Thank you everyone for your comments.
I wish I had made a note of the most informative site that said not to take Liquorice while on Prednisolone. It was a site which went into great detail about the drug. I've spent a while trying to find it again, but can't. However, it is mentioned on other sites which I think some of you have found now and there are some condradictions out there as well.
It seems that Liquorice acts very much like Prednisolone and is often used as a natural treatment for adrenal deficiency. Apparantly it causes Prednisolone to stay in the blood longer and can increase the side effects. There is some thought that it can also make withdrawal symptoms worse. But then I came accross a contradiction that said that some people find it helpful when tapering the Pred'!
All I know, is that I've felt much better since not drinking my Liquorice tea :-) I would be interested to know in a couple of weeks or so if any of you experience the same benefits.
Hi Pam, I'm also 62 and just at the beginning of my journey of PMR and feel a bit depressed because I battled with breast cancer in 2013 and really didn't want any other sickness BUT I like this forum and feel a little uplifted that there is help. I also feel in quite good hands with my doctor but a bit nervous about the cortisone treatments.fingers crossed. And yes, we are still vertical! Best wishes Kristina
Pam, like you, I'm still at 5mg @ 18mos. I also have lost my apreciation for drinking, and somewhat for eating as well. I'm as light now as I can be and still be healthy and strong as a cyclist.
Glad that you are still riding! I make a point of riding as soon as I feel like it, most every day. I ride only as hard as I feel like, but sometimes suffer a bit on the ride home after a couple of hours.
The exercise didn't cure my PMR like I had hoped, but improves life generally, very important.
Good luck with getting your health back entirely.
I don't know the relation between Prednisone an Adrenal output/regulation, but I'm at 5mg now and suffer with what feels just like adrenal insuffiency at times, and which I attribute to my daily dosages of caffeine.
Remember, caffeine stimulates the adrenals, but which also prevents them from sustaining output in the regulated way that they are supposed to, as in regulation of transient blood pressure. Not entirely unlke how Prednisone interferes with the body's own regulation of cortisol.
Thanks for this little tip. I am soooo glad I have found this site today. I am recently diagnosed and still confused. I had added a little licorice to my daily diet. I have changed eating habits, adding anti inflammatory and diuretic foods. I cannot remember what benefit I thought licorice would have, but I will stop it. Hopefully it will help the fatigue and fuzzies.
Where liquorice is concerned it should be noted that ingestion on a regular basis can be problematic and dangerous. Research "Apparent Minerocorticoid Excess". A few years ago I found a case study which was caused by eating as few as seven or eight Pontifract cakes a day. It seems like almost no one knows about the bad effects of liquorice but it almost killed me.
Liquorice and Prednisolone are bad with each other... also someone on here recommended melatonin which also has a bad reaction with Prednisolone... always check before you take any stuff!
Is there a reliable site on here where you can check what you can mix and what you can't ?.
If you look a bit further up the thread the Emis moderator has provided a link which is used by many people on the forums.
I would copy and paste - but it will disappear.
Thanks Eileen, I have found it. I will study it more tomorrow. I was looking for Organic Apple Cider vinegar - do you know if it is ok to take
In food amounts, yes probably unless you are diabetic as it is thought it can reduce blood sugar levels and medication would have to be adjusted. But in large amounts, no - if you were to drink 8oz/250ml a day it can deplete potassium for example. Why you would is beyond me mind! There is no reliable evidence it does what naturopaths claim.
If you google "webmd apple cider vinegar" you should get to a site with a fairly comprehensive article including uses, side effects, interactions and dosing. This site will provide similar information for most medications and, it seems, food and supplements. WebMD is pretty reliable as a source of such information. There is a section for vitamins and supplements and another for drugs.
OK, how about OUZO. It is one of my guilty pleasures.
Will it possibly depend on the fact that it is real licorice that causes the problem whereas usually pastis/ouzo etc are made with anise? Anise, fennel and licorice are different plants - but all have a similar taste.
After suffering from Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome for more than 30yrs, I've been through what seems to be every "pain relief" known to man, with little success in actually achieving relief from my pain.
At the age of 22 I was told to "learn to live with it". Now aged 56 I'm still in the learning process.
Following from almost a year of blood tests, scans, etc I've now been given the diagnosis of PMR. 😧😊 great to be able to give my health condition a proper name at last. Having been dogged by Mr Arthur Itis for years and knowing I shall be sharing my body with PMR for the rest of my days I've decided to name it Jack and get to know it a whole lot better.
First thing I did before taking first dose of Prednisone was read the patient info leaflet and sat for ages in awe over the sentence " avoid eating liquorice whilst taking prednisolone tablets". Obviously I've started reading the why's and Whatnots of this statement; and that's how I managed to find this forum.
Here's hoping I've found like minded folks who can offer advice and support.
Thanks for reading, Ali
"knowing I shall be sharing my body with PMR for the rest of my days "
Not necessarily at all - PMR burns out and goes into remission in 2 to 6 years for 75% of patients. Only about 5% of us have really long lasting PMR and some people have even got off pred after 10 or more years.
Do post on a new thread - this is old and many of the current members of the forum may not see it.