Adrenal Insufficiency Support Group

I will admit everyone in my world right now is acting like a complete jerk, so this could just be coincidental, but I have to ask...

I was on 20mg of pred for 2.5 weeks, after the load dose at the hospital. The endo lowered my dose, so Saturday I started at 15mg. That is the only change I have had in medications at all. So one week so far on the lower dose.

I have been more emotional this week than my whole life, outside of pregnancy. By that, I mean I have just cried so much more easily than ever. Usually I cry about twice a year, and the general rule is RUN FOR YOUR LIFE because it means I'm really angry. But this week mostly it's been because I'm really upset/hurt/depressed/whatever.

Is this normal with lowering the dose, or am I just having a bad week that if it continues, I might want to see my therapist once a week instead of every two?

Cynthia - be nice so I don't cry!!

Hi Cynthia

Must be 3AM? (6PM here and I am zonked!)

I dont think there is a normal. At a fundamental level you are certainly changing cortisol levels. That will certainly affect brain stuff but keep in mind that when you mega dose one steroid, other hormones are affected, from memory mostly suppressed. You will however have a proportions change to contend with.

In other words anything is possible. The sure thing is there will be a difference.

Not much help but hey!

Getting back into bed, my lungs are real bad!

Bob

Cynthia, I have no idea if it's related to your dosage change or not. But let yourself cry and be kind to yourself. Get hubby to buy you some tissues and let him lend you a shoulder when needed.

I know that now, when it's that time of the month, my emotions are out of whack (more than normal) and all I can do is ride it out.

I'm not much help either.

Gail

I agree with Gail. Be kind to yourself. Perhaps it is just your mind finally dealing with all that you have been dealing with now that it has had a chance to catch up physically. I can't help answer if it is related to your drop in dosage. If it helps I am not on any of the medication you have been on and I have had one of those weeks. Hang in there! I know it is easy to worry and to wonder if something bad is on the way with any little change. I get that way when Kylee shows any signs of the old symptoms or something is not quite right. I start to go into the "is this going to land her in the hospital" mode again. Don't forget to take deep breaths and hang in there.

Sue

Cynthia,

Cry all you need to....it's a form of release. BUT if it gets to be a lifestyle, I'd talk to the Endo first.

I've been on the 10am and 5pm dose of HC for about 6 weeks. Lately, I've been crying all the time too. Mostly, I don't know WHY I'm crying;....I just feel like I have this huge brick house on my shoulders, and it's slowly crushing me, so I cry At first, I was blaming it on the season, Spring. All the flowers that my dear late husband planted are blooming; they are beautiful, but I keep remembering how, when they first bloomed, he wrapped me in a blanket, and carried me to them, so I could enjoy them. Lately, I've also been finding things he wrote....like a nut, I'm saving them. It makes him seem closer. Also, just about every friend I talk to has told me they've been crying, and they don't know why......and they are NOT on any pred or HC....maybe it's the barometer, or maybe we're all nutso One thing I'm sure of, is that it's unpleasant, no matter what the reason but we have to keep on keeping on. If you need a crying buddy, you know how to reach me.

Ant pred dose can cause emotional symptoms, both highs and lows, so no, you aren't nuts. Predisone will make you feel like you are that, too. The trick is, to realize it's the drug and then to decide how you choose to deal with it. Crying is great, if you need it: it's your body's way of releasing chemicals to deal with the sadness you are feeling. When you feel this wave come upon you make a concious decision as to how you are going to deal with it...fight it, ignore it or succumb to it. It's your choice and none of the choices are bad

Prednisone is a nasty, nasty drug and it plays with your emotions, but you don't have to let it control YOU. Good luck!!

Good Luck

Yes, yes it does Cynthia. It will take time to wean off of it, that is why I really recommend using the HC if you can. It doesn't cause near the emotional upheavals even when you stress dose at least for me it doesn't.

It was going on HC that put me in the hospital. For some reason it doesn't "work" on me. I was slowly going into crisis. Not fun!

I wish it did, though. This is not cool at all, but I guess much better than the alternative. I feel like I need a padded room and an IV of happy.

So a lot of it probably is the adjustment - mostly. I hope this doesn't last very long, because I'm going to have to do it again in three weeks! I posted an update about my conversation with my therapist on the other thread. I still don't understand why coming DOWN is doing it - well, unless I think about how manic high I got on the load dose, then i guess this is the opposite. Bummer. Next time I come down 2.5 at a time.

Hopefully I will hear from the endo soon!!

Hi Cynthia,

I haven't been on in a few, I'm trying to catch up with the posts. I'm sorry you're having a tough week! I do think that whenever we drastically ramp (up or down) we are playing havoc with our hormones and like any hormonal upset crap is going to happen. That's why I always ramp down very cautiously and slowly. Endo says I don't have to do that but my body/emotions/mind says I do!

And don't forget you've been through a lot the last few months! I think it's totally normal to have a meltdown of sorts when you start feeling better - it's like the release after the emergency. Ever have an accident or a stressful situation and you stayed all in control and then as soon as it was over your knees buckle?

I'll be thinking of you!

Deb