Pred making me crazy?

Started 40mg/day Pred in February, tapered, failed again and started back at 20mg/day because I was doing fine until I git to about 15mg/day. Stabalized, tapered, failed agian within a couple days. Back to 40 mg/day and still at that dose. I am taking Humira and it's not looking promising. Test done for Humira antibodies was negative.

Long story short- I have been on high dosage of Pred since February pretty much. My present job has been terribly, terribly stressful, and I feel like I am losing my mind.

I have terrible anxiety now, and I just don't know where to turn. I have called my Gastro and kept them up to date on all of this. He said he could give me a couple weeks off work if i thought I needed that. I hate to do that, but I am increasingly wondering if I am losing my mind. Sometimes i am paralyzed ith anxiety and just want to lay down and cry, and that is not like me to do that.

The only thing keeping me sane, partially, is that I am a cyclist, and I ride everyday and get out there and burn off the excess energy, and it is keeping the weight gain that comes along with steroids at bay.

I just don't know what to do next, I can't function very well. Just the thought of going to work grips me like a stranglehold. I am a Supervisor (RN) of a health facility.

I also feel like my memory has left the building. Not much info out there on Prednisone anxiety/psychosis while during a regimen, but some on these symptoms after someone is OFF prednisone.

I'm all ears at this point. Thanks for reading this,

Deacon Blues

Pred can be hard on you psychologically. Do you have to be at 40mg while you explore biologics? Usually 20mg is enough to keep people stable. The less you have to take the better!

ya, what is your "next' plan cuz what you are doing is wrecking body and life ? maybe time to go back to something that stopped working in the past - maybe time to do something seemingly radical -

let me look at your sig and see if where you're at is as good as it gets >


Dx of UC in Dec 1999
Started 100mg Imuran BID, (maintenance dose at 100mg Daily) on 8/7/14- Still taking 100 mg daily(1/22/18)
C-Diff X 2 since starting Imuran
Started Humira 11/19/2017 40mg every 2 weeks
Pred 40mg then taper from Nov 17- 1/9/2018 (OFF Pred now)
Pravastatin 20mg daily
Losartan 20 mg daily
COQ10- 300mg daily
Vit B injections
Vit D supplement daily



hmmm, is the above all current ? what was your treatmemt from dec '99 to 8/7/14 ?

Sounds like it's all caused by the pred, to me (brain fog, anxiety, et al.). What's your backup plan if you failed humira?

TroubledTurds said...
ya, what is your "next' plan cuz what you are doing is wrecking body and life ? maybe time to go back to something that stopped working in the past - maybe time to do something seemingly radical -

let me look at your sig and see if where you're at is as good as it gets >


Dx of UC in Dec 1999
Started 100mg Imuran BID, (maintenance dose at 100mg Daily) on 8/7/14- Still taking 100 mg daily(1/22/18)
C-Diff X 2 since starting Imuran
Started Humira 11/19/2017 40mg every 2 weeks
Pred 40mg then taper from Nov 17- 1/9/2018 (OFF Pred now)
Pravastatin 20mg daily
Losartan 20 mg daily
COQ10- 300mg daily
Vit B injections
Vit D supplement daily



hmmm, is the above all current ? what was your treatmemt from dec '99 to 8/7/14 ?

No, that Sig is an old one...hmmm....here is the current, not sure why it is showingthe old:

Dx of UC in Dec 1999
Started Humira 11/19/2017 40mg every 2 weeks
Pred 40mg for (flare that started 1/22/18)-have tapered twice, and then flared after taper-currently on 40mg/day
Vit B injections
Vit D supplement daily 50,000 units

Imuran was a miracle drug for me, for about 2 1/2 years, and then failed :-(...

Today's findings- C-Diff, for the 3rd time...I will start on it tomorrow after insurance pre-auth goes through. This road is getting pretty wearisome...

Hopefully the Dificid will clear it up. Do you live in a place where fecal transplant is an option, since you have such persistent c-diff recurrences? Where I live, it's "3 strikes" and then Mayo will do an FT.
Being on that much prednisone with an active c-diff infection doesn't seem like the best thing.

Sorry to hear. I can definitely relate. Sucks about the c diff, too, but at least you know and can now treat it. Hope the dificid works. Were the three times you had it right in a row, as in, did the first round of antibiotics not work? When I had c diff, it was the worst pain of my life, too. I was hospitalized for about 5 days, and the pain meds they gave me barely touched it.

I agree with Sara, while C Diff is not fun, at least you have a plan and can treat it. it makes a lot of sense that you wouldn't be getting better if you're battling c diff in addition to your UC. Try to stay calm, do what you have to. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. Soon the c diff will go, the symptoms will improve, and you can taper off the crazy pills.

The pred is going to make an infection like c diff worse. I would ask about reducing the pred accordingly.

I'd assume you'd need a referral to a different doctor for anti-depressants.

Deacon Blues said...

Sara14 said...
Why do you have to be on the 40 instead of 20? Just curious in case I have to go back up on my dosage, which I've never had to do before. Also, I would definitely ask for some Xanax or something similar. It will help you sleep as well, if that is also an issue for you.

I was put back on 40mg/day while we tested for Humira antibodies. I am guessing that my GI was preparing for bridging over to Entyvio.

When I speak to my GI Doc soon, better be today, I will ask if it is now time to taper on prednisone, and I will ask for something for anxiety as well. I would bet that my GI Doc will refer me back to my PCP for anxiety meds...guessing.
Does your GI Doc prescribe anxiety meds?

Thanks
Deacon

No. Ask your general practitioner for them. I originally got a script for Xanax because I'm really claustrophobic and had to fly for work. Then I got them because I got panic disorder after a traumatic thing happened in 2013. I don't get panic attacks anymore but she still gives me a script for 30 Xanax a month to take as needed (I'm still a very anxious person and pred definitely doesn't help!). If you explain the situation, I would think or hope most GPs would be willing to give you a small script for anti-anxiety meds, at least just until you're off of pred. Never heard of the meds you mentioned but just looked them up. They look like good meds to try.

Hopefully you find out what's going on soon, & find a solution, so you can start seeing improvement. Perhaps you need to switch meds? Do you think the c diff is still persisting? FT would be a good option for sure. I hope you can get it soon. I am jealous that you're able to do 20-50 miles. That's incredible.