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Side Effects?

Posted , 6 users are following.

manikki
manikki

I was diagnosed with PMR last year. Started off at 20mg Pred.all pain went away. Dr has been weaning me down and am now at 10mg. Within the past 2 weeks I am having shortness of breath, ankle and feet swelling at the end of the day, and now pain in my upper back when I breathe in deeply. Just went through a mess this past week of going to ExpressCare, my Dr, and then the ER. They checked, lungs, heart, all kinds of blood work, chest X Ray found no reason for shortness of breath, all tests normal. Have not met with my PCP again after all that. Could these symptoms be side effects of the Pred? Thank You.

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • Elijo
    Elijo manikki

    Posted

    Hi!  I'm so sorry you are having these side effects.  The only one  that yhou mentioned that I had was the swelling (edema) of feet and ankles, which is retention of water.  I avoid salt as much as possible since that can cause retention of fluid.  I do hope your other symptoms clear up. It certainly sounds as if they are side effects of the pred.
  • judy93591
    judy93591 manikki

    Posted

    Fluid retention will also cause shortness of breath. Hubby has heart dease and had shortness of breath. All negative except for excess fluid. Now on a diuretic, voila!  Shortness of breath...gone! M you might want to ask!
  • Anhaga
    Anhaga manikki

    Posted

    If water retention is causing your problems i'm going to suggest you consult with a registered dietitian to see how you can find ways to modify your food and fluid intake to help with this.  Some of the medications given out come, eventually, with their own baggage of side effects.  Also, are you able to rest enough?  PMR does not react kindly to the stresses of fulltime work, for example.  Hope you are soon feeling better.
  • karenjaninaz
    karenjaninaz manikki

    Posted

    Not every symptom is prednisone. Please make sure it's not a pulmonary embolism checked by chest ct scan not routine X-ray. I had issues with shortness of breath with some ankle swelling. I had a Ct scan - showed nothing but shortly after PMR reared it's ugly head and I hadn't yet been diagnosed or received pred. Interestingly. As soon as I got the pred the leg swelling went right down.
  • manikki
    manikki

    Posted

    I forgot to mention I am also Diabetic, and have had a heart attack 19 years ago, so am on meds for blood pressure ( 4 of them, including a water pill for Chloresterol, as well as Metformin, and others too for a couple other things. CHF was tested for with my shortness of breath.....no indication of it. I will be seeing my PCP soon; just wondered if anyone had any of these symptoms as a side effect of the Pred. Thanks.
    • Anhaga
      Anhaga manikki

      Posted

      Have you thought of going to your pharmacist and asking them to check for any possible drug interactions?  You are on a lot of things and who knows maybe one is interfering with another, or a couple of them are working together and giving you too much of a "good" thing?  Just a thought.
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