Guest guest Posted July 16, 2004 Report Share Posted July 16, 2004 Hi Dix- Yes, I know this is alot of prednisone to be on. They tried me on 120 mg a day to start but it wasn't doing anything. Not sure the 125mg is much better. I have my follow up with the rheum on Tuesday so we'll see what she says. I don't have much pain now but again, the leg and foot cramps are excruciating and I have them 24/7 still. I'm still not convinced that she has the correct diagnosis. I have that second opinion appt at the end of August so we'll see what comes of that. I haven't seen anyone else in here with polymyalgia rheumatica...nor anywhere else for that matter. I'd love to talk to some people with it to compare notes. I know quite a bit about drug abuse and dependencies. I worked in a pharmacy for 3 years, as well as being a CNA and a Board Certified Hypnotherapist (we have to go through some pshychology and clinical training for that). I also minored in psychology in college as well. I'm not an addictive personality, thank God, but I certainly understand how the body can become addicted (physical addiction). Right now it doesn't seem I have a choice with the cortisone. I'm already blowing up like a balloon from it and look like Alfred Hitchcock, lol. Again, I'll see what the doc says this week as well as the second opinion. Luckily so far no other side effects. The doc doesn't want to put me on Fosamax for some reason and I'm on Calcium +D 600mg twice a day. I'm worried about my blood sugar too but they're monitoring that closely. Thanks for the info Dix...I appreciate it...again, if you know of anyone or can get me in touch with anyone with PMR I'd appreciate it. Thanks! Hugs- Ivy Quoting Dixie <dix7chix@...>: > > > > > Of course It's OK! That's part of what the group is for is to share with > each other about these things. > > That's a LOT of prednisone to take each day - I'm only allowed to take 20 > mg. a day, but I " cheat " and take 40 on bad days, and 10 on the better days, > and go off it for a while each month. I hope you're taking Fosamax of > Actonel and calcium with it. > > My doctor told me that Percocet is as strong as Oxy, but much less > dangerous. I know it's addictive, which is why I watch it carefully. > > There are two kinds of addiction. The first is stricly physical . . . > after taking a med for a while, your body is used to it, and if you want to > go off it, you have to taper off under a doctor's supervision. > > The 2nd kind of addiction is the one we all fear - the kind where your > body begins to crave the drug, and you'll do anything to get it, and need > more and more. People go to two doctors to get the same med, 2 pharmacies, > and pay for one Rx and have the other go to their insurance. This is the > type addiction that will land you in rehab . . . or worse. > > Not everyone will get the 2nd kind of addiction, and most people prefer > to think of the first type as being dependent because they don't want anyone > to identify them with the 2nd kind. > > I can't take xanax or halcion, because I'll become instantly addicted - > the 2nd kind. So I know the signs very well, and if I ever take a med that > causes something similar, I'll throw them down the toilet and call my Dr. > > Codeine in its various forms has never been a problem that way for me. > But I still watch it, because I don't want it to become a problem. > > BTW, I'm a retired psychologist, and this is the way we explain it to > patients. There is some research indicating that certain people are more > likely to develop the 2nd type of addiction than other people, who rarely > develop it. They aren't sure if it's genetic, but think there may be a > connection. > > Dix > > [ ] Unsure of myself > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I have what is a problem to me that I'd like some advice on. > > > > > > Like pretty much everyone here, I have good days and bad days. > > > Unfortunately, there have been a lot more bad days recently than good > ones. > > > I have meds I can take, but tend to be cautious about narcotic > painkillers. > > > I also have muscle relaxers for my fibro, and valium for my AS when the > > > inflammation starts pinching the nerves. I try to take only what I need > to > > > bring it down to a tolerable level. Sometimes, even 2 Percocet doesn't > have > > > much of an impact. And that's something I rarely do - take 2 of a med. > > > > > > So, on the trally bad days, when it hurts just to walk, I'll go > back > > > to bed and put on a relaxing CD. Sometimes, I'll end up spending most of > the > > > day in bed. > > > > > > And I feel guilty when I spend a lot of time in bed. I think it > goes > > > back to my childhood when I was told literally every day that I wasn't > good > > > enough and I would never be good enough. Spent 15 years in therapy > getting > > > rid of most of the " ghosts " . > > > > > > I was also taught that there was always someone worse than I > was. My > > > Dad was fully fused from AS and worked full time. Of course, he took > massive > > > amount of prednisone and painkillers to be able to do so, and died at age > 51 > > > from the side effects of all those meds. It's one of the reasons I watch > my > > > meds. > > > > > > But I know there are people all over the world who have many, > many > > > more problems than I do, and a lot of them have no meds to help them out. > > > > > > So, the bottom line is that I don't know if I should be pushing > > > myself more than I do on the bad days, or if I should find a way to stop > > > feeling guilty for resting on those days. > > > > > > Any help would be most appreciated. > > > > > > Dix > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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