stress?

[Celestee]

Question? do any of you notce flare ups more with stress?

My eyegrain comes back strong when i am stressed or upset.

[notnice]

Hi Celeste, yes I have noticed a change in my head when stressed but I have not long been diagnosed with GCA so I cannot really advise you on that one, I would like to see if you get any other replies.

[Mgt1234]

I certainly find that there is a link to my flare-ups. My latest one started nearly four weeks ago, at that time my 29 year old daughter in law had a mini stroke and was admitted to coronary care with an inflamed heart and valves (she suffers with Ankylosing spondylitis). My elderly uncle was admitted to hospital with gangrene toes (lower leg being amputated today 8th May). I was diagnosed with Polymyalgia at the age of 53, then GCA at 56. Until this flareup my last big one was nearly 2 years ago, both required attending local A and E department. Doctors were helpful but where happy for me to manage the dose of prednisolone based on previous experiences. Fortunately I was due to see my Rheumatologist 2 days later, advised stay on raised dose and then start reduction programme. Hope this helps.

[Runrig01]

I have just recently returned to work after being off for 3,5 month with a GCA flare. My case is complex and I have always been on low dose Pred, and have been advised to "manage the symptoms". I am finding when my boss gives me a long list of jobs to do, that my head pains return to a level I'm finding difficult to work with. I know the problem is partly on my part as I am of the type that likes to get the job done and remove it from my list of things to do. I would prefer being given 1 job do it, then be given the next, rather than being bombarded with all the problems needing dealt with. When boss is not on pains are much better, but have tongue pain returning at times also. It is difficult trying to manage the symptoms of GCA and work, but I continue to try. 😃

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Yes - stress is thought to play a role in the cascade of things that might trigger the problem in the first place - so adding stress into a managed situation can well take you out of your comfort zone.

I struggled for ages being asked to do more than one thing at a time - even packing a case for a holiday took me way out of where I was happy - but it does improve. I still can't take being hassled for a decision when I'm doing something else.

[Runrig01 in reply to PMRpro]

Hubby says I need to feedback this to my boss. I get on well with her but she takes things so personally. 😏

[Old_Bedfordian]

Yes, definitely. This I can absolutely verify. Take the wrongful arrest of my son, who is autistic. Take the time he took 94 paracetamol (the NHS saved his life, just). Both occasions, flares huge from moderate and vasculitis breaks out both times. Minor stress causes things from Herpes to increas in flares. This is my life, all the time as a single parent since 1987. Dave

[optimist-ok]

With any stress or extra activities I feel completely shattered & need to rest or sleep that evening or the next day! It makes me feel pathetic but can't help that. At least my family understand, it's just difficult for friends to realise.

[30048]

YES, my famous story was being on an airliner that had to make an emergency landing due to smoke filling the cabin and loss of an engine. I could not walk the next day without extreme pain. Also, had a flare after carpal tunnel surgery due to not enough prednisone to cover the stress. Stress affects all disease, I have been told but we who suffer from this malady seem to be more at risk because of our adrenal glands not working due to the meds. I am not a PRO.....that is just my take.

[Zoesquare1]

Absolutely!! I'm only dx'd w/ PMR 5 mos now (12 mg pred QD), but I'm learning that I actually may be MORE likely to have a flare after I'm mentally stressed or very worried - more so than after doing yard work or cleaning out the garage! Very weird... I asked MD if I was crazy and he laughed and said nope - stress is a known flare factor.

So now I try to use my early body pain symptoms (burning sensation around wrists and/or deltoid muscles in upper arm/shoulder) as a kind of biofeedback - it means I MUST stop my brain-train completely for a few moments, listen to body and breathe.... have started doing mini meditation sessions in those situations and they really seem to help.... just stop, focus on body, feel it, feel breath, send LOVE to areas that hurt.... WORKS! Suspect us PMR-ers/GCA-ers take care of others and not selves... Good luck!

[Celestee]

Thank you all.

I am glad to know it is not just me. I get spirts of energy and get tons of things done then other days don't want to move and eye aches so much.

other days the troubles of others spill on to me or I'm called upon and sure enough there goes the eye.

it is my primary indicator, then the neck and shoulders.

thanks again all.

hope we all feel better

[Asbeck]

Celestee: What do you mean by eyegrain? I worry because on some mornings there seem to be many little grey dots in the periphery of my vision. My doctors worry about full blown black stuff all over the vision of one eye, but I can't really explain these dots. The artery which sends blood to my optic nerve is good. It has not been damaged. But I worry about these dots. When the full blown problem comes the dots obscure most vision and I know that's bad. But what is this lesser cluster of early morning dots? Is it the "eyegrain" you're referring to? Would you please explain it? And yes, stress is a killer. I think that we're actually supposed to learn to meditate to turn off the stress, and then do it every day.

[Celestee]

I have had what is called "floaters" in my eye for years. Eye Dr says they are normal. also have had my vision checked twice a year, and my vision is no worse than it was before PMR.

But I call EYEGRAIN when I get the pain/fullness of and around my eye. It starts to twitch and burning feeling.

with stress it starts immediately and 1 mil of Pred relieves it.

also when Im tired usually about 7pm it starts.

But no black spots or holes. I refer it as EYEGRAIN because its similar to migrain but mostly in and around eye.

I am careful to not taper down too fast for fear of lost vision. also with all the information here at this site I am better informed as to what to watch out for more and more.

As for my question I wanted to know if others experienced the same once stressful or exhausting situations were introduced.

thanks for the input.