I have been taking Pred since 25.05.22.
60mg f or 5days then 55mg then 50mg then 45mg then 40mg currently day 14 of 35mg. I feel awful. I am in a state of absolute panic. I don'tk now what day it is. I can't w irk out if Ihave taken my 35mgPred today. What shall I do?
Well firstly stop panicking -that’s not going to help at all. Sit down with a cup of tea or whatever and think it through -can you check your boxes of tablets and logically work out if you’ve taken them. At 35mg -that’s 4 tablets if you’re taking 10mg and 5mg or seven if all 5mgs.
If you really can’t work it out, then take either 15mg or 20mg and see how the day goes. If by late afternoon you feel as if you have symptoms returning then you probably didn’t take them so take the remainder to make up to 35mg -if you feel okay then you’ve probably had extra.
Whatever -go back to normal tomorrow… put it down to experience -and get yourself a dosette box -so it doesn’t happen again…
Thank you that helps, I hadn't thought of taking 20mg and seeing how I feel. Have got a dosette and Sunday pot is full but i may have filled it up again. This panic and loss of memory only started last week, have been ok up till then. Thank you I will go and take 20mg and see how I feel
I sorted my boxes ( one am, one pm) once a week on Saturday morning - then took each day’s dose as it came ..Don’t refill as you go, that’s just asking for confusion!
If the confusion & panic has only just started, has that coincided with a reduction -or anything else? Couldn’t be dehydration from last week’s heatwave could it?
If it continues then you obviously need to speak to doctor -but please try and have a restful day today -and see how you feel.
It is early Sunday morning, if you meant literally, “what day is it?”.Try to calm yourself down. Prednisalone can make us feel quite jittery. You won’t come to any harm though. Have a cup of tea.
Is it possible to work out, by process of deduction and how many tablets you have left, whether or not you have taken today’s dose of Pred. ?
Apart from the panicky feelings, do you have any physical symptoms?
Is this the first time you have felt like this during the relatively short time you have been on GCA doses of Prednisalone?
If it is not possible to work out whether you have taken today ‘s dose and in the absence of medical advice, I might compromise and take 20 mgs today and see how I felt as the day progressed. Please feel free to tell us more about how you are and what is leading to the panic?
You are definitely not alone. We are here and you could call the GP/Rheumatologist when they open. Breathe! 🌸
Thank you too for prompt and practical advice too. This panic stuff only started last week , I have been ok up till then. I will certainly take that 20mg this morning and that cup of tea. I dont know what has caused me suddenly to becone stressed and panicky , and illogical too . I see Rheumatology consultant at hospital tomorrow for first time so maybe i will get some more information. Thank you for helping
Sorry I'm late to the party - I never get up early and Sunday is a very lazy morning for me!
I would have said exactly the same as DL and SJ. I hope by now you have calmed down a bit. I use a daily dosette box and I only ever refill it during the day if I am going to be away from the village for any reason - I always carry 24 hours of the doses of everything I take, which is 5x a day.
In your place, I'd have one specifically for pred for the whole week and only ever refill it on a chosen evening when you can guarantee being undisturbed until you are finished. Then you can see at a glance when you have taken today's dose, and so can anyone else.
Sit down quietly and make a list of what has happened - incuding the panic attack today and the cognitive problems last week - so you can tell the doctor logically and calmly when you see him tomorrow. Have you told anyone else about that?
High dose pred can cause all sort of brain fog and while I would have expected it to have been worse at the much higher doses you have been on but maybe it is just the rapid pace you have been reducing at and your body is struggling with the frequent changes - have you been changing the dose every 10 days or so? That is what it looks like.
How was yesterday? and today...hopefully better...🙂
Very helpful consult,I came away understanding much more and feeling reassured although my dose of Prednisolone needs to go UP..I had taken the advice you gave me and written my questions and my "diary" before I went . She took time to read it all and gave me very thorough examination all over. She confirmed I had had ultra sound scan not biopsy and that it had shown inflammation of temporal artery.She said often hard to differentiate GCA and PMR but felt I had GCA.
She said mental panic and confusion are drug related but that I need to UP my dose of Prednisolone because the recent panic and double vision issues tell her the condition is not under control and is still developing. So I am back up to 40mg Pred but with instructions to get in touch directly with her or a colleague if it doesn't improve in next few days. She explained that GCA can be quietly building up for a long time, couple of years even before patient realises...I didn't know that..I came away feeling reassured and will do whatever I am told to do. Am very grateful for the support and comfort on here ..
Good to hear it was a productive appointment- even if it means more Pred. But at least she explained things fully and hopefully you feel a bit more confident in how to manage your illness with her help.
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