Help lovely Rhumi's need advice please ....

[claireyj]

Having to take Predisolone for a skin rash and itching ( allergic reactions ) following shingles and treatment. .Have started a quick 6 day course 30mg last night 25mg today 20mg tomoz etc until tapers out - am on a biologic but havnt taken for a few weeks because of the shingles and my consultant who is lovely wanted me to take this tapering Pred dose to clear up reaction and resume Cimzia .... Well today I feel awful can't stop crying ( very very unlike me a very positive person) , red hot flushes to my face, goosebumps , tight chest just horrid - as anybody else suffered this with pred was reluctant to take them but have. Checked side effects and all this stuff does somtimes happen just wondered if any of you had this and will it go as I taper down daily .. Thanks Claire

[cathie]

I'm tapering off 10mg pred and am also feeling the mood swings and aches and pains. It sounds as though you're tapering quite quickly - but it depends how long you've had them. I know they say that 3 weeks and you have to be very careful. Perhaps you've just had the 6 day as your message suggests.

I hope things get easier for you

[nomoreheels]

Hiya claireyj. I'm sorry you're going through this after the pain of shingles. It's too much isn't it particularly if you're normally a positive person & not predisposed to feeling as you do now? It sounds to me because you've having a high dose short term dose you're experiencing heightened side effects. All the ones you've mentioned are recognised. I've copied & pasted the following from a medical professionals only website

"effects have occurred less frequently when minimum dosages were employed. Dosages greater than 10 mg per day have been associated with an increased incidence of adverse events."

Think it may be best to contact either your Rheumy nurse or your GP to seek their advice. It may of course be that this was to be expected being such a high dose, but if that was the case I would have thought, as it seems pretty common, your Rheumy would have warned you to expect some reaction & to contact her if you did.

[helixhelix]

I try to avoid taking pred now as it turns me into a roller coaster of emotions - high, low, wobbling in between, furiously angry, hysterical with laughter etc etc. and I'm normally a calm person. And that's on 20mg a day. But went away as soon as I stopped. OH has said next time I have to take them he's going on holiday for the duration! Strangely the depo injections don't have the same effect at all.

I think sometimes docs don't make a big thing of the possible side effects as everyone's different so may be no point, and there's a theory that if you tell people too much about side effects then they're more likely to experience them.

But hopefully you'll be back to normal in a day or two - be nice to yourself until then.

[claireyj]

Hi ladies thank you so much for answering me ...I rang my GP after writing this question he was very understanding and confirmed all the mad side effects I experienced today are normal for some people starting a high dose steroid. I am only taking this steroid for 6 days tapering down to nothing so yesterday 30mg today I've taken 25mg and tomorrow 20mg etc - my GP explained as the doses get lower so will the side effects. I have told myself I will probably have hot sweats in the night and even insomnia but just need to keep thinking only a couple more days - I feel so so sorry for people taking these long term I just don't think I could do it or maybe your body gets used to the side effects I don't know . Just hoping that the reoccurring itchy skin problem goes and the steroid has don't it's job. I agree also that the depo injected steroid is nothing like this , I've had to have a couple of those in the past. Just thank you for today I really did panic and turned to very reliable people as we all do on this site - we are lucky we have it and each other's experiences - Claire

[nomoreheels in reply to claireyj]

Pleased you have the medical confirmation you needed & thankfully it'll lessen & you'll be over it soon. Hope it's been worth it & knocked it on the head.

[claireyj in reply to nomoreheels]

Thank you x

[bluetit33]

Hi to everyone, am wondering if anyone else has callouses on bottom of feet caused by r/a it is making walking so painful, the podiatrist did pack one of my shoes out with felt, but as these things have grown, and the r/a is now affecting my ankles, am finding life hard, I do not want to give in to a wheelchair.I have bought many callous pads, felt pads etc. and am now wondering if these lumps on the sole of feet are in fact bone. any thoughts please? I would be greatful xx bluetgit33

[nomoreheels in reply to bluetit33]

I suffer the same as the balls of my feet are "swollen" (not the right word but can't think of a better one). Mine are more in the form of really hard skin between my big toe joint to the next toe with a corn-type painful areas, 3 on my left foot 2 on my right. You're right it makes walking painful on top of the RD pain, but don't think in my case it's bone. If I put my foot flat to the floor (v painful!) my toes splay terribly because of extra depth with the "swelling". I do wear very flexible footwear which do help & alternate which ones I wear so it can't be that. I'm going to ask my Rheumy's opinion at my next appointment to see if she can refer me to a podiatrist or maybe a chiropodist as I find I'm altering the way I walk to avoid the pressure & that can't be good on my ankles, knees & hips.

Hope this helps.