Hi, I'm interested in members' experience of having a cold whilst taking steroids. I'm a little shocked by how long it is taking me to recover from what I'm sure is a bad cold, not flu. I've had it one week and still have so little energy and other typical symptoms. I'm currently taking 10mg having tapered down from 15mg since May last year. I am usually very active and full of beans. I'm assuming this prolonged illness is due to a suppressed immune system but wanted to hear from others about their experiences. Thank you
Don’t think it makes much difference to me - that I have noticed anyway. But I get one humdinger a year, always have done.
I was always told three days to get a cold, three days to have it and three days to get rid of it and then in my case weeks of a cough afterwards!
Firstly I think there are some horrible cold germs out there, family and friends who normally shake them off quite quickly have found that colds are lingering for longer. That said, last year I had seven lots of antibiotics between March and December and can say that I was ill with chest infections, coughs and asthma for all of that time. As a consequence my dose of prednisone was up rather than the 13mg I’d got to.
I finally got referred to the pulmonary consultant and am having various tests and investigations but have a follow up appointment in a couple of weeks to discuss treatment for my low immunity - it showed up on a blood test.
I will be asking Dr if my immunity is low because of the steroids and expect him to say it is.
So… I’d suggest that if you start to get into this loop of one cold leading to another then may e ask your Dr for the relevant blood test?
Lastly- and touch wood - I’ve avoided catching colds thus far this year and think it’s possibly because of the supplements I’m taking - Vit C, black garlic, ginger and for inflammation bromelein and cinnamon.
(Also take fish oil and glucosomine.)
I haven’t notice any difference either whether on Pred or not. Whole family have had this one and it takes ages to clear.Again I agree not flu just a cold that enjoys hanging around! Hope you feel better soon.
For some reason, I didnt catch a cold for the whole 3 years since my dx. Until now. I just compare the progress of the cold with that of my spouse or close friends. So far the pattern is similar. However, when i was developing the cold – aka “fighting” it – my PMR symptoms got about 50% worse. I suspect that since “fighting” a cold implies an elevated inflammatory response with the various aspects of fluid built-up and re-deployment, that the symptoms were magnified. I was at 6.0 and about to start my 5.5 mg step down but had to jack up my pred to 10.0 mg yesterday. I felt much better. I still have the cold but it feels like a “normal” cold. I’ll stay at 10.0 today and tomorrow and then drop back down to 7 by 0.5 mg daily steps and start the DSNS again from 7.0. I hope it works!! If anyone else has had a similar experience, I’d be grateful to hear about what you learned…
Off topic slightly - has anyone got to the replies on this thread from their email notification? All Error 404s for me so far!
I got errors on a couple but then one did open which gave me access to the previously ‘unopenable’ replies.
All the initial posts for me are now 404s. I just remove the word COMMENT from the URL and it works. A bit of a flaff though, I can see more people abandoning ship at this rate. I cannot understand why it is so complicated to amend the computer program.
Thank you. I’m definitely going to start adding in a few supplements to my daily intake.
Thank you.
A long time - in my case ! Had bad cough and cold last October… couldn’t shake it…went for check up with GP for something else and he recommended a chest X-ray if cough didn’t disappear by Christmas ! Have had two dodgy X-rays reported and a CT scan since and am now waiting for the results of something lurking in my left lung ! Think had my immune system not been messed up by Steroids, I would not have found out about a lung problem I may have…so swings… as the saying goes…though I do know lots of people who are suffering from this particularly virulent virus…but am keeping away from them…ha…
Hope my results are OK this Thursday though - as it’s a bit worrying to have some sort of Plaque showing up with radiography reports saying could be early tumour…not sure they should tell you these things until they are sure but seems to be the way these days - keeping people fully informed…x
I’m getting all 404s now but I’m not seeing anywhere the word ‘comment’ to remove. Please could you explain a little more for IT dummies like me?
I just had to write to you and tell you there is a rotten cold going around (UK) that is taking at least 2 weeks to get over.. my daughter has had it and she does not take any prescription medicine but did take cough and decongestion OTC medicine. the cough is a dry one that is very bothersome and she has felt very fatigued. I’ve heard so many people talk about how debilitating this darn bug leaves you and last week when at the eye doctor his young nurse had time off and now after two weeks is just getting to feel normal. So you could well just be running the coarse of the darn thing and its nothing to do with Pred.
BTW my daughter had just come back from a week in Tenerife where everyone was coughing she said and that’s where she picked it up. so much for the sun!!! Hope you feel better soon, Freda
This time I got here from the email - hope springs eternal so I always try! But really I am getting totally t’d off with this…
If you go to the URL at the top of the page that shows the 404 eg
and remove Content/
OH’s dodgy lung bits eventually turned out to be fluid - which took 6 months to dissipate! But they did go and he has fairly dodgy lungs anyway!
Thank you so much, I feel quite reassured by that information, and yes, it started with a dry, irritating cough.
Here in Canada, all the colds I’ve been in proximity to this season have started with a deep dry cough, scratchy throat, and massive fatigue. Takes at least 2 full weeks to clear although the cough can linger – a friend from out west is in his 2nd month of dry coughing. I take 2x puff of my orange puffer to avoid bronchitis - first time in 2 years but better safe than sorry. As far as I’ve heard, none of the colds has become a head cold. Seems to hang around the upper bronchial / throat.
I assume we’ve all had our flu shots…