Becky,
I have had many signs overs the years, but my blood work never showed positive.
I have known since my early twenties that I have an autoimmune disease.I mostly controlled it with supplements like turmeric, l-glutamine, ginger, and vitamins. I don’t know what triggered this flare up but it’s the worst in my life. I quit my job because the environment was not good and my inflammation got worse.
I get all the bad side effects from prednisone. Weight gain, insomnia, anxiety, dry mouth, increased hunger.
I drink tons of water because my mouth is so dry I can hardly speak. I also try to drink my hunger away. It takes me about 6-8 months to recover from one round of prednisone. It’s really not worth it for me to take anymore.
I walk a mile or two every day, I do yoga every morning, and when the weather allows I ride my bike. My muscles hurt so bad that at times I feel like I was in a car accident. I’m a former competitive gymnast, I’m very used to muscle pain from training. What I feel now is like injury. It’s muscle, ligament and joint pain. I shouldn’t feel like this from yoga or walking.
Anyway, I may be switching to hydroxychloroquine or otezla. Have you been on either of these? What does it feel like to have your immune system suppressed? Prednisone makes me feel like I’m on speed and an overactive immune system is what I have known most of my life.