Mood swings

[Groggrim]

Hi, since reaching a prednisolone dose of 6mg four days ago, as advised by my endocrinologist, I am starting to feel a bit better in myself. However I notice that I am a little irritable and short tempered. Can pred reduction cause this or am I just getting more like my old self than I thought 🙄

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Couldn't possibly comment on your old self… but sounds as if adrenals may be struggling a bit… 🤨

[Groggrim in reply to DorsetLady]

How diplomatic of you DorsetLady 🙂Perhaps I'll hang around at 6mg for another week or so. Thanks x

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Goes with adrenal insufficiency. I wouldn't been in too much of a hurry. As for your old self??? Dunno ...

[Groggrim in reply to PMRpro]

🙊

[piglette]

Your adrenal glands are starting to wake up which can affect you.

[Groggrim in reply to piglette]

Thank you, that is reassuring. This forum feels a bit like a safety net

[Heidi_SF]

I find that changing a dose in either direction affects my mood. Years ago, before I had PMR, I needed a high dose of pred for a skin issue. It made me feel very nervous

[Excelsior80]

For me it was irritability at higher doses, gloom and negativity for a few days after changing down at lower doses.

[Blearyeyed]

Most medications that you have been on for some weeks or at high doses , particularly steroids , can cause mood swings and irritability, brain fog , mild head pain, fatigue and even a little loss of balance as part of general withdrawal effects.It's can be part of adrenal Insufficiency or the transition between the adrenals slowly taking over responding to your needs , but it's not necessarily always caused by adrenal issues , withdrawal symptoms and the need for the body to make different changes at lower doses are common with many medications.

I've known of people getting steroids and certain other pain killers for as little as a few weeks and then suffering those sorts of withdrawal feelings for up to a month afterwards.

The longer you've been on the medication the longer it will take you to get back to your old self , no matter what that "Old Self" might be 😁

[Groggrim in reply to Blearyeyed]

Thank you very much Blearyeyed. Since I reduced my pred dose to 6/5mg on alternate days, as advised by my endocrinologist, I am feeling like a wrung out dishcloth and my shoulders and arms have that burning aching creeping back. I did wonder if my thyroid levels are down and my blood tests for my endo appointment will hopefully show if that is the case. They were fine before Christmas.

[Pixix]

Put mood swings into the search field you will come up with plenty to read. Most of us have suffered. For myself it caused a rift in our 43 year totally stable marriage.

[Groggrim in reply to Pixix]

Sorry to hear that. I hope your marriage recovered. Ee have been through a tough time in the past and come out of it. Golden wedding next year.

[Pixix in reply to Groggrim]

Yes, but it’s hard. I have 12 diseases now, & it’s very hard on my husband, who is just recovering from pneumonia.