I am a 62 year old female. I've had PMR for over 4 years but have only treated it for 2 years. It took a while to figure out what I had as an overactive thyroid masked many symptoms. It was so bad I couldn't get out of bed, my car or the couch. I had become stagnant from years of exercise and activity.
I am currently on 5 mg of Prednizone, down from 15 in the last year. I gradually took it down for a year in 2013 and it came back so, back on 15mg in 2014 and the gradual decline. I'm staying steady at 5mg. I have a few aches but not many. I am very active, I cycle 10-50 mi at a time, swim and kayak. I will not let this stupid illness take me down.
The question I have is how many of you suffer from head sweats, and just plain HOT all the time? I did not have this issue last summer but this summer is awful. I need a towel and AC to cool down. Is this a side affect of the PMR or Prednizone?
Hi Pam,
First of all, good for you for maintaining such a high level of activity!! I cycle and walk but certainly couldn't do your distances. Did you start out slow and work up. I find walking a couple of blocks difficult some days and others can go 5 km or more.
As far as the sweats go, I am the same this year. Sooooo........ annoying and embarrassing to sometimes. I am 2 1/2 yrs in with PMR and currently at 9/8mg pred alternating. I was at 5mg last year and didn't have the problem so I'm thinking it must be the pred. in my case. You're already at 5mg which is a low dose. Could it be hormonal?
Others will be along with their experiences and I'll be watching closely. We're travelling to Italy the end of the month and friends that are there now say it's VERY hot. I don't want to look like a drowned rat at the Vatican😬!
hugs, Diana🌸
Hello Mrs. Mac-Canada,
Yes I start slow, but here in Northern Indiana it means I cycle just April to Nov. I could walk forever but, I have Plantar Fasciitis in my right foot so I'm limited to just walking shorter distances. I use to be a runner. Looks like surgery on that foot in Dec. had the other done in 2012. They can't get them to heal so they cut the fascia.
I'm beginning to wonder if long term use of Prednisone causes these constant heat
attacks. It's usually while I'm exerting myself.
I'm heading to Colorado to hike a 14,000 ft mountain again this month. Let's see if I come down half naked after that hike. 😆
One person mentioned Sage tablets, I tried them, but I saw no improvement.
Let's see what others are experiencing. Thanks for your reply.
I have terrible sweats, as if I am in a shower. I am on 9 mg at the moment. It is one of the worse side effects of pred I think.
I get hot sweats and also spend most of the day glowing like a tomato
OMG, do I get head sweats! I have short hair, and quite often, I suddenly feel sweat drops from the side and back of my head. Feels like I've just come out if the shower.
I also all of a sudden get very hot, lik menopause sweat.
I've no idea why, it seems to be getting worse. Currently on 25mg Pred.
My husband laughed when I told him about my head sweats, and what's the point of styling your hair when you are going
to look like a drowned rat at the end of the day!
My head is literally like I've come out of the shower, wet and dripping!
Best of luck on your Colorado hike. I expect it will be amazingly beautiful.
I think as long as you're not on sacred land you're OK naked😉. Would be an interesting photo op!!!
What really annoys me is that I did not have menopause sweats, but I am really making up for it now. That dripping feel is awful, also my hair feels slightly sticky not just wet.
I had the menopause sweats for a few years, but they were not as bad as these. I'm ok in AC, but if it's warm outside and I'm moving I'm dripping wet. Still wonder if it's the Prednizone or the PMR. ANYBODY KNOW?
Dripping wet when I least expect it at age 69...not menopause! I recently sang in the choir after 6 months of doing nothing and in the middle of church, I started dripping all over my cassock..the pits. It is for sure the prednisone...am down to 20 mgs from 80. Our life saving drug has side effects galore. Here is a toast to all of us, Ann11195
Hi Pam, when I was first diagnosed with PMR and put on 20mg pred, I remember nearly lying on top of bed clothes when it was minus 9 degrees. It was like having my own built in thermostat. Now 9 months later no sweats or overheating and I just reduced today from 10mg pred to 9mg, so have my fingers crossed. I am 60 years young and menopause long gone over 10 years ago. Hope you get sorted. Regards Pat
Take heart. I had terible head sweats last summer and was dreading this summer, but, theyve gone!
Can't remember my dose of pred last year maybe 12 or 15mgs; am down to 8.25 at the moment.
Doc did,t know what was causing it. Such a relief to find that others on here had it too.
It will pass!
Should have said; I found, cold flannels on my neck and cold packs used for muscle problems, again on my neck, a great help.
Does everyone else find that the muscles to the hands don't work very well. Spelling up the creek and handwriting even more terrible than it used to be!
I have the head sweats and hot flushes - having just gone through menopause, I am not happy! lol
It is worse when I am reducing - even a .5mg drop will cause me to have intense hot flushes and head sweats. It seems to settle with a regular dose.
My rheumy said it was a pred side effect. I did not have the problem before starting pred, but reducing does not seem to make any difference, I stiil feel as if I am in a warm shower. I am at 9mg at the moment. I just hate these sweats.
yes, and it's gross. I never sweated before and now I'm a wet sponge 24/7. ick.
Bizzarely yes I do have the head sweats ! I have not figured out how to deal with them yet, but friends have given me lots of ideas. I am in New Zealand and currently it is winter (and a cold year) - my body can be freezing, feet frozen and perspiration will be dripping down my face and glasses fogged. Just as well most of my close friends have a sense of humour and know that I am not contagious (we all hope). i am considering becoming the female version of Keith Richards, bandana wrapped around my head so I can mop my sweating face. I went to Hawaii for 2 weeks R & R and didn't feel so out of place there, sweating in a hot climate, but in winter here I am always telling people I do not have a fever, it is a drug reaction. I had PMR for quite awhile before diagnosis, but I didn't have head sweats until I started on pred. I did try wearing a flamboyant cotton scarf to mop my face, but having something extra around my neck, made me perspire more.
That is interesting you have cold feet, I have freezing feet and a head dripping in sweat in the winter. My feet are OK in the summer though.
Hi Everyone.
I have RA/OA/PSA/Fibro depression and anxiety. I am not on pred, but I too suffer from being hot all the time and head sweating so badly that it runs in drops like rain on a window. It doesn't seem to improve/stop. I am hoping I can be another voice for you all here as I am not on pred.
I have trying to figure out the head sweats to no avail. Maybe we can all figure it out together.