What's going on?

[Flivoless]

Diagnosed with PMR April 21. Started at 15mg Pred but made no difference but 25 did. Have tapered slowly and now down to 5.5mg. I have been extremely lucky as I haven't, so far, suffered any flares and have remained pain free - apart from various aches and pains that I couldn't pin on PMR - but suffered with the usual Pred stuff, fatigue, mood swings, etc. I think my luck was amplified my the sound advice here and the fact that I've had more Rheumy appointments than the rest of the Country put together it would seem (not by choice I hasten to add) My question is; for many months at precisely 8.05 pm I would go into mega-yawn mode, taking on the proportions of a hippo (much like the rest of me at the moment - thanks Pred) as well as minor yawns throughout the day and having to close my eyes briefly . You could set your watch by the onset of the mega-yawns but since tapering down to 6mg, despite not sleeping that well, I have just realised that all the yawning has stopped and I'm left wondering why that would. Does anyone have any ideas?

[SnazzyD]

I would hazard a guess that your adrenal function has caught up a bit. My worst time was between 7/8mg to 5mg with 6mg being much better than 7mg. It felt like above 5mg was a bit of a neither here nor there dose with being too high for the adrenal glands to realise their time had come and too low to make up for the lack of full function. My Endocrinologist who saw me finally at 4mg agreed it to be likely. We are all different and some people feel fine on 7mg but not on 5mg. On even lower doses sometimes I had to slow my reduction because my adrenal glands didn’t seem ready. That’s what makes this so tricky to navigate; it’s not one size fits all.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

How strange!

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

suggests a link between yawning and raised cortisol - bit chicken and egg situation I suppose. But there are mentions on adrenal fatigue woo sites that yawning is associated with adrenal fatigue (which doesn't exist in the form they claim but poor adrenal function in the context of secondary adrenal insufficiency does)

The cortisol level in the body falls steadily, reaching its nadir at about midnight and that is the trigger for the production of cortisol the next morning to assist in the process of getting set for the day ahead. If your cortisol is low, it is preparing you for bed - if it is a bit too low before you go to bed, maybe the body starts yawning, to suggest you might want to go to bed OR to increase the cortisol level so you can keep going a bit longer?

Just a theory that fits.

[Broseley in reply to PMRpro]

My hippo impression begins at 5pm, has a break then starts again at 8pm. I then wake up just in time for bed...

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Would agree with  SnazzyD - adrenal faffing about - please note medical term there 😏

[SnazzyD]

excellent choice of word, faffing !

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to SnazzyD]

Can spend hours doing that!😊

[Flivoless in reply to DorsetLady]

And there was me thinking that faffing was something only my Wife did, just to annoy me, when we're getting ready to go out. 🤷‍♂️

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Flivoless]

How very dare you! Faffing about is an art form I have you know...😏

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Flivoless]

Better warn you you are skating on VERY thin ice ...

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to PMRpro]

I feel a Viking Curse brewing!

[Flivoless in reply to DorsetLady]

Viking cruise more likely than Viking curse I think.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Flivoless]

Nope…😊

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Flivoless]

You aren't dealing with mere mortals here you know

[tempusfugi in reply to DorsetLady]

I am a faffer😃

[Flivoless in reply to tempusfugi]

Faffing the night away?

[tempusfugi in reply to Flivoless]

Indeed! Great fun😄

[SheffieldJane]

Maybe it was your naughty Adrenals going through a process that is now complete. I have had similar that you could set your clock by and then it goes. Make sure you get plenty of rest at the moment and slow your taper to snail’s pace.

[piglette]

I would be over the moon if the mega yawns have stopped. That sounds fantastic news.

[Flivoless in reply to piglette]

Yes indeed, took me a while to actually realise that they had stopped.

[tempusfugi in reply to piglette]

Yawns are infectious! Even when speaking on the phone. Strange phenomenom🤔

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to tempusfugi]

science.org/content/article...

Not quite sure how it works over the phone though ..unless you use Cockney rhyming slang… ‘dog & bone’…🤦🏻‍♀️

[Flivoless in reply to DorsetLady]

Thanks, interesting reading. "yawning is triggered by rises in brain temperature". Hmm, sadly this might be the answer to my new lack of yawning. Up until the cost of fuel went through the roof, the temperature in our lounge would reach nuclear levels, to the point where I had irresistible urges to beat my self with a tree branch.

[tempusfugi in reply to Flivoless]

Well, thank God you've stopped that then, Flivoless😁

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to tempusfugi]

Quite!

[MiloCollie]

It’s made me giggle. The hippo yawn face 🦛

[Purpleprimate]

Sounds like you are returning to normal! How long has it taken from diagnosis to where you are now?

[Flivoless in reply to Purpleprimate]

🤞 Succumbed in March 21, diagnosed April (luckily). Started on 15mg Pred but no improvement. 25mg did the job. Now down to 5.5mg.

[Purpleprimate]

Thanks, you are doing well then. From what I have now fully understood over the last few days, is take the last bit very very slowly.

[Flivoless in reply to Purpleprimate]

I will certainly not be tempting fate that's for sure.

[Wallysma]

I know what I will be dreaming about tonight...hippos on viking cruises. I live the hippo yawn....I identify with the hippo yawn. I do the hippo yawn.

[Flivoless in reply to Wallysma]

Perhaps we can write a song? We could call it "doing the Hippo shake shake"?

[Wallysma]

🤣👯