Re: Dix.Painkillers - for Ivy

[Guest guest]

Ivy,

Gosh that is so much prednisone. I have never been on more than 7.5

mgs for my RA and I have had significant bone loss (osteopenia, and I

know it did not develop until after taking prednisone because I had a

bone density scan about 6 months before starting on it and had over

100% bone density then). I can't take Fosamax because they don't

prescribe it unless you are post menapausal and I'm only 33. They

recommend for me to take 1500 mgs of calcium daily (500 mgs three

times a day) so ask if you can take more than the 1200 mgs. Also,

weight bearing exercises are very important for maintaining bone

density. You could be on that much prednisone and not have bone

loss, but I am on very little and did, so it would be good to take

more precautions if you can. Also, they should get a bone density

scan for you to see where you are bone wise, and follow up later to

see if you have effects from the prednisone.

Jennie

> 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@c...>:

>

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >     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

> >

> >   >

> >

> >   >

> >

> >   >

> >

> >   >