Dizzy spells not magic

[Animalover65]

Hi, I am down to 2mg of prednisolone and have had some days of fatigue which I managed with rest. I seem to have reduced fairly swiftly from 20mg which I started in early March 22 for PMR..

I am having more frequent days where I feel more energetic and just have some stiffness in legs in the morning and after falling asleep on the sofa at night. I am careful not to over do things or find occasionally have felt nauseous and generally unwell. And I am also well enough to attend my hours weekly ballet class- I think I am on week 4. ( Feel a bit like the comedian in the sketch on TV who gets out of his wheelchair runs onto the football pitch, kicks the ball into the goal and then gets back into his wheelchair!)

However I occasionally have dizziness. I remember feeling dizzy a week or so after my Astra Zenica jab a short time before the onset of PMR. I have recently had the Pfizer Bivalent booster so was wondering about that as I am getting a bit more of the dizziness. My BP seems OK and generally I feel OK.

How common is this symptom? And any thoughts on this please? Thank you

[PMRpro Ambassador]

All sound symptoms typical of poor adrenal function - your adrenal gland production of the natural corticosteroid cortisol hasn't kept up with the reduction in pred dose which takes time. If you are noticing more good days then just stick where you are until you get more good days. There is no hurry to continue reducing now you are at such a low dose.

[Animalover65 in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you PMRpro that's reassuring.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Hi

Yes you have reduced quickly -some can, others cannot -so you could be on too low a dose -but would also say your adrenals are stuttering -have a look at this -

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

[Animalover65 in reply to DorsetLady]

Thank you Dorsett Lady, I am also reminding myself to take things slow and steady as in this case the tortoise wins the race.( Even though it isn't a race to zero.)

[Iamfedup]

After nearly four years I am down to one and a quarter mg however i too am getting dizzy spells and palpitations. I had these at the beginning of prednisone and pmr but they mainly disappeared after the first year

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Iamfedup]

Could well be poor adrenal function - mark time at the surrent dose until it catches up.

[Animalover65 in reply to Iamfedup]

Yes- in the info suggested by Dorsett lady it was suggested we should avoid too much caffeine which might help reduce the palpitations. It also confirmed that dizziness and sometimes breathlessness can be a result of low or stuttering adrenal function. The article also said that B vitamins help the adrenals as does including saturated and non saturated fat in the diet. I am going to try more Robinsons Barley and the odd glass of red wine!

Hope you feel less fed up soon.x