Cocktail a cause perhaps?

[Loveopera]

I’ve been on Prednisolone for 2 years this month starting at 15mg steadily going down until January when I stopped at 1mg . It wasn’t long before I had to back up to 5 mg . I am also on weekly Risondodate for bone protection as well as two blood pressure tablets 15mg candesartan and 2.5 mg indapamide . Plus vitamin D Adcal tablets twice a day . I’ve recently had blood tests which showed that apparantly I am now anoemic I’ve felt like passing out a couple times lightheaded and mild Headaches and pretty anxious . Has anyone else wondered if this sort of cocktail of drugs might be the cause of this latest problem? I was just beginning to feel more like myself again but not now!!

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Anaemia can be part of chronic illness, especially inflammatory illness. As you found - the PMR is alive and well after 2 years so it may still be that. It is very imaginatively called "anaemia of chronic disease":

niddk.nih.gov/health-inform....

I assume your GP will check for hidden GI tract bleeding by testing for blood in your stools (the same as the colon cancer screening test).

In addition to low haemoglobon, you are at a low dose where it is possible there is an adrenal insufficiency problem although having got to zero OK some months ago, that shouldn't really be significant, the adrenal function probably had caught up with the reduction in dose.

[Simplewish]

I've had PMR for two and a half years and started on 20mg . I take ADcal twice a day, Alendronic acid once a week and I'm also on blood pressure tablets . I have gradually been reducing Prednisolone and have been taking 2 and 1mg on alternate days but due to having head and neck pains in last few weeks I have gone up to 2mg per day to see if I can get back to feeling a bot better. Last year I had fainting episodes but since my blood pressure has been stabilised I seem to be OK although the neurologist sent me for heart and blood tests but they are normal. Like you I wonder if mixing the medication causes problems and wonder what would happen if I just stopped taking it all but wouldn't try it. I'm due for a medication review with my doctor but I think it will only be a phone call which won't help. Hope you are soon off the prednisolone again.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Simplewish]

Being a phone call shouldn't affect a medication review - they can look up interactions while talking to you. And it MAY be a pharmacist who does it.