sweats

[steph1]

i can start sweating for no reason i can just be sitting doing nothing and the sweats will start, i never used to do this could this be due to possible Temporal Arithritis does any one know

[Lidybeff]

I have temporal arteritis and PMR and this happens to me, I tend to think it is more from taking the Prednisone. Lizzie.

[Hidden]

Definitely the steroids - happens to me frequently and nothing seems to stop them happening, especially during the night. Better the sweats than losing your sight though. Mentioned them to my GP but he just shrugged his shoulders as though they were nothing to worry about.

[meggies in reply to Hidden]

My GP (and forum members) suggested Sage drops which are available from health food shops. They are also used by ladies with menopause sweats & flushes. My GP said safe to take with steroids & drugs I take, but check first in case contra-indicated with other drugs. Also sage should not be used by people with epilepsy.

Margaret

[Celtic PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Yes, I agree with Margaret, "definitely the steroids" - oddly my sudden sweats seemed to be at their worst when fiddling with the dose, either increasing or reducing, and always after eating (didn't stop me though!)

I do sympathise with you Steph, especially if you've got anything like the 30+ degrees as here in the SE at the moment - sweat pours from my scalp at such high temps....phew!

[Annodomini]

I have found the sweating worse since dropping to 5mg which is odd. Never happened on high doses last summer! May be another problem somewhere.

[Hidden in reply to Annodomini]

Hi Anno,

I too have found the sweats have got worse on the lower doses. My take on this is that we are now tickling our adrenals to get it on, and they are struggling. I am now stuck on 7.5mg for nearly a week and still sweating at night, but I will go with this dose for a while longer and I'm sure it will get better. Let's hope the weather cools down for us to get through this. The humidity is so unpleasent.

Pats

[MaisieB]

Hi Steph - I asked a very similar question three days ago so you are not alone with this unpleasant side-effect, believe me! If you have a quick look at the responses to my question you will see that pats has given a medical explanation as to why the sweating happens. It doesn't take it away but I felt it did help to know why it happens!

[GreyOwl]

I am on 40mg Pred for PMRCGA, previously 50mg and before that 60mg and I only need to do 60 seconds of energetic activity (that's anything basically) and the sweat pours off me like water from a tap. It's very unpleasant and frustrating but my GP says it's just a side effect of the steroids. Incidentally, i feel a little bit out of it being male as this forum seems to be 99% female, am I the only male with this illness?

[Hidden in reply to GreyOwl]

Hi GreyOwl

No, you're certainly not the only male with this illness. We women tend to suffer from it more, but you men get it too. Thanks for joining in. I guess we get a much more rounded picture when both sexes contribute.

High doses of pred effect both men and women badly. This diminishes as the dosage drops, but can flare as we are on the lower doses when our adrenals are struggling to cope.

Pats

[Hidden]

Hi All,

Your body is being slammed with huge amounts of pred to control inflammation. Ths can cause increasd sweating. This horrible side effect will get less as the dosage is reduced. Try not to worry, go with it and use tactics to lessen the effects. Wear as little as you can get away with. Cut down on tea and cofee - caffein makes us sweat more. Rest as much as you can. Pace yourself. That often means planning ahead. If those around you are too demanding then tell them straight, "I'm ill and I can can't cope any more! I have to rest now." Don't apologise. You don't have to! Remember, pred is the cause. It will get better.

Pats.

[GreyOwl]

I've found its difficult to get people to understand the nature of the illness and the side effects the steroids produce. My family look at me with blank expressions when I tell them I am exhausted after doing just a couple of minutes work or walking for a short distance.

Since I've reduced to 40mg I've been occasionally getting low level headaches, normally behind my right eye, which was the one I lost vision in for around ten minutes back in March (that was a bit frightening and it was that event that finally led to my GP diagnosing PMRGCA which was then confirmed by a rheumatologist). I've another appt. at the hospital in two days so won't be surprised if I'm told to put Pred back up to 50mg........it is getting me down!

[Hidden]

Hi GreyOwl

I guess most of us feel like you do at times. An illness that's hard to understand and it's treatment which works pretty well at the right dose, but has nasty side effects. To tell you the truth, I've given up trying to explain in detail about PMR. I just say I have a rheumatic illness and have to take steroids. Then I get the usual reply, "Really, you look so well".

So sorry to hear about your headaches, but at least you'll be seeing your rheumy soon. Try not to worry. The dose might not have to go up.

I don't have GCA so can only imagine what your side effect might feel like. My top dose was 30mg and that was bad enough, but it took the pain away and I could function for short periods.

All I can say is that the side effects get less as the dose is reduced. It can be a hairy, scarey old ride, but you're not alone.

Pats.