I have been on a sugar free diet for 3 weeks now and was hoping my sed rate would go down as I have felt so good. Went to the Dr today and it was up again this month. It went from 58 to 61. Also my C-pro was up also, 2.4. Dr left me on 5mg of pred till I see him in 4 months. I have also been on 2,000mg of Vit C. I was so disappointed with these results, but he said sometimes you can't figure out this disease.
Hope everyone has a good weekend.
Sorry you were so disappointed nana.Quilt Angel,
I am so sorry. Surprised he did not up your pred mgs. Are you feeling equally as bad. With the rising sed-did you get an increase of pain? Go wrap up in your favorite quilt-and no not be dishearted. Easy to say, right?
Lonna
Dear Nana, so sorry the sugar free diet doesn't seem to be helping much. The question I have is do you feel better? I'm not on a sugar free diet but I am cutting way back on the amount of sugar I eat. I went in for blookwork about 10 days ago and found my SED Rate has gone up 5 points. Dr. didn't change any of my meds. I feel so tired all the time and want to sleep most of the time. There has been a lot more stress in my life the last 2 or 3 weeks and I think that probably is causing my sleepiness and the increase in the amount of pain I'm having. I don't think this PMR is predictable and what seems to help one time doesn't seem to help the next time. I was dignoised with PMR in June 2005 but I think I have had it much longer than that. I'm 71 yrs old and was still employed until I was dignoised with PMR. Now I feel very fortunate if I get a little done any day of the week.
I hope you have a good weekend and all goes well for you.
Joy
Thanks everyone for your words of encouragement. I guess the Dr did not increase my pred because I feel ok. My pain did not increase with the sed rate, it has been the same. I do feel better on the no sugar diet. Not as tired. I was like you Joy, wanted to sleep all the time. My family has been wonderful, they tell me just go and lay down, but I don't want to. I am not getting anything done. With not having sugar, I do have more energy. The days I have to run to appointments and watch the grandchildren, it wears me out fast. The days I just puts around, I seem to be better.
I had a sleep study done a month ago and now need to finish the second test. They want me to sleep with a mask with oxygin or air to see if I sleep better. He did give me Ambian to help me sleep. I can take one 6.5mg or 2 a night. So far I have only been taking one.
Lonna, I am heading into my quilting room to finish my sister's quilt I started a year ago. Would like to have it done for Christmas and susprise her. It is a nice day to curl up with a quilt and watch a good movie.
Hugs to you all. Geri
Hi Nana, Predheads,
I don't really understand the correlation between sed rate and pain levels. I've been on 10 mg's of Pred for about 2 months and my latest bloodwork shows a drop in my sed rate of 20 points...whoopee! right???? Wrong!
I don't want to increase the Pred due to the multiple side effects I'm already experiencing, so I may just taper off completely and just try to manage the pain with pain meds, since I'm having to take them anyway.
I think it's great you are watching the sugar, it's especially important while on Pred. I haven't been sugar free but I've greatly reduced my sugar intake. My glucose levels spiked after Pred use and my doctor's concerned now with Diabetes.
I've been way too exhausted to post very much lately, but I have been trying to read the posts everyday. I think this is a wonderful group of people and I wish I could communicate more, but just don't feel up to it. PMR has got me, there is no way around that, but I feel like I need to break away from the grips of Mr. Pred. Mr Pred has taken more from me than he's given...that's a bad relationship in my book.
Take care everyone!
Kathy
Hi Nana and others, I can't advise about SED rates, as mine has been normal all along, altho I am due for more blood tests this week. But from what I have read and heard, the SED rate is not a reliable indicator of disease progress. re the sugar business, I have cut it out and find I am generally much better in myself, less headaches. But still feel like **** unfortunately!Kathy, You want to feel pain--decrease prednisone to fast-now that is pain. Perhaps your dosage is not high enough..I know -I know the side effects. Ms. Rummy suggested we hit Pr. PMR hard for three months at 10mg in a.m and 10mg in pm. After that we decreased slowly. I thought I knew better and tried to speed it up and paid dearly. I had no other health issues prior to this, maybe that is why she took that track. It just worked for me.
Lonna