Hi to everyone, got the floors down and doors on, no stress on my part. I haven't the energy to get stressed. One thing that I am finding very difficult is my short term memory also trying to find certain words when I am in conversation, it can be so embarassing and very very frustrating. Is this PMR or the effects of pred. Would welcome any comments and thank you in advance. I know we all can go up the stairs for something and when we get there we cannot remember what it was we went up for, or even another room. But I am finding this is increasing more and more. I will be in the kitchen at the sink and maybe need a saucepan but as soon as I move and go down the kitchen (it's not that big) I have forgotten what it was I wanted. Please someone tell me that this is a symptom of PMR or pred. My mother had dementia and my grandmother and I know this is NOT dementia but sometimes I wonder, but just for a milisecond.
I was & still am experiencing the same forgetfullness as you. I thought it was an aging thing or the stress of being ill. Asked doctor about the same thing. She said it was the Prednisone.
Hi Joey, thanks for replying. It's good to know that I am not the only one although I don't wish it on anyone else. I am just a pup at 60 lol and a very young 60 I may add although my body wouldn't agree with that. Thanks again. Regards Pat
short term memory loss, lack of concentration, difficulty with solving complex problems. Partly aging but my impression is worse with higher pred dose and improved with lower dose.
So much good shared info here. I was diagnosed at 48 and am only 51 now - but recently had to go back to pred in large doses due to a flare that now seems to be GCA setting in. Now I notice the same as you - I have been struggling with words, focus at work (I am an accountant - not a good mix). And this morning I was havving some disturbing vision challenges. My doc is out until next week, but I am going to go back to discuss if I need to know for sure if this is GCA or just assume and keep on with the pred. But I am thankful to be able to hear everyone's journey's - so many subtleties in this/these conditions. And the Drs. here in US don't seem hardly concerned at all about it and it's effect on my life. Very frustrating.
I'm on 60mg Pred and experience same as you. I was able to taper down to 25mg then a major flare put me back up to 60.
Whilst going down, memory & ability to work things out & remembering words improved. It all went haywire again when my dose was increased. So, in my case, the Pred is the culprit.
Hang on in there. All the best
If you are having visual problems please do NOT wait until next week. If it IS GCA starting up and you have visual symptoms your sight is already at risk. A lady from the USA posted on another forum last week - her mother had "flu" for a week and then woke with severe visual problems in one eye. Despite high dose pred both eyes went in 3 days because it was simply too late.
If you can't see your doctor go to the ER. There are good doctors in the USA too - honestly.
It can be both - I had similar problems with just PMR, no pred. But it is also common for people on pred to struggle with memory and concentration.
Thank you Julian, it has allayed my fears. I don't know where I would be without people like yourself on this forum. Regards Pat
After I started on pred I developed "mushy brain syndrome"! Interestingly enough I started taking a small handful of nuts each day while trying to improve my nutrition with the pred, unsalted cashews, brazils and almonds. I was reading something in the papers the other day about nuts keeping dementia at bay and realised that my mushy brain had improved no end. I suppose it could be because my pred dose is slightly lower and nothing to do with the nuts of course.
Hi Gayle, yes you're so right the information shared here is invaluable. You really need to get your skates on and get to ER there is no scaremongering on this forum. Someone was praying for me way back last year. I had undiagnosed (which I now know) GCA and could have lost my sight. My biggest fear, I have been reading since I was 4 years of age. My sight is my life. Don't wait until you get to see your dr. Get yourself sorted and let us all know (when you can) how you are. Good luck Regards Pat
Hi Jean, thanks for your message, I really appreciate all the info I get from all of you and the forum. I am glad I am not alone with this. I do hope you get sorted. Good luck Jean on your journey. Regards Pat
You are a gem, thanks Eileen, I have learned so much from you and all the other good people on this forum. Thanks Pat
Pat ---- same here. It is both.... an aging process AND the dreaded prednisone which does not help at all, but lets us lessen our pain. It will get better........so I hope !!! Hugs, Erika
Erika, hope you had a good time at your daughter's over the Easter holidays. I kind of knew it maybe pred but I needed the validation just for reassurance. Thank you and (((Hugs))) to you as well.
Well ptolemy with having ME/CFS for 14 years I would have suffered brain fog off and on but nothing like this. It is so frustrating. Yes I think you are right about the nuts and dementia, but again with getting teeth implants (started but not finished yet) that nuts are a no no. Ohhhhhhhh the beauty of aging, if I didn't smile I might just cry (only joking) Thanks anyway for your input. Regards Pat
Hi Pat,
i can totally relate and I do think it is the pred. As a matter of fact, I was sitting with my husband last night talking about family coming to visit and how they would get here and I totally lost "Cancun". I couldn't find it anywhere so he said it for me. I'm sure he thought I'd lost my mind. Things like that as well as the usual forgetting what I was looking for have become pretty common place in my world. I do think it has been worse since I had to increase back to 10mg so hoping it will improve as I decrease.
So.... Not to worry, it is not just you, it's a grand club we belong to😋.
Hugs, Diana🌸
How frustrating not being able to eat nuts for the moment. I assume that is not long term is it? At least you can smile.
Oh Diana, isn't it just awful and so frustrating when you cannot find the word you are looking for. If I was made to feel uncomfortable I think I would just cry, but it will pass. I agree with you I think it will will lessen as I decrease my pred. Am on 15mg and hoping to reduce to 12.5mg on Monday, fingers crossed. Yes thank God for the club don't know where I would be without it. Big Hugs to you, catch them (((hugs))) Pat
Hi Pat, I feel for you about emotions and forgetting things.....I can cry easily which I did not before. Sigh!!!
I spoke to my Oral Surgeon about an implant yesterday, and he said that the bone structure is good for an implant. It is scheduled for April 24th. The tooth was removed in November, and he said it would only take about 3-4 months to have a new tooth. He already gave me an Antibiotic prescription for the day when he will do the surgery. You are still doing fine with it, but not eating nuts! Right?
Easter Holiday was so nice with my daughter and family in Vancouver, B.C. They were very caring, and my daughter does understand PMR and the pain involved.
Hugs and all the best to you. Erika