“WHO recommends use of corticosteroids as standard treatment for patients with ‘severe and critical’ Covid-19”
Just read an online piece by The Independent that claims the WHO are noting COVID patients recovery is assisted by steroids and it can reduce deaths by up to 20%.
Every cloud...
They've been trialling dexamethasone since fairly early on here in Italy - despite some Chinese results that suggested it didn't make much difference. Not sure if it makes a big difference at what stage it is used.
Yes, but only read it quickly last night. It’s not Pred they are using, cant remember which steroid it is, and it only helps people who are very sick and usually in intensive care. The BBC news web page covers it well.
I read yesterday that they were having very promising results with Hydrocortisone.....
~Hi MrsNails - yes indeed Hydrocortisone discussed on our Auckland radio yesterday in the news that Dr's @ Ak City Hospital using this too with what they consider to be with positive promising results .......... lets see if this continues especially with what China suggested some time back (as PMRpro mentioned) that steroids didn't appear favorable... who knows.
That was it! And thanks to you for the sick day rules, I’ve managed to survive a week of tooth infection & antibiotics! I’m sure increasing Pred has helped, S x
Very Good, Glad it was useful & hope you’re feeling better now too? 🌺
ThNks...no, the antibiotics didn’t clear up the infection...did a partial job & I haven’t had ‘head blowing’ toothache for 4 days, but still sore & sharp pain if I tap it. Wanted to get it extracted, but no appointments free & dentist not sure it’s the right route. So, it’s a different, stronger antibiotic, metronidazole, no alcohol, & always gives me nausea & tiredness, for a week. Upped the Pred to 15mg from 8mg, it said to double, but I’ve never taken above 16mg & don’t want my body to ‘like it’! Extra Pred definition helping, goodness knows what it will be like dropping back to 8mg!! If not better in a week I will push for extraction..this tooth ruined 3 days of an Italian holiday 2 years ago, & 2 days of last week’s first break outside our home! But booked a caravan site on Dorset border with east of New Forest & off there with motorhome for five days on Monday. Then back to shielding, apart from local village shop & trips to hike, picnic etc in our beloved forest! Thanks for asking hope you are doing OK, S x
Oohhh! A Bad Tooth is misery, bless you. Good Old Metronidazole - deep joy! Did your dentist X-ray the tooth? I do hope it improves for you soon 🙏🏼
I upped my Pred for a few days after l had a bit of a ‘funny do’ & l’m just going from 13.5mg to 12.5mg; on the 13.5mg l’m doing much better so hopefully 12.5mg will still be OK keep me steady for a while.
I’m certainly doing more, Crafting for example, l’m decoupaging a 25 Drawer Box for Charlotte as an Advent Calendar & finishing several unfinished projects, which is all good.
If your on the Extra Pred for no longer than two weeks you should be OK to return to your previous dose.
Keep me informed as to how you’re doing.
Best Wishes
Angela x
Yes, I hate metronidazole, too! Had a few intravenous courses a few years ago, which made me very sick...oral still makes me nauseous! I had the tooth x-rayed at last check up, but missed next check up as lockdown was on. We were shielding, too, of course, & I wouldn’t have gone! It shows virtually all filling, little tooth left (probably a crack in tooth now allowing infection in). Impacted wisdom, but no wisdoms have moved at all! Think we will call it a day, but we are off in our motorhome for five nights tomorrow, only second time outside our front gate in seven months, & weather forecast is great. So will grin & bear it for a week, then get in x-rayed (& prob removed)! BUT being on 15mg Pred is wonderful! It’s giving me energy, & taking away all pain! Now I thought pain that was left on 8mg was fibromyalgia pain, as not in shoulders & neck & hips, but down thighs & all legs & muscle cramps etc (which I had before PMR diagnosis!) now confused! I really wanted to reduce the Pred & was pleased to get to 8mg, but so much enjoying the 15mg & sleeping better, too! Will go back to 8mg this coming Saturday, that will be exactly two weeks. I was expecting only one week, of course! I don’t have dreadful toothache now, but pain if I tap it with other tooth, or bite on it, & dull ache in that area quite a lot. Very sorry you had to go back up a bit, I always find that depressing after I’ve fought my body to accept a new level! I’m glad you are crafting though, your advent calendar box sounds great. I’ve just started five very differing crochet projects (only been crocheting regularly for a year) & loving it, & I’ve made a gold mine building for our model railway!! Thanks for all your help, & hope you keep on improving now..I feel it’s going to be a tough winter, best wishes, S xx
Hope you have a lovely time while your away, do you eat natural live yogurt? It might help with metronidazole as well as avert thrush!
