Re: Does stills make you crazy, diabetic, etc?

[Guest guest]

*Hi Bethann,*

*First off, one of the things that Prednisone can cause is diabetes along

with bone loss and other undesirable things. It's a powerful drug and I

don't advise anyone to stay on it for long periods of time unless they

really have to.*

**

*And depression is something I fight constantly--especially since I have

become sicker. In fact, I am staying home from going anywhere because I am

fighting it at this time. Someone who is near me, who is also fighting auto

immune disease said something very hurtful in a place of worship that

shouldn't have been said--not in a place as this. And now I am battling

depression, and the feeling of not being wanted. It's going to keep me down

for just a little while until I work through this with prayer. I view it as

a person not anything more that did this to me. She must answer for

it.--Sorry to be*

*babbling about myself. GRR!-- Anyway, this monster dragon makes us think

sometimes that we are going crazy. I know I have thought this many, many

times. You are not alone in thinking like this. It's our pit of madness that

we can't escape however, when we come here, we know we are surrounded with

others, who are going through the same things.*

**

*Together there is power. Alone, we fall.*

**

*We are at your side, holding your hand as you face this dragon.*

**

*, Oregon*

>

> My steroids arent that high- only 20mg- but I have noticed (hubby is

> diabetic- every problem, in his mind, results from diabetes) that my

> blood sugars are now too high (before meals- 7-8 mmol, 2 hours after

> 9-11 mmol)= now technically that makes me diabetic. I never had a

> high blood sugar before.

>

I just wish I could understand what is happening to me- I feel like

> if I could just uinderstand then I could at least cope. I wish that

> there was a really good explanation of what this does and what the

> progress was--- I feel like I am getting better, then POOF I go ten

> steps back. So, back to subject line, am I just nuts, is it the

> monster, has any one else experienced this? I never was like this

> before.

>

> Bethann

>

>

>

> --

> SPEEDY :-)

> Meds:

> MTX 15 mg; Prednisone 5mg; Leucovorin 5 mg; Armour Thyroid 60 mg

> Supporters:

> MSM; DHEA 25 mg; Omega3 fish oil 8 daily; Vit. C; Vit. D; B-Complex; Vit

> B-12;

> Lithium Ortate; Osteo Comlex; Glucosamine & Chondroitin; and Essential

> Minerals, AND cALCIUM 1500 mg

>

> " Love endures all things. "

>

[Guest guest]

Hello Bethann. I have been rather quiet of late as I am trying my hardest to

get some sense of a " normal " lifestyle back. In other words, I am trying to keep

busy and have not been on my computer all that often, even when it is working.

I don't know of much advise that I can offer as I have been trying for longer

than I can remember to get back to my desired sense of " self " . I hate the pain,

the lack of energy, the inability to stay asleep and the weight gain.

I was on 20 mg of Prednisone for 25 months and have been on a slow decline

since. I must admit my mindset is better on the lower dosage(s), but it isn't

where it was prior to Stills finding me. I have had intermittently high blood

sugar levels also, but not lately.

I have tried 2 psychiatrists and many other things to get a grip, but they

were just about useless. I don't know if I will ever be myself 100%, but 50% is

better than nothing.

I hope you can get a little better also. It isn't everything, but it is

something. If that makes any sense.

Kirk

[Guest guest]

Bethann and everybody,

Yes, watch your blood sugar and blood pressure when on prednisone.

My doc recommended low salt, low fat, no sugar. Whoo hoo... guess

that leaves cardboard...

