Don't get me wrong I hate it all and I'm looking forward to the day when I am free of these demons. I don't wish it on anyone.
However, I am wondering whether I have found something to hang on to, something positive amongst the challenges?
My life can be quite stress-making at times but I seem to be able to keep calm and I am a little surprised by this. I am sure that I cope quite well with my home situation. I only very rarely get frustrated and don't get angry; things seem to wash over me quite a lot, I just seem to accept things and deal with them, get on with life, albeit very slowly.
But I am mystified about this.
Is this because I have no energy to worry or even think too much about what is going on? Is this a positive side of PMR and prednisolone?!
Should I just be thankful (I'm sure a psychologist could explain it)?
Does anyone else relate to this?
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ChinaWuntoo
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Hi ChinaWuntoo, Actually, yes....I can relate to that. I've always been a person who's tried to be fair, non- judgemental and aware that you never know what might be going on behind the scenes to prompt unpleasant, unkind or unacceptable behaviours. That doesn't mean I'm a 'wallflower' though .....far from it! As a Yorkshire woman, I've always spoken my mind and called a spade a spade. I won't tolerate rudeness, aggression or disrespect and I've never been afraid to speak up. Over the years, I've had to confront and deal with many different challenges, worried and fretted about many different situations and suffered varying degrees of anxiety. Like your good self though, during the 2½yrs I've been living with PMR I've felt far less bothered about 'things' that might otherwise have caused me stress, and feel generally calmer and not as readily 'provoked'. I don't get angry or upset as much and feel in a much calmer place. I think this is for several reasons. I definitely don't have the energy to rampage and rant. I take pleasure from the small & simple things in life and as the saying goes, I 'don't sweat the small stuff'! I
I think for all of the more negative sides of living with PMR, one of the positives is that it's taught me appreciation, gratitude and thankfulness for all the good things I still enjoy in my life.... and there is genuinely an abundance of them.
Thank you for reminding me that I'm not passive. I do get angry and annoyed with things outside of my home: for example when politicians cannot or will not see the bigger picture, when children are hurt, when bigotry replaces engagement.
Perhaps almost sixty years of happy marriage protect me but I think that our condition and medication can have an unexpected good side effect.
Yes it strange PMR does ground you . First i think it was lack of energy with me, pain does awful things to the body and the small things dont bother me anymore ! I dont fret about things as much, plus my BP is down for the first time in years. So at least something positive has come out of it !🌷
Very well said, i mentioned this only the other day to my daughter, Even though l hate PMR it has grounded me in a good way.Plus my BP has gone down for the first time in years !
Tis all resonates with me too, the lock down also helped, with PMT one learns to live in the moment and take each day at a time. Today was naf, tomorrow will be better, or today was fabulous, etc One learns to adapt and make the best of things, though I think it does help being a bit of an optimist and loving getting outdoors walking and gardening.
Also, as this is very much a hidden condition, one tends not to wax lyrical about it to ones friends. Aside from a friend with RA who I compare medication side effects with, this is the only other forum where I feel I can discuss openly and ask questions from the lovely supportive members, and other long timers. And hopefully give some support to those recently diagnosed.
I hope everyone has a good day today, or at least a better one than yesterday. And who knows what tomorrow may bring when the sun shines.
As you can tell, this isn't one of my darker down days. I have them from time to time, probably like everyone on this site. The impatience of taking pred and the seeming excess of other medications to try and reduce the pred. Good luck everyone.
I think you've acquired a really positive skill!😀. I've written on here before that one morning I woke up in a good 'headspace'. The feeling was as though a weight had been lifted. Like you, I have periods of frustration but am able to let it go. It's been a relief to post on the forum at these times of frustration as so many of us have found; we all understand each other and never feel that we should just 'snap out of it'.Maybe it is your lack of energy that has made you less susceptible to anger, but I would say, don't question your feelings: accept them and rejoice! 😉
A nice conversational thread to inspire. I can relate to this feeling of calm too. Waiting doesn’t bother me at all and I find that I really notice things around me, nature, people etc. Nice after being a bit volatile on higher doses of Prednisalone.
