Wired UP 24 X 7 ON PRED

[LaPainting]

Hi.On Pred 60 mgs for past 8 days and feel so ill.Have not slept at all for past 3 nights..not even 10 mins and I feel so wired up and pounding heart.Even as I write this my head is pumping and I feel so strange..buzzing in my head.Has anyone taken medication from G.P to help this and if so what.I am short term..please God but I cant cope with this anxiety and my head is ready to blow..worse if I Lie down at night and take Zopiclone but Pred anxiety is cancelling it out.Terrible.Thank you.x

[PMRpro Ambassador]

If your doctor has told you to stop taking the pred, you are to stop the pred now - and once you do that it should all improve a lot. I haven't done that myself so can't tell you how long. Once you aren't taking the pred it clears your body quite quickly - within about 24 hours - and you have only been on it just over a week,

PS - I gather this is being understood as ME telling LaPainting to stop pred. Please read the reply properly. Her doctors have told her to stop the pred - I would NEVER tell someone to stop pred where there was any query about it being GCA. This reply is out of context:

"Thank you.. have been in O.P all morning and now the Docs here believe that the problem is in my neck as I have degenerative changes and that the cause of my symptoms and they are also saying pains in my ear and blurring as well.Referred me to Rheumatologist and Physio.I think they believe anxiety as well but I explained I didn't suffer from anxiety before all this started.I still have the temple pains coming and going and pain into my ear.I was told to stop Pred so I am on 60 mgs for last 8 days.Can I just stop without any tapering at all and how long will it take this pounding heart to go away.thank you all.. sorry..one more thing..if I have D.D in my cervical spine should I be seeing a Rheumatologist or Orthopedic person.xx"

[LaPainting in reply to PMRpro]

I will stop now and thank you.I have read some awful reviews from people on about this length of time but lower doses.They are suffering for many weeks after stopping.I cant worry anymore or feel more fired up than I am I suppose and still no answers and will go to optician about my blurred vision tomorrow.Thank you.x

[TB1208 in reply to PMRpro]

Please take medical advice

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to TB1208]

Why are you saying this to me?

[LaPainting]

You are so knowledgeable but Dr in E.D eye at hospital put me on them and I never managed to see him again.Very mixed idea from Drs in O.P I saw today as to what to do or indeed any plan for what is actually causing my problems.I just hope that they are telling me the correct things to do so I won't have to start all over again.I will find out probably how bad side effects will be.thank you.x

[Ann1A]

I can't advise but have similar issues with pred (although on a lower dose and less extreme sleeplessness)... I just wanted to send my sympathy at your situation.

[Pollynolongerinagony]

Please look up Myasthenia Gravis and Ocular Myasthenia.

A friend (with PMR), has your exact symptoms, and has urgently been seen for suspected GCA by Rheumatologist in A & E. The Temporal scan is normal, the optic nerves and 20/20 vision normal. ESR inflammatory blood markers normal.

A Temporal Biopsy was taken yesterday ,looking for Giant Cells Arteritis and she's awaiting results from her Rheumatologist imminently.

Her Rheumatologist's gut feeling is, it's not GCA, so she conferred with her colleague Hospital Neurologist and he suspects Myasthenia Gravis or Ocular Myasthenia, because of the neck spasms in the right trapezium, knot of pain and the visual disturbances. (She is right handed and the pain is in the right trapezium, )

So she has now been booked in with Neurologist for urgent neuro electric/nerve/muscular testing, plus full head MRI scan, plus full Ophthalmic eye examination, to confirm MA or OM.

I'm happy to keep you updated on her scenario if it helps you, and truly wish you well in this nightmare situation you are in.

Please note I am in no way contradicting PMR pro official advice regards steroids. I am only addressing your condition/ diagnosis, hoping to help you. Best wishes, Grandmother Polly

[roggiejohn]

I remember these symptoms, tho not as bad. Could not relax howver tired I was. As soon as Pred was reduced I went back to nearly normal. Hope it's the same for you. Good luck

[AncientMariner]

I have been on the same dosage for some length of time and it will lead to sleep disturbance and in my case some very grand ideas about purchasing expensive cars. Thankfully I had enough insight to understand where those were coming from and did not manage to find myself in an Aston Martin dealership discussing terms. Prednisolone fuelled initiatives I referred to them as. Given what can happen with GCA if left untreated with steroids I can only suggest you seek urgent medical advice if the situation is intolerable. I do feel that there is a psychological element to what you are experiencing that needs to be considered, anxiety is pervasive and just because you have not suffered it to any extent prior to illness does not mean it cannot manifest. Try and relax as best you can, don't run with it as that makes it worse.

[Ssratha]

Yes i had all these symptoms when i was on 80mg, plus inability to digest food which lead to huge abdominal pain. Went to convalescing diet, slow cooked foods which gave gret relief. I too suffered pschological changes , i. e. I felt "high"and very elevated. I wasnt into cars but did buy 200 dollars worth of lilium bulbs one sleepless night. Most doctors dont full explain the effects of prendisolone to patient, but after i wondered why i bought the bulbs i did a lot of research. High doses of prendisolone have hugh side effects. When i was first on it, the second day i was totally jaundicied, which did go away. I have worked very hard to del with the side effects of the drug, from yoga for digestion and sleep, to homeopathics for digestion and weaning, qi gong and general awareness to make life changes re diet, mental health etc.