As for the " crazies, " and weeping and depression, I'm having them

too. My rheumy suggested antidepressants last time I saw him (since

I burst into tears in his office YET AGAIN), but I just can't stand

the thought of another pill! Plus, I was such a cheerful, upbeat

person before this madness started, and I just can't believe that

person isn't still inside me somewhere. Brett, I know exactly what

you mean about feeling overwhelmed and having your job performance

decline. This past year I've gotten so far behind in projects at

work that I just scramble constantly. My teaching (I teach creative

writing courses at a college) has suffered terribly, and I feel I've

really let my students down. Friends and colleagues have been

patient, which is a blessing, but I keep thinking that I'm almost a

year into this madness... shouldn't I be handling it better? Then,

out of the blue, I'll have a really good day. Or a couple in a

row. And I feel cured!!! And then I'll have a day like today when

I just want to crawl under a rock. grrrrr.

in Maine

>

> Bethann,

> I think this disease does screw with our minds a bit. I feel

depressed all the time, I have cried more since I have been

diagnosed ( Nov. 05 ) then I have in the last ten years. At work,

even though I have joint pain, fever, chills, extreme fatigue, etc.

it is the feeling of being overwhelmed with the simple tasks that

make me to just want to give up. Scary part is I'm the production

manager so knowing that my co-workers have seen my steady decline

makes me even more depressed. I am down to 10mg of pred so I don't

know if it is stills or the pred that has got me so down in the

dumps all the time. So I don't think your crazy, I know I wasn't.

>

> Brett from Tacoma, WA

> ----- Original Message -----

[Guest guest]

--- Thank you for all your messages of hope and insight... it just

seems like nothing is every really a step forward and that is so

overwhelming.

Yesterday, a lady saw me making my painful way across a car park and

said " Goodness- how long have you been that way??? " I just burst into

tears. How do you tell someone that sometime in the middle of the

night some monster snuck in and messed with your factory reset

button,and now things just dont work? FOr me, it was December 31-

normal. 1 January- this. I dont get it. I DID get it, but still dont

get it.

Thank all

Bethnn

[Guest guest]

First of all, prednisone can cause personality/mood changes so consult

with your doc about that! and its known that pain causes a release of

hormones in your body that cause depression...so its important to

consider your mental health medication along with the others. I find it

gets easier over time to cope, but counseling is also important.

randi

[Guest guest]

Hi Joan,

I know exactly what you mean. For me it is the worst part of the disease,

the fact that it stops me doing what I want when I want and stops me doing

a lot of things altogether. Of course it's made worse by the fact that I

look " fine " and so I'm sure people think that I'm just lazy and using it as

an excuse! I may be a lot of things, but lazy is not one of them!

Graham (37)

West Sussex, UK

At 10:53 24/04/2006, you wrote:

>Hello Bethann and all Stilligans

>

>It is strange how at certain times one aspect of Stills causes us such

>problems and at other times not so much. As take prednisone (like many

>others) it has made my skin very thin and I always have bruises on my arms

>but if I knock myself what would be really gently for anyone with normal

>skin I get a jagged tear where I hit it. I have done this quite a few

>times, ended up at hospital etc. but just thought " oh ***** and got on with

>it. Well today I felt quite well with a bit of energy so I decided to do

>some long overdue cleaning, had just started when I banged my are on the

>edge of the toilet seat and bang a big V shaped split on my arm and I cried

>like a baby - not really because of the pain but because I can't do what I

>want to do when I want to do it. Does this make sense probably not but it

>is just the way I feel.

>

>Hope you are all having a reasonable day

>

>Take care

>

>Love

>

>Joan U.K. Sorry about the type can't get it back to original print.

[Guest guest]

That's the great thing about this group , there are lots of people

like us here who do understand.

Graham (37)

West Sussex, UK

At 20:40 24/04/2006, you wrote:

>*Hi Gram,*

>*I can relate to your post. Even ones who are sick themselves have been

>harsh with me, saying " If you give in, all you will be is Lazy and a

>complainer. " Excuse me! I say , don't ask me how I am feeling and when I

>answer " I'm looking for better and brighter days " , call me a complainer. And

>walk a mile in my shoes before calling me " lazy. " The nerve of people. But I

>have learned and still learning that other's don't matter. It's my personal

>relationship with my creator that matters to me.*

>*Thanks for sharing your feeling with the rest of us. It helps to learn that

>others are feeling and going through the same things you are.*

>

>**

>

>*, Oregon*