More Agonies of “Withdrawal” from the Methylpredisolone

Week of 16th to Friday 20th July 2007

This week saw the effects of the Methylpredisolone gradually return in similar fashion to last month. Pains started in my left leg from Monday night and then took in my right leg. It progressively worsened until Friday morning when both legs from thigh to ankle were aching and I could hardly get out of bed. Taking Ibroprofen made no difference and what effect the predisolone had I cannot tell. If it reduced the pain at all, then I am glad I had it, because any more pain would have been horrendous! Surprisingly I managed to get a reasonable night’s sleep most nights. I was reading for an hour or so from 11pm, rather than waking up and reading at 3am. That had stopped by the previous Sunday night. On one or two nights I had rather weird dreams with violent undertones. They were also very vivid once I had woken up. I seem to recall this phenomenon occurred previously and assume it is a side effect of the Methylprednisolone - most unpleasant. Each morning was a long, slow start, often not breakfasted, showered and dressed until 11am. I was doing everything in slow motion! - particularly getting upstairs. Strangely, I did not feel compelled to have a sleep every afternoon, although I tried to have time with my legs up as they were filling up with fluid as expected. I had the same lunch each day - soup, Ryvita with pastrami and lettuce - and enjoyed it, whereas breakfast was still a struggle. I also enjoyed my dinners this week more than last and found a pre-dinner drink better also - especially the Belgian Carmelite beers! Wine tasted odd, even the white.

I had blood tests at the RSCH Monday and Thursday and got down a bit late both times as it was hard going to get myself moving. My weight was 77.6 and 77 kgs. My blood results were: Wbc: 3.6 and 1.9; Neut: 3.4 and 1.1; Lymph:0.1 and 0.5; Hbn: 11.1 and 9.9;
and PLT: 117 and 66. So I am injecting GCSF every other day, following the days I have the Campath.

My mobility is so bad by Friday morning I decide to stay in bed. I cannot get my legs into the bath to have a shower! They are also full of fluid. Tina brings me my breakfast to the bedroom and she doesn’t go to work as it looks as if I may end up being admitted to hospital yet again. I keep a watch on my temperature, which varies from 37.0 to 37.9 and I call Laura in the Day Unit a couple of times for advice. By 3pm my temperature is back to 37.9 and I tell Laura that I am coming in. I get down to the Day Unit at 4.20pm. I have a blood test, am seen by a locum doctor who was with the team when I was seen yesterday and am admitted. I have a bolus injection of Tazocin at 6pm and am wheeled down to Catherine James ward by 6.40pm. My GCSF injections are changed to daily and my Campath is suspended. I get scant information on my blood result for today except that my CRP reading is 223.