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Better to be in some pain or better to up the dose of prednisone?
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) | Last Active: Aug 21 12:56pm | Replies (80)Comment receiving replies
Do you have any idea what might help prod the adrenals to produce more cortisol? I’ve read Vit. B12 might be helpful and exercise. I’m so fatigued in the afternoons. I’m down-to 5 mg. - on Pred for 14 months so far. I’m also going to try the precursers to NAD in a supplement for energy. I wish my Drs were helpful with this transition but they don’t seem to have any advice or supplement suggestions other than sleep, mild exercise and eating right. It’s been a lonely frustrating 14 months. Nice to have this group.
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Unfortunately ... the only thing I know that will prod the adrenals to produce cortisol is a low cortisol level. I feel for you!! When my cortisol level was low I was exhausted all the time.
It isn't just the adrenals that aren't functioning well. Taking manufactured forms of glucocorticoids like prednisone may increase your risk of HPA axis suppression. The whole mechanism that regulates cortisol levels can get out of whack.
I will post the same link again. Understanding how the HPA axis works was what helped me get off prednisone.
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal-hpa-axis
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The other thing that helped was being on Actemra because it allowed me to get to a low dose of Prednisone. After I finally got off Prednisone, it was Actemra that kept PMR at bay so I didn't have a flare. The advantage of being on Actemra was that it didn't suppress my adrenal function like Prednisone did.