No More Steroids

I stopped steroids last week. I started at the end of May or beginning of June. They were for my allergies because I kept breaking out in hives. We thought they were working and when I finished the 6 day pack the hives came back. So I went on a dose for a month taking it every other day. I knew it was helping with my allergies, but I didn’t realize how much it was helping my body.

I started having more energy, I wasn’t completely exhausted. I also was getting up from the bed, chairs, sofa so much easier. My joints weren’t as painful or swollen either and rarely got warm. Then, my low grade temperature even got down to 98 for the first time in forever! I was feeling a lot better than I had in a few years.

Then last week when I had to stop taking the steroids, I began feeling a little bit more tired and a little bit more pain. Then, by the end of the week I could really feel the difference. Today my hands are sore, all my joints hurt and they are red and swollen, and I feel tired.

I know the side effects of Prednisone can be difficult and I am dealing with the swelling of that. It’s like your body is just a big balloon, although part of that is also my gallbladder.

I’m sleeping better also and I’m sure that Prednisone made my insomnia worse. I’m on a sleeping medication now and that is helping a lot. Instead of going to bed between 4-5 am I’m now falling asleep at 12-2 am! I’m also reaching REM sleep!

So I’m not really sure the purpose of the blog post, it was just what was on my mind! So maybe this could just be noted as a catch up on how I’m feeling.

It did make me think that while I hate taking more medications all of these medicines serve a purpose and they do help. Stopping steroids made me realize how much they did help. I don’t stop taking my regular medicines to find out if they really help!! Although because of a prescription delay, I had to go 3 days without one of the medications that helps me with my Fibromyalgia symptoms. Well, I will tell you this, that medicine does work. It doesn’t relieve all my pain, but it relieves some pain. Some is better than none! While I was on the steroids the purpose was to help with my allergies but in addition, they were actually helping me feel a little bit better overall which is good.

There was one day this week when it was time for all my night time medications and I didn’t want to take them. I was over taking medicine all the time. I thought of how the steroids helped me. I looked at each pill and thought of their purpose and what they do. I realized I needed to take these pills so I could feel as good as I can.