Steroid tablets

[OhYouMerryLittleKitten]

Been prescribed prednisolone by the gp to try and get on top of my inflammatory arthritis while I wait for the rheumy. One week at 30mg then taper down.
I'm rather scared to take them! Worried about my mood changing drastically (it's quite low atm) and worried about picking up bugs as I keep picking up colds and tummy bugs anyway. Also worried about ballooning up, though I could do with putting a bit of weight on. Also scared that it will send my heart rate bonkers.

So what are people's experiences? Should I be brave and go for it?

[Fluffycloudland77]

DH had them for a month to combat asthma.

The first 36hrs were the worst (had visions of decamping to mil with the cat under one arm and a suitcase under the other) for moods, he wasnt nasty just that if we had a disaggreement it got shouty quicker.

Other than that he said his brain was working too fast for his body to keep up.

[OhYouMerryLittleKitten]

Tis so odd, (lowest heart rate was 57). I am really chilled. Didn't even get rageous when I lost dh for 15minutes in a shop, just got them to tannoy for him cos it was sore standing up. nor did it bother me when we got home and someone was parked across our drive so we couldn't get in with our Christmas tree. When they rushed out and apologised I smiled and told them it was fine

Left half my lunch and had a lovely nap. Dh is now hoovering around me while I'm sat here lazing about. Weird!

Sadly I do know that I have a bunch of things I ought to do, but sitting on my bottom is lovely.

[digerd]

Kitten
Just enjoy, while it lasts. Sounds as amazing as mine was in a completely different way, as I was buzzing around like a busy bee, and could not sit still. But I was happy all the time < unlike my real self>. But had no pain to contend with - has it magically vanished?

[OhYouMerryLittleKitten]

No the pain is still there, but I've had the flare for a couple of months, so I guess it's quite well entrenched.

Dh has now put the tree up. I'm sure we said we'd wait a couple of days, but that's ok, it doesn't really matter.

I think I might regret coming off this just before Christmas..... So I will make the most of being contented.

[digerd]

Being contented is the best feeling, IMO.
Good luck

[denialandpanic]

I hope the steroids help the pain soon.I've had great luck with sulfazalazine. still need max calexicob and paracetamol most days but stiffness much better and generally feel better. I hope you feel better soon.

[OhYouMerryLittleKitten]

Thanks both :)

I slept pretty well until the pain kicked in good and proper sometime in the early hours. Tis bad today. Puzzled.... v. tired and can't be arsed. Perhaps they were just pretend tablets they gave me. One joint is much better though.

[BadRoly]

I was on them earlier this year for chronic urticaria - the only noticeable side effects I had were chubby jowls (now going/gone) and indigestion towards the end.

The indigestion kicked in when I was on a reducing dose for 8 weeks which was my 3rd lot of Prednisolone. GP gave me something else to take for 1 month and that's all gone now.

Wish I could say the same for the hives

[OhYouMerryLittleKitten]

What a shame they didn't sort out the hives :(

The majority of my joints are more comfy. My back is horrid. So wiped out too and don't want to eat. Not a happy bunny.

[denialandpanic]

so sorry you are still in pain and no appetite! That's no good! I had a really bad flare recently when I had some sort of mad virus where I kept thinking I was getting a sickness bug but was never actually sick, it lasted about two weeks and I seriously thought I was going nuts. Joints went nuts as they seem to do when I get any type of virus.

[OhYouMerryLittleKitten]

Mine flares when I'm fighting off stuff too. I've picked up a few bugs recently which is actually really unusual for me.

[giraffesCantFlyLikeReindeer]

How you doing lovely?

I am now on serc and am suffering bad insomnia...I seem to have stolen your steroid side effects!

[OhYouMerryLittleKitten]

Awwwwww giraffes, insomnia is the pits :( colours everything.

Back pain is still there but a bit more manageable this morning and much more located around the arthritic joint rather than escaping around the back Other joints are def happier. Me however :( can't face food, weepy, tired and feel like I'm going down with a cold. Just want to stay at home with a bucket of decaf tea but work are really short staffed and I take too much time off anyway. I'm on a one year contract and so feel really self conscious about it.

So I guess it's chin up and soldier on.

I hope you feel better soon, take care.

[OhYouMerryLittleKitten]

You know what, you guys are lovely. Thank you.

[Metalhead]

Sorry to hear you're still not feeling much better. Are you due to see your GP again soon? Maybe he needs to increase the dose or try a different drug.

Funnily enough, after having felt great whilst on the steroids I now seem to suffer from withdrawal symptoms after coming off them over a week ago - not sleeping well, tired and rather depressed! I'm almost hoping my blood test from yesterday will show I need to go back on them again, though obviously that's not a solution for the long run...

[OhYouMerryLittleKitten]

I'd read about the come down after steroids. You need to be really gentle and kind to yourself. I guess though, whatever gets you through Christmas and then deal with the fall out afterwards? When will you get the results back?

I'm back to the gp on Thursday. I don't know why it's working on most of my joints but not my back. Trying to work with little kids whilst on co-codamol as well is proving to be rather ermmmm..... Interesting! But I did manage a reasonablish lunch which is an improvement.

[Metalhead]

Should have my results back on Friday, which means if I have to see the GP I'll probably have to wait until next week. Oh well... hopefully this withdrawal won't last too long! (Though if my mood gets any worse I might have to do something about it sharpish, otherwise I don't think I'll be able to cope with work)

Good luck with your appointment on Thursday.

[OhYouMerryLittleKitten]

ohhhh, might be worth trying to get back to the gp on Friday then? You need to try and support your mood before it slips more - {{{hugs}}}

[Metalhead]

Thanks for the virtual hugs!

I think I'll see how I feel tomorrow and then make a decision on whether I need to see GP this week. Feeling a bit better again now, think I just had a bit of a moment earlier...

[OhYouMerryLittleKitten]

Hopefully the moment will stay away again :)

I discovered the sewing machine and shit loads of meds dont go together. Poor dd has the most odd costume now. Plus the air was blue.

[Metalhead]

How are you doing Kitten? Did you see your GP yesterday?

I'm still waiting on my blood results, but the withdrawal symptoms seem to have eased off now thankfully. Hope you're feeling better too!

[OhYouMerryLittleKitten]

I'm so glad the withdrawals are easing :)

gp has signed me off. No more steroids, last dose today :( even though they helped enormously with everything other than my back, though it was starting to on that. She said they were a short term fix only. So my cocodamol has been upped and I am in a sleepy soreish haze. She doesnt feel we can try anything else until I've seen the rheumy.

so here I am at home, ho hum. Hate being stuck at home!

[Metalhead]

I'm sorry to hear that! Hopefully the specialist can sort you out and find something more permanent that will ease the pain.

My test results came back normal so it looks like I'll be staying off the steroids for now.

[OhYouMerryLittleKitten]

That is good news :)

[wonkylegs]

I have had RA for almost 15yrs. At first I was on steroids whilst I waited to see Rhemy, I was also on them whilst trying to conceive, throughout pregnancy & whilst breastfeeding. High dose throughout, the benefits outweighed the side effects for me, I did get a 'moonface' but only after 6mths or so.
Once you see a Rhemy there are loads of fab drugs for IA, the only thing is that it may take a bit of trial & error to see what suits. Don't be scared of the drugs - the information leaflets can be very scary (most of the serious ones are extremely rare)but they only prescribe if the benefits outweigh the risks, they also usually monitor you closely when on them so any problems are picked up very quickly. My RA drugs have transformed my life and enabled me to do lots of normal things that would have been a pipe dream including living a relatively painfree day to day.
Hope you get to see your Rhemy soon, best of luck.