First post

[1964-karina]

Hi,was diagnosed over a year ago at the age of 52 with level of 137 had managed to get down to 7mg but upped the steroids as was struggling to cope, just wondered if anyone else finds themselves crying at the drop of a hat? Just one of the many side effects?

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Hi, and welcome,

Pred can make you feel emotional, plus you are getting to the level where your own body’s adrenal glands need to start working again after having a nice rest. Many people find that makes them feel a bit weird - fatigued, more emotional etc.

Your whole hormonal system has been upset, so sometimes you feel like you’ve been flung around in a washing machine, and have a job to know whether you’re on your head or your heels!

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I did, both with just PMR and then with PMR and on pred. In fact, PMR itself can cause a lot of effects that are perceived as pred side effects.

Though you don't say how much you upped the dose by - maybe you are still in the range where the body has to get used to producing its own cortisol again and that can make you quite volatile.

[TooSore]

I definitely went through spells of crying around the same spot and initially would get a bit frustrated with myself because really there was not reason to cry. I did learn at least a little to accept it as part of the process and recognize that my body was giving me a message. It was objecting to the drop in meds, getting itself balanced again, and I needed to rest, longer than I thought was necessary. (Working single mom here). I think the tears were a way of making me bury my head and slow down. Who wants to be with people and out doing everything if you're going to start crying? Tapering more slowly might help. Thinking back I've not had as rough a time the last few drops but I'm now down to 1.5. Hang in there. It does pass.

[1964-karina]

Thankyou so much for replying, work in a primary school and hate welling up for no reason. Thanks again👍🏻

[Sandy1947]

I don’t cry but I do have the urge to smack people! Just kidding. I am edgy and short tempered which I probably was prior to PMR and Pred. Now those traits are intensified. Breathing, counting to 1000, Tai Chi/Quigong and petting my dog help a little.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Sandy1947]

I wouldn't have been kidding - PMR induced an extremely low level of tolerance for prats and other forms of idiot. A smack would have been at the bottom of the scale. I THINK pred reduced it a bit - but not a lot!

[Sandy1947]

Glad it’s not just me!

[HeronNS in reply to Sandy1947]

Oddly enough I feel PMR/pred have taken all the fire out of me. I don't dare get angry because it makes me hurt. I can't even watch an intense tv show (Borgen and Luther are out, for example). I almost wish I reacted the way some of you are describing because then maybe I could beat the money out of that guy who didn't give me the computer I paid for....

[Sandy1947 in reply to HeronNS]

That makes me crazy...the guy who didn’t give you the computer you paid for. Get an aggressive friend to go after him. Sure wish I was closer. You’d have your computer and he might have a black eye!

[HeronNS in reply to Sandy1947]

My sons did get a small amount of the money back around Christmastime. I think it's time for me to get them to harass him again!

[Sandy1947 in reply to HeronNS]

Good idea!