I am feeling very rough at the moment and wonder if it is more than a cold. About a week ago my nose started running - not blocked but streaming - then the sneezes started which I am finding exhausting. I have had a couple of dizzy spells and my tummy is complaining a bit. It is years since I had more than a snuffle with a cold and this is quite a bit more. No temperature. I guess it will pass and perhaps its just a mega cold - just wondering if its the Adrenals complaining. I have been at 2mg Pred for a month or more which I was very pleased about.
Just a cold? : I am feeling very rough at the... - PMRGCAuk
Just a cold?
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Pippah45
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DorsetLadyPMRGCAuk volunteer
Have you tested for Covid? Although dizzy spells and stomach issues do sound a bit adrenalish - so do keep your eye on the ball.
Plenty of TLC methinks... hope you soon feel better.
No haven't tested for Covid yet. Luckily nothing needs doing really so lots of self TLC!
Self TLC has to do, when no one else around.. 😊
Well versed in self TLC although the dog is being kind 
Not much good at making tea though I bet! I have a big vacuum flask I use when camping - I make a pot of tea in it, saves getting up every time I want a cup.
I have been drinking mainly water anyway so that's easy, tea doesn't do it for me but some herbal teas sometimes. One decaffed coffee at breakfast.
Through and through British me in that respect!! Only so much water I can drink - and a hot cup of something is so comforting!! Herbal is the usual here - but have to be in the mood.
Yes I have to be in the mood for herbal too - but luckily I can drink plenty of water - filtered. Hibiscus tea is my current one which is supposed to help with BP. My wood burner is lovely and comforting and quite easy to keep going. Just wheel the logs in from the garage.
I have a wood burner but it is very much for emergencies when the heating in the building is dead! Was very glad I had it 5 years ago when the electricity was off for 30 hours after a LOT of heavy wet snow. Ten miles down the road there was nothing to be seen!! Everyone else in the block uses wood, they only notice the heating is off when they have no hot water!! But I really can't be bothered hauling it around on my own. I think most of them get wood free so I can see the point. I'll pay for the gas as I only heat the bathrooms and leave the doors open which heats the rest of my tiny flat.
I don't have a full central heating system and the log burner heats the water plus I love seeing the flames - I will have to get something else when hauling logs gets too much - or move. Not so good if I go away in winter and come back to a cold house but I can always retreat to the caravan and keep warm there!
We found that when we were using this flat as a holiday flat for skiing, we would arrive here to about 13C in the living room which was a tad parky but after the heating was on for a couple of days it was fine again and in the interim the wood burner really made it warm from the start. Now it is only the bathrooms I can't cope with without the heating - the other rooms are OK as they have wooden flooring. Ceramic tiles NEED the underfloor heating!!
We had a ski-ing apartment in France in a previous life and the warmth from neighbours made it just about bearable when ex forgot to pay the electricity bill and we were cut off! Indeed tiled floors are not good - I washed the mats yesterday and it feels pretty cold in the shower room!
The neighbour to my right used to heat nicely and her living room, especially the wood oven, is onto my bedroom wall. However - she sold it a few years ago and now it is a holiday flat which is hardly ever used. Very QUIET except when they arrive (Italians) but not as warm any more.
PMRproAmbassador
No fever? No cough? They are also still listed as the symptoms of the current version of Covid, together with this constant sneezing. Even testing is a bit hit or miss - can take a few days to get a positive, though you shoud be well there by now.
If you are really unwell a bit more pred mightn't hurt - 2mg is pretty low.
Who knows what it is but both Covid and flu can give that all body experience. Covid now goes for my gut every time, but flu can give people upset tummy. Low adrenal function can cause upset gut too on top of feeling like you’ve been say on by a rhino. I had an adrenal crisis with Covid after a week of acute sore throat and high fever. The slightly upset gut turned into diarrhoea and I assumed it was Covid as I had been off Pred for 2 years. I then went downhill very quickly and collapsed, calmly feeling like was going to die . The paramedics gave me hydrocortisone IV and it worked like a charm. Yes, I was still feeling awful with the Covid but the death bit was gone. The moral of the story is keep a close eye and if you feel like you are losing pop a few mg of Pred, though given how rough you feel sick day rules wouldn’t be a bad idea to put into action.
You could test for Covid by bear in mind it can take a few days for the levels to get high enough to give a positive result, especially with so many being vaccinated now. I also swab throat as well as the nose with the nasal tests because I almost invariably carry it in my throat and not my nose in enough ‘numbers’.
Gosh not good that you needed Hydrocortisone IV after being off pred so long. That was kind of my worry - but having worked so hard to reduce to 2mg I am slightly reluctant to go that route. Thanks for your input though - its very helpful. My stomach issues aren't too bad at the moment just sort of uncomfortable but that might be the Paracetemol not helping. I could send for some tests but I don't feel much like the 8 mile round trip to the shops. I am wondering if it would make any difference knowing it was Covid? My father always got pretty ill from a cold and no one would dare cough in his presence!
