'Roid Update

So, my rocking 'roids kind of fell by the wayside in their effectiveness.

Back up a tad here.  About ten days ago, I noticed that the 'roids weren't quite doing their job.

Or so it seemed.

I wasn't sleeping very well again.  Pressure on each side was waking me every two to three hours.  Bursa was hurting.  Here we go again.

Daytime seemed to be OK but nights were increasingly difficult.

Then by the beginning of this week, the days were kind of tricky too.  

And when my hands became a problem again, I knew for sure. (I was actually in a mini fibro flare-up by that point.)

Those 'roids simply weren't doing the job any more.  

I had to see my doctor on Thursday to get a new prescription (she had only given me a month's supply to start).  I had increased the dose that morning to the originally prescribed 7.5 mg and we agreed that I should stay at that level to see how I manage.  She said I could increase to 10 mg if necessary but I should give the 7.5 mg dose a good try.

Last night, I slept soooooo much better than I have in the last little while.  Pressure on either side was not a problem.  Relief.  After only two days at the higher dose!

Once I've been on 'roids for three months I have to start taking something to protect my bones (osteoporosis becomes a serious threat with long term use of steroids).  I'll see her again in March to start that medication.

Oh, did I mention that I've started walking?  Well I have.

Both yesterday and the day before, I walked -- outside -- for twenty minutes.  Using my walking sticks and creepers (these roads are treacherous!).  The hills out here are killers let me tell you.  It takes me ten minutes to get to the nearest corner (up two hills, the first of which is a major cardio work-out).  My physiotherapist tells me that because of the hills I have negotiate, the twenty minutes I'm doing is equivalent to thirty minutes on a flat surface.  Sure hope it pays off!   (Eventually, I hope to push it to a full thirty minutes.)

My plan is to do this walk, weather permitting, six times a week (not on Tuesday, the day I go into Ottawa).

'Roids rock!