Feel like I am on crack. | Arthritis Information
Hi, new here, first post!!
PMR newly diagnosed, and for those wondering about the age thing....42 here.
Was shrugged off for months(9). And treated much like a hysterical housewife. Was great.
Anyway, FINALLY, after seeing a great doc, and on the prednisone, no pain. Yeah!!
First, was 80 for five days, now 40 day three, and one more day of 40 down to 20mg per day till 9/22 and we will begin the slow taper. So, while I am thrilled that I can move around freely in the morning and through the day with so much less pain.....
I cannot sleep, cannot eat and basically feel like I am on crack. So hyper, heart racing and insane insane thirst.
Thoughts??
THANKS!
Hi YoungOne,
Sorry to hear you're in the same boat with the rest of us who have PMR. 42 is pretty young to get this. It's usually over the age of 55 but not unheard of. I assume you've already heard this though.
Your starting dosage (80mg) of Prednisone was very high. The usual dose is for 15 mg or maybe 20 mg per day. I started on 20 and I know I felt like I was on some kind of *speed*. I had trouble sleeping as the Pred gives you energy and makes you feel euphoric. On my first followup visit with the Rheumatologist (affectionately called, 'Rheumy' on the forum) after a month was, "They're pushing the wrongs drugs on the street". Ha. As I came down to 15mg per day I started sleeping better, but still wake up around 6:30 or 7 AM. I'm currently working down to 10mgs per day (12.5 one day; 10 the next). Once you get down below 10, the taper has to be even slower... or 1 mg drops for a few weeks.
There are a few good websites in the UK with lots of information. Here are those links:
PMR-GCA UK North East Support
http://www.pmr-gca-northeast.org.uk/BSR and BHPR guidelines for the management of PMR
http://rheumatology.oxfordjournals.org/content/49/1/186.full
hello, wow brings back memories, i started at 40 and stayed on it quite some time, don't remember how long, then down to the 20's and so forth. i am off now and doing o.k. yes, i was wired, would get up at 2:30 in morning and do my school work, (senior courses)i was sooooooo tired during day because of no sleep, but could not sleep for more than ten min. during day. thank god that is over, and it will be over for you . i would do my email messages and people would say, what are you doing up at this time?.
the relief from the pain was worth it tho, even tho it did not take it away completely, still had plenty of couch time with massager and heat and anything else i could put on the knees and shoulders, had to put up with constant hip pain. but i am here to say, it can end to a large extent. i don't want to crow too much because i do realize there may be just remissions, but i do enjoy and am thankful for the position i am in.
Thankfully, I am down to 20mg pr day now and see my doc in about 10 days to adjust again. I still feel hyper, but gosh do I feel good!!! I have never gotten so much done before. I don't know if I realized how awful I felt before. I did way way way too much yesterday. I think I thought I was staring in an episode of extreme makeover home edition. I am sore, but anyone would be.
Thanks for the replies!
I had the insane thirst problem also. It turned out that the prednisone kicked me into diabetes. My test scores had been borderline for a couple years and the blood test taken at the the PMR diagnosis had me still on the low borderline. 2 months later when first saw the Rheumy, I had blood sugar levels in the 400s. Get tested.I am hoping that my doc will pick up on it. But I will mention it, thanks. I have never ever in my life been this thirsty all the time. And to add to it, I have been borderline the last few times I have had blood work(last 5 years) and they would send me back for the fasting just to make sure. Ugh. I can't add another problem, I already feel like I am 90 instead of 42.
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