I think I am now entering tiger country, I am now down to 5mg of my Preds and swimming against the tide to 4.5mg but am now having a big - unexpectedly for me- problem, I just cannot wake up, I am sleeping better now than a few months ago but, within an hour of getting up I want to go back to bed again and, again sleep very well for a good hour most of the time , up again for lunch then have to go back again and yet another hours sleep, I really have to go as feel deadly tired, even my eyes feel as if they are dropping out through lack of sleep ! I just have zero interest in anything and cannot do even the simplest of things I did make myself do the dishes at night as they have been sitting there all day ! I know there are things which need doing and do feel embarrassed that I just cannot energise myself to do them. could this be PMR ? or perhaps one of my other conditions ie heart problem Thank you for your help
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seamaid
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I’d hazard a guess that you are suffering from poor adrenal function. As we get below 7/8mg our adrenal glands need to make up the difference with cortisol but often they are not lively enough yet. I went from being a morning lark all my life to not being able to feel awake until late morning. I also had to reinstate the solid sleep in the afternoon, dropped after the higher doses. Do have a read from the link below which is from Mrs Nail’s FAQ’s. Essential reading for those entering adrenal tiger country where zest is only found on the outside of citrus fruit.
This is the stage at which your adrenal glands have to wake up and produce a top-up of cortisol so there is enough corticosteroid to function. Fatigue is common in the interim. Lota about it in the FAQs.
Ditto from me agreeing it's probably AI. Are you better at 5mg than 4.5mg? In which case try 4.75mg using the DSNS taper. You may start to feel aches too which are also a symptom of AI and steroid withdrawal. I see you are 82 years young. Older people sometimes have reduced cortisol output so it's possible you may have to stay on a few mg. A basal cortisol test will tell you how much cortisol you are producing naturally, but at the moment your Pred dose is a little high for the blood test to give any meaningful information. Perhaps you should speak to your GP and they can flag your notes with "suspected AI".
Thank you all for your responses to my query. I was wondering if it was my Adrenals 🙄 ah well onwards and downwards , guess this is a stage which has to be endured to get to the end, bit like pregnancy and going into to get to the end 😀All Best wishes
Hi Seamaid, I’m in exactly the same territory but dodging the tigers by not attempting to taper just now. It’s really not at all convenient to succumb to sleep in the afternoon but I am really struggling to get the day started. This is my first encounter with adrenal insufficiency and tigers and I’m not ready to give in, but time will tell. Good luck with your personal battle, best wishes Chrissie
I too am now down to 5mg, but in my internal landscape Tiggers bouncing around are decidedly thin on the ground! I wake up after a good night's sleep feeling just as exhausted as when I fell thankfully into bed the night before. It does help to know that i am not alone, and also to have the very helpful information here about the adrenals, for which many thanks.
You do need to see a doctor because you have other health conditions.
As others have said this is quite usual when Adrenals are getting going again. I feel much the same at 5 mgs, still punctuated by broken nights though, and even nights when I seem never to fully lose consciousness . Your doctor can give you a morning cortisol test to confirm the state of play. I am all for going with the flow though. When I feel like this I go to bed, or at least I did before I had temporary, intermittent, care of my grandsons.
I found if very tricky to drop from 5 mg to 4.5 mg and I was in my early 50s. Take it slowly and rest as much as you need. The fatigue will go away. But do see a doctor and make sure there is nothing else going on.
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