My life is in a spin right now. I was hospitalized earlier in September because i passed out 3x while sick with covid. Doctors found no real cause other than perhaps dehydration.
Tomorrow i will attend my husbands funeral. He recovered from covid but had ideopathic pulmonary fibrosis . The covid made it worse and the he had pulmonary embolism and aspiration pneumonia.
Im tired from late nights at hospital and just not sleeping well. I feel my legs getting stiff.Im currrntly at 3 mg prednisone. I know I need to increase a little. Advice please.
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Paperroses
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Oh Paperroses - l’m so very sorry for your loss - have you spoken to your GP/Doctor at all? I’d certainly be thinking about an increase for a few days at least, starting today - maybe 5mg extra for 3days minimum. If you can get hold of your Doctor for his advice that would be good but this is Post Covid plus the loss of your Dear Husband & the Stress of a Funeral tomorrow.
It’d be better to increase from today to get you in a better place for tomorrow, you can then simply return to your current dose or if your Dr agrees maybe stay on 5mg for a while.
So sorry to hear about your husband🌹 .... tomorrow will be difficult, as has the last week or so and the weeks/months to come. But if it's any consolation, it is another step you've got through... and things do improve, albeit slowly.
I was on higher than you in same situation and didn't increase, but think you're probably wise to take extra for next few days, maybe up to 6mg for about a week, and then back down, maybe to 4mg rather than 3mg. It's a bit of suck and see situation...
Firstly, I am so sorry that you are going through such a heartbreaking and challenging time. No wonder you feel in a spin. I think your collapse was entirely understandable. Some doctors don’t really get the impact of shocks and extreme stress on our conditions. My Rheumatologist, very much gives me my head these days. In your position I would try an extra 5 mgs for a week to 10 days and then return to my (enviable) low dose straight away, to see if that headed off a flare. I would also be hyper aware of the impact recent events will have had on my adrenal system and be alert for adverse effects. Please run these ideas past your doctor. You must take great care at the moment.Sending you love and hugs. 💐
I took a quick look at your profile and see you joined in Feb 2020 and am assuming that you were diagnosed in Jan 2021.
This is a very stressful time for you and stress is not helping you to control your PMR.
You have done well to get down to 3mg in a year. So given the duration of your PMR and what has happened to you personally, I would up the pred by, at the least by 5mgs, for at least a week and then see how you are...................... just stay there for a while, about 4 weeks, and then re-start a slow taper.
So very sorry to read that you have lost your husband, what a very difficult time for you. Will be thinking of you tomorrow, and do hope you can get some good rest afterwards.
Sleep makes such a difference- I very occasionally take two OTC co-codamols at night if I am achey and find that helps.
Having lost my father and his wife quite recently, I know that there are no words that could have made the grieving process easier. Just keep your husband in your heart
I am SO sorry - it has been my dread that my OH would get Covid - he has a single very dodgy lung. Of course you are exhausted, of course you aren't sleeping well - and it may well be worth speaking to your doctor for something to help you break the cycle of being too tired to sleep. Not every night, just now and again. Even just a few nights of sleep makes such a difference - you can't catch up what you have missed out on but you can feel better.
With all the stress I'm surprised you are managing OK on just 3mg - I know stress seems to suck up what pred you are on - I'm on well more than that and it is barely covering the PMR and the stress, one or the other, but not both. So for the next few days - you know you need a bit more.
There is nothing to say other than I'm sending virtual hugs xxxx
So sorry for you. good advice above.. ie increase for 3 days and then suck and see, the idea being, (as you no doubt know) an increase of 3 days or even a few more days but three is ideal, one can drop back down easily without a taper but I suspect you will need more for a while. That's fine just taper of you need a bit more for much longer. In my thoughts
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