not need any more painkillers other than the 2 in the morning.

I go to the Dr tomorrow to get her thoughts on the subject.

It will be interesting if some of you try it and see if it works for you too. Just take 2 tablets before you start something which will normaly exhaust you.

Fingers crossed that it will work for some of you.