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Flare vs Withdrawal vs Other Issues
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) | Last Active: May 15 1:26pm | Replies (10)Comment receiving replies
I get your concern with flying. I’m tapering down and am now at 4 mg with Rinvoq. Last month I was on a flight and I started a spiral that I can only describe as a panic attack at 35,000 feet. I started to dwell on every breath. Are they getting harder? Why is my stomach bubbling? Is that a pain I feel in my head? And so on. I worked myself up to what I thought was a heart attack. We landed and went straight to Urgent Care. No heart attack. I shared this with my rhummy and she ordered an MRI, CT scan of my gut and my cardio guy put me on a 10 day heart monitor. Thankfully all tests were negative! It was all in my head. My Rhummy prescribed Zanax. I’m currently in the terminal for a two hour flight with my Zanax tucked into my pocket. Just in case. I’m telling myself there is nothing wrong with me. Out of what is usually expected with GCA. I’ve loved flying for my 69 years but this disease has changed everything. I’m so glad I did all those tests. Now its mind over matter. I’m a big boy and I can do this!
Replies to "I get your concern with flying. I’m tapering down and am now at 4 mg with..."
I confess to taking a higher dose of prednisone for a flight to Europe once ... okay ... more than once! The trip was for a special occasion and I was dreading how stiff and sore I would get during the flight and after I arrived in Europe. I told someone about my fear who had experience with an adrenal crisis. I might have exaggerated the problem because I said that someone would have to carry me off the plane because I would be "stiff as a board." I only meant from PMR not because of an adrenal crisis.
I felt so good during the flight to Europe that I continued with the higher dose for the entire time I was in Europe. At least I felt great the whole time until I decreased my dose again after I got home.
This wasn't the only time I took more Prednisone than I may have needed. The person who had an adrenal crisis said it was easy for her to understand. She told me when you have adrenal insufficiency you need to be proactive and increase prednisone whenever stress is anticipated. She went on and explained that a fight to Europe was "bad stress" while the special occasion was "good stress" but the entire trip was stressful.
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Hey @graydude, I have had travel anxiety and have wondered where that came from. Mine started while I was still working full time and traveling several times per month. You would think that would lessen the anxiety but for some reason it increased. Take whatever you need to manage!! Please share how Rinvoq has worked for pain. I am currently on Actemra and 8 mg of Prednisone but am having crazy hip and low back pain lately. I’m likely getting a steroid injection to try to deal with the degenerative disc issues in my back but my rheumatologist asked me to consider Rinvoq. I’d love to hear your thoughts!