PMR pred anxiety

[Lellylam]

has anyone else suffered severe anxiety and mental health problems from pred? No previous history

[SheffieldJane]

Hi Lellylam!I am so sorry that you are still suffering with your mental health due to steroids. We do discuss the anxiety, depression and mood swings from time to time. I guess I was lucky, my symptoms settled down after a while with PMR doses and when I was diagnosed with GCA I kind of knew what to expect and was able to separate real me from the effects of steroids. I acknowledge that this might not be possible for some patients. I actually felt much worse before I got the PMR diagnosis and felt that I wasn’t being taken seriously. Has your doctor been able to provide any help at all?

I hope someone comes along with some shared experience and maybe strategies for coping. Severe anxiety is so miserable.

[SnazzyD]

Yes, it does grab some like that. I certainly didn’t feel on an even keel but just about managed to tell myself it wasn’t me, but it took a lot of energy to do that and I felt vaguely distressed most of the time down to some dose I can’t remember. Some here have had quite severe mental health disturbances and some have had worsening of previous. Have you spoken to anyone medical?

[autumnlass]

When I first began Pred last July for PMR I did have severe anxiety and dreadful brain fog, so disabling that I thought I was developing dementia, as I was a victim of fraudulent scams and couldn’t remember anything. I was hypersensitive and had marked mood swings. I was able to rationalise it all as was unwell and somehow slowly coped and everything began to settle and calm down after about 2 months albeit slowly. I did relate this to my GP who reassured me, but it was horrible at times, made worse by the insomnia and restlessness as well. It’s all such a shock to the system, and I totally understand you. I found listening to music very comforting and doing meditation and good friends who would ring up and listen and help me with these challenges and I also had acupuncture too which did help. I’m so sorry that you are going through this anxiety. It will calm down I promise, but do seek medical help if it gets too much. 🙂x

[powerwalk]

Yes, definitely. I still feel on edge most of the time, even now. Anxious about everything. A weird kind of "no man's land" feeling. I hope it settles for you but you are not alone.

[MrsNails]

Hi

It is really something you should discuss with your Doctor as it’s important they are aware of this.

High dose Pred certainly effects my mood however, it’s the other way & l become a much more exaggerated version of Me, somewhat OTT & very full on!.....

Kind Regards

MrsN

[Jan_Noack]

Anxiety and inability to think things thru clearly..or at all, poor memory and disturbed thoughts and in between waking and sleeping strange dream-like states for hours and blanking out and staring like absence seizures and other stiff which could be termed other types of seizures where I just get like you said.. and I don't recall a lot of the times... but I do not know if its the pred or the PMR or other stuff inflaming my brain blood vessels or brain or maybe just my brain blood vessels disappearing. Yes, thought of dementia as well.. and maybe?.. but it has lifted in the past few months ..after I stopped statins in past three weeks especially(still on ezetimibe and will resist).. and reduced pred to 2,g from 2.5mg past year or more. I was really bad when I started out too and even at levels of pred at 10mg..which I stayed on for half a year or so... every time I tried to reduce pred these brin symptoms flared.Actually, they have been limiting my reduction more than anything..and quite scary..but if it's the pred itself or whatever else the pred is helping to treat, I don't know. It did seem to be worse when I first started pred though...

[Horizon12]

I was diagnosed February 2018 and never suffered from anxiety or depression before. Now I seem to worry about everything. So for me it hasn't got any better as time goes on.

[Viv54]

Hi , Lellylam, If i tell you that out of the blue less than 4 months ago i started to feel anxious for no reason at all. Just went to bed one night and woke up the next day feeling so jumpy! at first i couldnt make out what it was , i have never suffered before . Any way it got worse i couldnt sit in a room for more than 10 minutes at a time , neither could i read ,listen to music or do the things i love. I not only have PMR but have chronic pain constantly from OA and spinal/ hip problems . I have a friend that has suffers from Chronic Anxiety . It suddenly hit me that i had it, anyway i battled on alone , not wanting to worry my family, big mistake only makes matters worse. I realized it could be the pred, did a lot of research and asked the question on here. You will find you are not on your own. i knew had to have help and rang my Dr, shes great btw. She told me that living with chronic pain can cause depression, i told her i was not depressed but very anxious . She asked if i wanted to try a mild anti depressant, i said no but i want to lower the pred slightly and told her my research and what i had found out about how pred can cause the symptoms ! She agreed and said i was unlucky.Anyway i lowered my pred slightly and she gave me a short course of Valium.Within days i started to feel better, didnt need to take the whole course, but it gave me time to breath and think clearly again ! Im back to my old self again. Thought i would write a full account of how i felt because it can be a scary and lonely place to be in . If it helps you and others then i will feel glad i wrote this . Take care dont be hard on yourself and seek help and talk about it . Hope you feel better soon, it will pass.Best wishes Viv x

[ChrisinNam]

Hi Lellylam, I was diagnosed last October, and am now on 12mg Pred. I find I lose my temper REALLY big time occasionally, and can throw things, scream and shout, and burst into tears. Any kind of frustration brings this on, together with depression. This has only come about since taking Pred. Anyone else experience this?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to ChrisinNam]

I used to experience it due to PMR - long before pred!

[herdysheep in reply to ChrisinNam]

Oh yes, tears and temper. Mind you, temper has always been a bit of an issue, so probably can't blame it all on pred/pmr. Trouble is, we get older and more things are lining up to hit us. More medications, more side effects etc etc. I just hope that the tears stage helps me sleep.