It is really comforting to share these things with you wonderful people thank you.
It isn't long enough to upset the adrenal status - SDRs are like the flare protocol. just for up to a couple of weeks max. and you will go back to 2mg once recovered.
Probably not worth the 8 mile trip, not least because you might give it to someone else. There is a chance you will come out negative even if you are positive anyway. Too late for antivirals if you are a week already. With any viral infection you have to see what comes out in the wash and deal with it as it comes.
Regards upset gut, it’s hard to say as it could be any of the possibles but IF you have a crisis you certainly know about it and you tell 111 or whoever that you are on steroids and they should be there double quick. You will reduce the chances by not over doing it. If you feel you are going down hill at this stage you would need to ask for medical opinion anyway.
Thanks for that SnazzyD - I don't want to cry wolf but I also don't want to get too sick to be able to help myself since I live on my own. I hope I am a way off that. I don't have serious stomach issues - just describe my Tum as feeling delicate. I have stuck to my comfort foods today.
I ordered the covid tests on line as found mine were out of date and had dried out. ..
Then I would guess mine would be out of date if I could find them! I haven't used a test for almost 3 years when I had to take one before going into hospital for hip replacement. I won't search anymore then! Thanks
Bit of a cheek that!! Our hospital did any such tests - to be sure the technique was right. Felt as if the swab was halfway down my throat!!!!
Thank you - up by 2mg?
I am such an innocent - I haven't had to apply Sick Day Rules before!
I have been extremely lucky in my journey I think mostly thanks to you and the team for guiding me to ignore the Rheumy's too fast reductions! What a team.
Hi Pippah45! This has been an interesting conversation. I, too, have been feeling rough for 3 days - including the unhappy guts. Don't think it's the adrenals as I'm on 13 pred, due to go to 12, but will delay that. Combination of dihydrocodeine & paracetamol are relieving worst of aches & pains. Not covid but will do another test shortly. Have had flu jab. Hope everyone's feeling better soon.
Have you done the sick day rules? I have had 3 weeks of a virus like yours, including nausea and vomiting. When I saw my Endocrinologist last Thursday he emphasised quite strictly that I must do the sick day rules because we don’t know what could happen ( quote). He described sick day rules as an extra 5 mgs in the morning and an extra 5 mgs in the evening he then said after a few days I could come straight back down. I am currently on 4.5 mgs and seemingly, firmly stuck there. I didn’t think I needed to do the sick day rules with this kind of virus. I was pretty dismayed because I am very keen to reduce. He said that the vomiting could be my Adrenals struggling. The GP was going down the gastroenterology route even though tests were clear several months ago. I don’t have much faith in her tbh.
I should have thought of Sick Day Rules before this but I have been lucky enough not to have needed them before. Have just doubled up today. I too am reluctant to increase dose after managing to get down after a long struggle. But there is a time for everything and if it helps shake whatever this is it will be worth it! Poor you with the D & V as well. Luckily that hasn't happened to me .... yet. That is what is so awful about this - not having faith in the medics - isn't it? I lost faith a very long time ago when a GP was extremely unhelpful with my daughter - who is ok now because we took things into our own hands. It's very scary.
I hope you are recovering and you manage to get down to where you were soon. I found going down by .5 was the answer for me with DSDS method. Form 7 downwards to 5 I went down by .25 but was doing ok on .5 reduction until this. We just have to do what it takes don't we? Good luck
Hi, thank you for your posts, interesting and helpful. I am finding the experiences of others very helpful to call on when I am unsure about this process. I am not a typical case as it is doubtful I have PMR (long story) but I was given Pred and am now reducing so any information is helpful. The advice and knowledge is reassuring as I am on the verge of sacking my GP 😠
Glad you are finding it helpful. I don't know what I would have done without this forum. I hope your reduction goes better than mine as my diagnosis was many years ago! Good luck.
Thank you. I started Pred at 15mg in August and am now on 10.5. I don't have a goal in mind so long as I am going down most of the time. It's a marathon not a sprint.I am disappointed because I should not have been given the steroids in the first place but it's done now.
I can sympathise as I had a cough and cold from hell a few weeks back. My husband had a 3 day sniffle which he passed to me and mine lasted 3 weeks. I normally don't get colds so it was a shock. I took regular paracetamol and drank hot honey and lemon, herbal teas and lots of water. Also chicken broth. It wasn't covid. I've been on 2mg for ages, but didn't need to raise it. There's a lot around. Take it very easy and eventually it passes on.
Hi, hope you continue to improve.
I have always taken gripe water for a tender tummy as not good with stomach medication. It really does work when there is no sickness or chronic pain. J
I had a ‘cold’ for six weeks, over a week of severe laryngitis in the middle of it. It was awful. I found otc Lemsip powder and Manuka honey worked wonders, and plenty of rest of course. Hope you feel better soon.
