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Tiredness.

Posted , 14 users are following.

jennybshaw
jennybshaw

could someone help please.  I am down now to 12.5 mg of Prednisone.  Although my pain is not too bad I am so abjectly tired all the time.  Does anyone else suffer from this tiredness.  It is a living death and I have a very sick husband to take care of at the same time.

1 like, 33 replies

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  • lilian05079
    lilian05079 jennybshaw

    Posted

    Hi jennybshaw

    Pred tiredness is not like your everyday tiredness it's very intense and overwhelming and you have to give in to it and rest. I do sympathise with the position your in having a sick hubby to care for..it can't be easy for you. Have you had your iron, folic acid and B12 checked , if you are deficient you will be extra fatigued. Ask your doc to carry out blood tests to check for deficiency. Try and get as much sleep as you can, like a nap in the afternoon..and try and get to bed as early as you can. Don't take too much sugar because you will have a sugar rush and it drops quickly and you then become overwhelmingly tired. Try and leave sugar out of your diet......my very best wishes to you jennybshaw.....i'm sure there will be other members on the forum who will give you some good advice...my vety best wishes to you....

    • jennybshaw
      jennybshaw lilian05079

      Posted

      Thank you so much for this.  I really appreciate it and feel less alone with this help.  I will do as everyone suggests.  I will really try anything at all but you make me feel better.  I do hope that you are coping with whatever is going on with you.
    • karenjaninaz
      karenjaninaz jennybshaw

      Posted

      Jennyshaw, make sure you are taking Vit D along with your calcium. Prednisone reduces our body's ability to absorb calcium and Vit D. We don't get enough sun in winter and there is not enough Vit D in foods. Without D also K2  calcium is not absorbed by bones .

      i felt much stronger taking these as well. I am 75.

  • Anhaga
    Anhaga jennybshaw

    Posted

    The fatigue is a common thing with PMR, unfortunately.  Lilian gave good advice about asking your doctor to run some tests.  And please try to get as much rest as you can.  There may be some things you must let go for now, especially as you are caregiver to your husband.  If there is someone who can help you that would be good.  Perhaps assistance with some of the necessary things, like fetching groceries or laundry?  And check with your doctor if there's a way to get respite care for your husband so that you can have some time for yourself (even if for now it's just to catch up on sleep) a few hours a week without having to worry about him. I don't know where you live but in some places limited respite care is available and you don't have to pay.

    • jennybshaw
      jennybshaw Anhaga

      Posted

      Thank you so much for replying Anhaga (what a lovely name).  I feel so much better knowing that it is not just me and others have felt this way, although I wish none of us had to.  I really appreciate your quick reply.  All I want to do is sleep at the moment and I am usually so very active.  Glad to know I am not alone though.  Again thank you so much.
  • linda82701_USA
    linda82701_USA jennybshaw

    Posted

    Yes, I also have overwhelming tiredness and fatigue. Once in a while it is better. Have been dealing with it for 3 years. My pain right now is pretty well controlled. Stiff and sore when I have been sitting awhile and if I do too much walking.

    Best wishes, Linda

    • jennybshaw
      jennybshaw linda82701_USA

      Posted

      Thank you Linda.  I am beginning to understand that I am not alone in this and taking advice from all of you.
  • Michdonn
    Michdonn jennybshaw

    Posted

    jennybshaw, I am currently on 11 mg tapering to 10 mg. I have basically tapered from 30 mg pain free. I do not reduce if I have PMR pain. If you are caring for a sick husband that is stressful and your dosage made not be enough. I would think of going back to the dosage at which you were comfortable and stabilize, reduce slowly at no greater than 10%. Good luck on your journey, hope your husband has speedy recovery. Think positive. 🙂

    • jennybshaw
      jennybshaw Michdonn

      Posted

      Thank you.  I am not in a lot of pain.  It is the tiredness I find so difficult to deal with.   Will be reducing very slowly from now on.
  • Joydeck
    Joydeck jennybshaw

    Posted

    If your pain is bilateral and symmetrical, a small increase in pred may lessen your PMR weariness.
  • susan08542
    susan08542 jennybshaw

    Posted

    I can cope with PMR pain most days. But the exhaustion is over whelming much of the time. Have only tapered from 15mg to 12 1\2 mg, that took weeks. Any Stress and have to bump up for few day. I pray your doctor is caring and kind. You need and must have some help at home with ill husband and your PMR to cope with. Difficult to care for one's self , much less a sick loved one. Medical community is often great source of local resources and the referrals you may need. Please, please do just basic and only the absolutely necessary each day. Rest or Nap EVERY chance you can grab! Ask will it make any difference a week or even a day from now? Hope you seek, ask and find help Very Soon! Hang on and know you are in thoughts, heart and prayers! This impossible time Will Pass.

    • Michdonn
      Michdonn susan08542

      Posted

      susan08542, each individual and case is different. I had a bad flare last spring went from 7 mg to 30 mg to get relief. I stayed on 30 mg for about 6 weeks till I stabilized and PMR pain free. I have reduced to 11 mg tapering to 10 mg pain free except for a couple of minor flares. I am active probably not as much as before PMR, but live a very normal life. I had to increase my activity a little bit at a time. A small increase each day starting at walking 1/6 mile twice a day, to a maximum of over 9 miles of hiking a day. Try to think positive and smile, I believe it helps. Good luck on your journey, take your time it is not a race. 🙂

    • jennybshaw
      jennybshaw susan08542

      Posted

      Thank you for this and I will try what you suggest.  I am so grateful for all this help.
  • Anniecurd
    Anniecurd jennybshaw

    Posted

    Jennybshaw, Please think about increasing your pred while you are going through a stressful time. I’ve found that any stress while you have PMR makes the symptoms worse. An increase of a mg or two won’t matter in the long run, and you will feel so much better, and better able to help your husband. Best wishes to you and your husband.
  • christophe38948
    christophe38948 jennybshaw

    Posted

    Hi,

    The weakness is the basic side effect of the Pred. After few months of using I was weak to walk outside, after additional two months I generally stay in bed. My temp. ranging from 35.4 to 35.8C. I can sleep all day around.

    I hope it will end when the Pred will not be in use.

    Good Luck

    CW

    • jennybshaw
      jennybshaw christophe38948

      Posted

      i really hope you do much better soon.   Think you are having a worst time than I am.  Will keep you in my thoughts.
    • EileenH
      EileenH christophe38948

      Posted

      Christophe:  I really think you need to discuss this with your doctor and also get some physiotherapy advice. If what you have is muscle atrophy then doing appropriate exercises will help avoid the deterioration. But what you describe there is definitely not normal with PMR in general nor pred at PMR-level doses.And of course - giving in to it and staying in bed just makes it far worse. A start for you would be hydrotherapy - people who are able to have that find it makes a big difference to their muscle state. One man, a firefighter, with PMR who was in a wheelchair was back to long distance running in about 18 months - and he is quite sure the gentle exercise right from the start made a significant difference.

      I do realise it is hard but we have to do our part in dealing with PMR and that means taking responsibility for what we aim to do. There are other disorders that mimic PMR - one is myositis. Did your doctors rule that out? It requires higher doses of pred but usually for a short time to deal with it properly. But it can be very disabling.

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