Some of the ways in which I reacted in the early days are cringeworthy! I don't dwell on those now that I've become more easy to live with..... I hope!
Yes, good thread - unfortunately I seem to be going the other way … my impatience with what I ( arrogantly?) consider to be selfish or antisocial behaviour in others is no longer internalised … so when I have to travel on public transport, and am confronted by people without masks listening to, and ignoring, the public announcement asking them to wear masks, I’m infuriated. I actually asked a young woman the other day if she’d heard the announcement that had been played three times… she didn’t have a mask, she said. And anyway, she was exempt, she added. And I shout at the radio about injustice and hypocrisy and … think I’ll have a lie down. Have a peaceful day, everyone!
I can relate to that Frewen! OH calls it steroid heat! We have a ‘daily rant’ when we have a good old moan about anything and everything and after that we can be sweet for the rest of the day.....mostly😇😃
I'd like to say I'm not as impatient - but I am initially. However, when a situation arises now I have a quick paddy and shout but it is gone just as quickly and I find it easier to turn round and walk away to calm down given the option - I still have a paddy when I'm trapped though!!
But yes - much calmer than I was and I don't think it is just aging!!! For some things I have developed immense patience - doesn't stop me letting rip in private though!
Same here, I get my message across in a calm blunt way.......then as you say...walk away...I will.defend myself to the hilt, my mother had a terrible life...was not able to defend herself, and I promised myself I would never be treated like that.....and why should we....
I still get very upset when someone just doesn't "get" what I'm telling them. But that is a very longstanding problem - something that is clear as day to me that doesn't get acknowledgement is a difficult situation for me. Just had another example recently - and the approach I suggested to the GP months ago was used by another set of doctors. Had it been done when I suggested it - the last 6 months of hell would never have happened.
Yes, I can guess what you mean...probably another case of not wanting to admit you were right....but it was done anyway....even if not by them....It makes me angry, although it shouldn`t when the public can see what is going to happen as plain as day...but the politicians....no....
Not really - it was instituted in a palliative care unit which is where it is standard care in the UK and how we (daughter and I know about it). But medical care here can be very patriarchal - with females being far worse about it!I do know that the doctor to be in charge of the new unit here treats us as equals though - lovely, lovely young woman. Roll on the middle of the month - if we can sustain where we are now it'll be OK.
I changed my oh don’t upset no one attitude after cancer. They say what they want do do I now without trying to cause offence nevertheless I have my say.
Possibly the euphoric effect of large doses of pred persists but to a lesser extent at lower doss - increased calmness and grounding? It's a better way of living, though would be nice to achieve without pred/illness. For me I also have to look out for short bouts of intense irritability.
I think that my calmness is mostly within my home situation. Yes, lockdown did help, strangely, although I would like to have a holiday!
Out of the home I feel a somewhat different person!
I, too, have challenged people about anti-social behaviour - scooters on pavements are my pet-hate. But my family tell me to keep quiet due to the area in which we live.
Without getting political, I am angry, for example, that the big picture is being lost in the focussing on the safety of women: very important as that is, in my area it is black young people who are most at risk from knives and guns and I see the root problem as related. Perhaps my concern partly stems from the fact that we have a number of black family members....and some women!😀
Good days / bad days - oh, yes. I've been waiting for a good day before starting a small plumbing job, allowing two days in case of problems because I can only sensibly work for half a day. Today - yep, hit a problem. The difficulty now comes that I have to STOP and that, for me, is not easy. Fortunately I had installed a stopcock in a handy place. The knowledge, sure and certain, that I will otherwise suffer more if I continue the work will force me to rest for the rest of today.
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On the positive side 
Brain fog
Brain Fog and Prednisone Reduction
Brain fog: I think it's going to be one of those days...
excuse me asking. Brain fog. 