Why on earth have you not tested for Covid?? We have been shielding for almost 5 years in order not to catch Covid or any other respiratory virus. It is a hellish existence.
Experience shows that it can take several days for a test to show positive. So even if people test it doesn't mean they would know in the earlier stages. My daughter is a nurse, so does test regularly if she has a cold. On two occasions the Covid test only showed positive on days 4 or 5. There is little reason for most people who get Covid to test - they have no symptoms. Whether that is right or not is another matter.
Why don't you try wearing an FFP3 mask? Flu has always been a risk, long before Covid joined in. Are you suggesting we should all test for flu as well?
I don’t understand your response regarding having no symptoms. Pippah45 is symptomatic and testing would be potentially helpful for her should she be unfortunate enough to develop any complications, and to others (particularly the CEV community).
Unfortunately, your response reflects the view of the masses who trivialise the effects of Covid, particularly on the severely immunocompromised. Not forgetting that there are almost two million people in the UK who are experiencing long Covid (almost 3 percent of the population).
FYI I am not suggesting testing for Influenza and we do wear FFP3 masks.
Sadly, to those of us who are clinically extremely vulnerable, it seems that Covid has become a dirty word to avoid mentioning at all costs, particularly in healthcare settings. We are both medically qualified and we are appalled at the guidance handed down by the NHS.
I think you are being more than a touch judgmental in your response to PMRpro's efforts to help me. She has known me from the beginning of my GCA/PMR journey and has always been extremely helpful. I understand your frustrations about the whole sorry business of Covid however since you have only made 5 posts on this forum I am not at all sure you are qualified to critisise the wonderful work all the team does on this forum.
Nor seemingly PMR or GCA.
I do not understand your response or its relevance as I have made no judgement of PMRpro’s response to you. Since when did a comment about societies view of Covid become a criticism of the work all the team does on this forum? Likewise, how is the number of posts you make relevant, or are we in a quantity Vs quality of posts debate here? I reiterate my original point, which is that testing since developing symptoms is potentially helpful due to the risk of developing complications , but I would also add its importance in the procurement of anti viral therapy.
As PMR/GCA patients with immune compromise we should remember that Covid is particularly dangerous to us being a vascular disease. Hence my concern that we should test if symptomatic.
The one thing you cannot accuse ME of is trivialising Covid. I encourage everyone on the forum to have their vaccinations and protect themselves in any way appropriate. I tell everyone who disses Covid as being in the past that that is NOT the case, it is still alive and well. That Long Covid is a real nasty - I have a friend who has developed cerebellar ataxia as a result and a few friends on our forum grinding their way through Long Covid. And no doubt plenty for whom Covid was the trigger for the PMR - which is many ways is identical to Long Covid.
My point is that people are around spreading Covid because they have no symptoms inducing them to test. My point is that flu is just as great a risk to any of us who are immunocompromsed in any way (me included), So if you want everyone to test for Covid when they sneeze, you should also expect them to test for flu.
Before pontificating in personally directed replies, I suggest you do your homework on this forum and what our backgrounds are. We are ALL on immunosuppressant medication, all at risk. I have never knowingly had Covid, I have never had symptoms that would make me even WONDER if I had Covid to need to test. Pippah hasn't tested BECAUSE she is being responsible and not going out. And had you read the full story - as I did - you would have known that.
It is a fact the masses trivialise Covid and by mentioning it does not mean that I am accusing you of trivialising Covid, so I’m surprised you should shout at me for expressing an opinion.
The reality is that any immune suppressed individual with cold like symptoms should automatically do an LFT. The tests on the new variant can become positive within 48 hours which means that the process to get anti viral treatment within the first 5 days will be more successful. Remaining indoors and not testing can be dangerous for vulnerable people. You may interpret this as pontificating but as an Ambassador on this site, I would suggest that testing would be a better recommendation than drinking tea.
That is not what comes over in "your response reflects the view of the masses who trivialise the effects of Covid," - you allied me with the masses.
Very very few of us are eligible for the antivirals - something you would know if you were a regular reader of our forum. Many have attempted to get them - and been refused because in general we are not on a high enough dose of pred.
And I'm sorry - what the heck has drinking tea got to do with it?
I am sorry that you have taken my reply badly. I guess that I am fortunate enough to be deemed eligible for anti viral treatment due to my Cancer, Hypogammaglobulinaemia and recent high dose Prednisolone.
I haven't tested for covid because I can't find the tests I have at home and I am not up to the 8 mile trip to town to buy some - plus I wouldn't want to give it to anyone else. New tests arriving later today.
An update - my Covid Tests arrived today and I have tested negative as I thought I would. I think it is worth noting that these tests have a pretty short shelf life of 18 months - so even if I had found mine they would definitely have been out of date.
The increase in Pred seems to have helped and my "cold" symptoms are lessening. Thank you to all the helpful comments.
I was just the same a couple of weeks ago….same symptoms. Then my husband was like it and it turned out to be Covid.
Uh ooh - I hope you are both recovering.
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