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Feelings when tapering: My journey
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) | Last Active: Nov 13 10:21am | Replies (57)Comment receiving replies
Not had any anxiety symptoms with Pred until yesterday. Started the new week on 9mg but after a few hours I felt a bit on edge. Cardio day at the gym but had to stop as I did not feel right. One of the women I train with asked if I was okay, I told her I just felt strange. We sat down together and she tried to help me by doing box breathing. After a couple of minutes I realised this was good old fight or flight and controlling my breathing was actually making it worse so chose flight and went home. This morning the anxious feeling started 30 minutes after taking my dose. Blood pressure normal but heart rate is a little higher then normal. Will just do weight training at the gym later and for cardio a few extra dog walks. Hopefully as I have realised this is just a bleep and will pass it will do just that and stop once my body is used to the new dose. Strange though that it has chosen now though.
Replies to "Not had any anxiety symptoms with Pred until yesterday. Started the new week on 9mg but..."
Hello @tiateacake - I combined your new discussion with your existing discussion on tapering: "Feelings when tapering" - https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/feelings-when-tapering/. I did this so the members you had already Connected with could see your update and your new symptoms. @joan7, @pmrsuzie and @nancy53 all shared their experiences with tapering and may have thoughts on whether or not they experienced some anxiety while tapering.
So sorry. As a long time anx sufferer, I feel you. But you're actually addressing your symptoms the best possible wat by acknowledging them, then going on with whatever it is you're doing.
"Exposure therapy" Sounds like you have it down and as you said, once you get used to this med change, most likely it will fade.
I take it you have not have anx issues in the past before pred.
Best to you!
The anxiety side effect stopped completely late afternoon yesterday. This morning I was ready for it. Went back to bed after breakfast and listened to my favourite podcast and just tried to relax. Seemed to help. Cardio day at gym and no way was I giving in this time or so I thought. Managed an hour but definitely no high feeling from a good workout but not much anxiety either. 10 am now and anxious horrible feeling has left the building. If you like podcasts check out Murder They Wrote on BBC sounds, it is brilliant.
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You did not mention the rate at which you are tapering. Tapering too quickly can produce a variety of unwanted side effects.
I am now down to 3, tapering at 0.5 per month. Even at this liw dose, it is taking about a week after dropping a level to get back to feeling “normal”. Good luck.