steroids

[TedTheMaineCoon]

Is there an alternative to steroids or do I have to have them ?

I can’t stand sweating buckets for hours on end !

Or is it a matter of having to deal with it ?

[sidra1968]

I sweat a bunch, too.. I always kind of did anyway, but I think it's worse now and coming in different places than previously (my head mainly..my hair is wet with any physical activity). That being said - it is way better than being in the pain I was in and I can actually live life now. Hopefully when summer is over it'll lessen, I suppose. But I feel ya!

[PMRpro Ambassador]

For PMR you mean? In the UK - no option unless you want to try a DMARD which have no guaranteed effects but may work for some patients. They can have unpleasant side effects too while you are finding out if they will work for you. In the USA you might get Actemra - no chance of that in the UK I fear.

If you were to go on and develop GCA, no choice in the UK as first choice. Pred at far higher doses or risk loss of vision. Later if you have relapses you might get Actemra.

[piglette]

Steroids are a wonder drug and really are your best choice for PMR to help the pain. The hot sweats do improve, mine went away completely.

[TedTheMaineCoon in reply to piglette]

Thank you . That’ll be great if mine go . But still, it’s better to ride it out . At least the pain stops .

[Bcol]

They might have a few few downsides, and let's face it, sweating is not too dire compared to some, but they are a wonder and only drug for PMR in the UK. They gave me my life back.

[TedTheMaineCoon in reply to Bcol]

Thank you . It’s true it does give your life back .

[Body_bonkers]

I hate it too but bear with it - I've already noticed an improvement since reducing my dose

[Pixix]

I would say yes you do! But then it’s because I did, & when lower pred it did get a bit better. Now, for me, it’s a sign I’m overdoing it & need to slow down. I used to walk around with a towel round my neck, because water poured out of my head like a tap! Now I’m on 2mg it doesn’t happen routinely, but I had a very long day yesterday travelling, flying, & driving a car in the dark in a foreign country with hairpin bends! All was OK, but then I started to unpack our cases, it was 10pm, & my system had enough…yes, I unpacked just bits we needed last night…with a towel wrapped round my neck & hoping it wouldn’t drip in my eyes! I think there’s a choice. I couldn’t have done what I have in the past 3 years without pred!

[Persevere99]

Hi

Suggest devil’s claw, a powerful anti inflammatory

Reduced my CrP from 10 to 2 in 2 weeks

Good luck

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Persevere99]

Very possibly but given the medications many patients on this forum are on, great care is required to avoid interactions. The Interactions should be read carefully, especially by anyone with gastric effects due to any of their medication such as pred or alendronic acid.

webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingre...

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Persevere99]

May work for you, but any supplement needs to be checked it doesn't interfere/interact with prescribed medication... which is why we always caveat a suggestion with that comment.

[Hosers2]

Because I developed Macular Degeneration, I was forced to find an alternative to Prednisone. Over the space of about 30 days, I successfully switched from 7mg Pred to 400mg Hydroxychloroquine (HCL). Then slowly reduced the HCL over a years period to nothing.

I live in the US, so I am not sure if that would be allowed in the UK. Also, I never suffered from the “sweats” when taking Pred. However I have very dry skin (as compared to the general population) and I live in a desert climate with low humidity.

[Elispeth]

I used to sweat an awful lot on higher doses of prednisolone. I managed to hide the body sweats by wearing loose cotton or linen clothes if I was at work but I really struggled in the beginning with my head sweating.

I eventually found a sports shop that sold a type of scarf that I could run under cold water and wrap around my head like a fashion scarf. It was made of a particular type of material that would stay cool for at least a few hours. When the scarf felt hot again I used you just take it off and shake it out in the air to cool it down again before wrapping it back around my hair again. It was a very effective way of cooling my head down and I eventually got the scarf in different colours to match my outfit.

I think that they sell them online in the sports section of most popular retailers. Hope that this is helpful 🙂!

[TedTheMaineCoon in reply to Elispeth]

Wow that is helpful! Thank you so much ! The sweating part of it does get me down !

I was at my uncles funeral in July & my hair was drenched ! It was pouring down with rain on the day . So people hopefully thought I’d gone outside ! But In the Ladies there was a hand dryer , so dried my hair. I did get some looks though as coming out of the Loo ! 😆