Sounds like that tooth has had its day ☹️
I have to agree I think it will be a tough winter one way or another, we’ve coped really well with Shielding as we’ve concentrated on the garden, so indoor projects are on my list, however Himself believes a new dry ridge on the roof must be the next job & he can’t do that himself!
Take Care & enjoy your mini break x
Yes, our garden has never looked better and thirty foot shed, gazebo, five bar gate etc etc all newly stained or painted! I did decorate the kitchen end of Feb too. Lounge is our next big project! Bought plants last week for autumn planting and winter colour. We are both happier if occupied! I hate all yoghurts with a passion and love all other foods, but I’m taking probiotics to prevent thrush thanks for the thought. I’ve had two bouts of oral thrush as a side effect of the Pred in six months, so hoping the probiotics work without having to swallow yoghurt!! A new dry ridge definitely needs somebody else to do it, too scary, dont let him up there! Thanks, we are only going just over the Dorset border and will be hiking and picnicking most days and taking all food and drink with us. We will go to a few plant nurseries, too, but avoid large garden centres with restaurants after visiting one last week!! Not a fun time nobody keeping any distance, masks found neck ears not over noses etc! We will have fun, love our forest so much , we are lucky to live here. Sorry long messages take care S xx
"which I had before PMR diagnosis"
doesn't mean it wasn't due to PMR though - it can lurk for a very long time!
Bit jealous - our camper van is now no longer ours 
The beginning of a whole new holiday style after some 55 years for me ...
I know. It has made me wonder, but it would mean I have had PMR for about 15 years if it was it all along! Plus I tested positive on 15 of the fibromyalgia pain points at the hospital and I was still doing a very demanding European role with travelling and I don’t think I could have done that with PMR! Last July when new symptoms started they really were new...the neck pains, shoulder pains, chest pains front and back and the hips worsened! Yes, we bought our first motorhome 5 years ago after three caravans. It’s great at the kite festivals, we should have been in France right now at one, and we usually extend the weekends to travel around, too. It’s amazing has a double electric bed which descends at the press of a button then becomes the ceiling during the day! I love driving it! Hope your enjoying an Italian summer still but know some of the alpine regions had cold and early snow! Take care, S xx
Dexamethasone and hydrocortisone - but at one point in the article in the Guardian they say it is really corticosteroids generally and which is used will depend on local supply and habit. I tried to post the link but HU wouldn't let me do anything, not even reply without a link!!
I think it is WHEN they are used that is critical - possibly the Chinese used steroids too late. The article says the time to use them is at the point it is obvious oxygen will be needed, not once the patient is in ICU.
“Important supporting evidence that steroids significantly reduce mortality in patients with severe COVID. This is true of hydrocortisone as well as dexamethasone. Safe, cheap, well known drugs and available everywhere.
Thank you to those who took part in these trials.”
Prof Chris Whitney CMO England
“Four new research papers - including from NIHR-funded and supported REMAP-CAP trial - published today in @JAMA_current - reinforce evidence that steroids improve survival rates among critically ill by up to 20%”
nihr.ac.uk/news/new-studies...
Copied direct from Twitter @Prof Whitney
It sure worked for me. I am 78 and had just finished a 10 pack of Pred. the day I came down with Covid. 40 mg for 4 days, 30 mg for 3 days, 20 mg for 2 days, etc. My first two days on 10 mg I ached and thought doc had taken me down too far but came down with a mild cough night of day 2 on 10 mg. Next morning I had a temp. I knew it was Covid and tested positive the next day. I had no breathing issues through out, a headache only 1 day and the mild cough only lasted 24 hours. My doc swears it was because I was on Pred. A doc did refer me to an ER when my heart rate went crazy on day 12, resting pulse 184. They got that under control then gave me a bolus of dexamethazone saying it was helping folks get over Covid faster. I was fully ambulatory those 2 days and then released. I weak and shaky for a month but had no other after effects.
Thank You for sharing your experience Dydee & wishing you all the best in your continued recovery. 🌺
Thank You. I see the rheumatologist for the first time next Friday and am hoping he can guide me through the tapering process. I have been having some new issues with the palms of my hands feeling hot and much more discomfort since going from 15 mg to 12.5. Just don't know what to expect nor what determines if I should give up and go back up a notch. But this too will pass. Just glad I have Healthunlocked and all you folks.
Thank You!
Steroids and Covid Vaccination 
Antivirals and covid
LONG COVID AND PMR/GCA
