Evil stress syndrome

Can anybody tell me how does stress physically increase the blood test results for CRP and ESR when it is the steroid medication that is supposed to help reduce it. Does stress cause inflammation, or is it an influence on other chemicals in the body that makes the results go up. If so what are they? I have had a significant reduction in the results lately, but this week a serious problem has made it a very stressful time, how can I keep the stress under control without it increasing them again. The stressful problem wont be going away for some time, unfortunately.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Stress can most definitely raise inflammation markers. During my GCA journey I was very stressed about my late husband and my markers rose - no GCA symptoms whatsoever but the doctors insisted I increase Pred. I did, inflammatory markers reduced, so Pred reduced accordingly.

Earlier this year following 2 joint replacements and a quick bout of flu, they rose again - higher than they’d been during my GCA (been in remission 2-3 years) - again GP assumed relapse of GCA - jury still out on that, so a short sharp blast of Pred brought them down again.

Stress of any sort on the body - be it worry, a virus, even something as small as a cut finger can cause inflammation.

Sometimes it’s difficult for you and the doctor to know the exact cause, but the only way to reduce them is a dose (or increase in dose) of Pred.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

This is rather interesting I thought:

michigantoday.umich.edu/201...

A study in 1979 found stress did elevate ESR but they had no idea what the mechanism might be. This article might be the answer - perhaps.

And the basic rule remains: raised markers without appropriate symptoms should not result in a kneejerk increase in pred.

[pigeonCl-HU in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you PMRpro, what an extremely interesting article. I have no medical background, but have always had the gut feeling that stress may be a killer, and that its effect varies vastly between individuals.

From heart disease, to migraine, to cancer, all this outpouring of cortisol into the system is NOT a good thing!

How we 'fight' stress is really up to the individual, because what stresses one person might not stress another, therefore we have to find our own little haven we can escape to and draw strength from.

But it is true what you said:

"raised markers without appropriate symptoms should not result in a kneejerk increase in pred" or in any medication, for that matter.

pigeon.

[Hidden in reply to PMRpro]

very interesting study. I can now see that the chemicals can have quite an effect on the results.

[Hidden in reply to PMRpro]

just a thought if stress does affect CRP and ESR and raise them, how quick does that do it? Then the question is what can lower them?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Hidden]

Pass ... No, seriously, I really don't know.

[gca5]

You might want to check this outncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...