hi all, I just wanted to know if anyone is finding it difficult to keep warm in the house, I am almost 72 and wear thermal vests and jumpers but still seem to shiver inside my body. Even with my heating on , I put my halogen heater on one bar and still feel cold.
10 years on prednisoline and just got down to 4.5mg once again from 60mg at the start, as get flare ups when down to 3mg 🤬🤬🤬 Doctor wants me to have another blood test when I can get up there, but wondered if it is the preds ??? Thank you in advance
Ps I have a cataract done on the 24th this month 😱😱😱
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Margaret1951
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DorsetLady has said the same as I was going to say - but really, I'm afraid that you will have to get through it at some point if you want to get to lower doses of pred. First get the basal cortisol done by the GP - that is cortisol measured on a blood sample taken between 9am and 1pm without having taken your pred dose that morning, you need 24 hours pred-free before the sample is taken. That will show a bit about your adrenal function. If you stick where you are for now, with a bit of luck it will start to improve.
have just checked my text message again from my Doctor and she wants me to have blood test to check my inflammatory markers ( whatever that is ) and see her after to discuss possible referring me to rheumatology team. Just noticed she sent the text end of November 😱😱😱😱
I have the same problem and think it's due to adrenals not working very well. I'm on 5mg currently, and feeling cold and exhausted a lot of the time. Roll on spring!
if you need to contact surgery for blood tests, maybe request a basal cortisol test for starters. That will give an indication of your cortisol levels.
I think your symptoms may well be coming from adrenal insufficiency at 4.5 mgs. Among feelings of weakness and abdominal pain, shivering and the inability to keep warm are some of the warning signs. This does need immediate medical attention/advice. An adrenal crisis can be life threatening.
I went to lovely GP with similar symptoms...she listened to all my concerns...and concluded it could be viral, or thyroid, and ordered a blood test...hope you are feeling better....
I have been suffering agonies in my shoulders and arms from the cold and have never got below 8mg. Have now upped to 15 and still woken by pains this morning. Doctor says bloods normal but I don't feel normal so I upped my dose anyway. Rheumatology have never diagnosed PMR but GP thinks I have it. I have suffered from these pains for years but it was never suggested and only treated for GCA. Thanks to this forum I heard about PMR and other people's experiences that are so like my own.
I had GCA first then followed by PMR , they come in pairs 🤣🤣 when I get flare up of PMR wow sore or what !! I went for Physio this morning for my shoulders via doctor, it’s calcified inside perhaps you should ask for an ultra sound on them ?
That must be difficult. At least you can bundle up. I have the opposite issue; being too hot and I supposed that is the higher dose of Pred that I'm on. Rarely have the heat on and when I do, end up turning it down. Then there's the sweats and hot flashes. Yes, please get your ESR and CRP checked and the cortisol levels.
Me too, hot flashes and sweating several times a day, very like the menopause although that was over 10 years ago. I assume it's the Pred (reducing from 7 mg to 6.5 mg)
I do feel a tad warmer tonight as put panel heater on also in conservatory and halogen on in here,
Hello Margaret,It is cold.
My answer, don't laugh, is to put a fleecy dressing gown on, over my clothes, comprised partly of a jersey and cardigan and trousers. It also has a hood ! I just take it off, if when somebody comes to the door. This keeps me quite toasty and then if it is very cold we put the heating on for a short time, not too high, in the evening. There are limits, however, and be careful to avoid hyperthermia, It's not worth risking your health, even though the price of heating is exorb itant. Your low pred may be contributing, but it is very cold. If you don't want to increase your heating, maybe the extra layers I have described will help.
Good luck with the cataracts, my sister has had 2 done now and is fine. I have the beginning of cataracts. I understand that it is a straightforward operation. All the best.
I nearly bought a hoodie one from b&m yesterday !! but then started looking at their furry blankets and as usual forgot to go back 🤬🤬 when I put my halagon heater on it’s lovely but then my 2 chihuahuas go and lay in front of it 😂😂😂 I did also put my heating on last night but found my halagon is better for warmth, only cost 14p hour on one bar ! 🤞 for my eye !
The hooded fleecy dressing gown works! I have always felt the cold and have had the heating on a lot, reasoning that we’re not spending money on a wild social life this winter so I refuse to be cold. I bought a lovely woollen blanket from a recent National Trust visit. Very snuggly for reading and knitting. Other tips - had a couple of neck warmers for shoulder / neck pain, which when microwaved I put on both legs under the blanket during the recent cold snap, even with the heating on. I have always been seriously nesh as they say in my neck of the woods.
not heard that word nesh for years since I moved from Newcastle under Lyme !! I have a very thick neck warmer I put on but have to take off again as I boil in it.
Hello,I see that you may have sufficient heating, I presume central heating as well as the halogen heater. I don't know how much heat you are getting from these. Your adrenal issues on low steroids are probably not helping. However, do wrap up well. I have had hypothermia so, though I'm determined to beat the blood sucking tactics of the heating companies, am also determined to not get too cold. I hope that you will stop feeling shivery, once you have found the cause of your symptoms.
That's good, not about the wee ones though ! 🌝 It does seem to point to adrenals or thyroid problems. I see you suffer from Raynauds, and that is difficult in cold weather. Hopefully the doctor can find a solution to why you have internal shivering.
so sorry to hear about this. On a practical front, the new message is heat yourself , not the room. What works well is a lightweight electric fleece blanket- or even just a fleece wrapped round you when you are sitting. Good luck
I usually struggle with heat and still have those throwing off the bedclothes moments, but now I am down on lower digits of pred, I do seem to be feeling the cold more.
I have had cataracts done in both eyes and have mentioned on here before that it was better than going to the dentist. Hope all goes well.
I wear gloves quite often in the house and quite often double socks. Hands are often cold even when in bed. Rest of me can be more than adequately warm but it is the extremities..............
I wear my arthritis gloves indoors and thick thermal ones when I take my 2 little ones out, thick thermal hat, thermal vest and socks and big thick coat, I must look funny 🤣🤣🤣
I too am freezing all the time; I just move the hot pad from one body part to another, nothing helps, not even a hot bath. Doc ran blood work yesterday, waiting for results. That wasn’t my only symptom/reason for the doc appointment, will post about it later.
I too have been feeling very cold all the time. I stopped steroids in December 2022. I hadn’t associated my coldness with low cortisol levels, as I thought it was a symptom of Methotrexate. Yes it makes sense especially as often I am very tired. Thank you PMRpro Ambassador, Dorset Lady et al. Watching the television I use a heating pad and blanket: works well.
I have felt perishing cold this winter. Have turned digitstat down for economic reasons but am also on a lot less pred. Suspect that of being the cause. Hurry up Springtime!
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