More side effects, more drugs

8.

8 is the number of things I have to take to counteract the side effects of the prednisone.


-NPH and Novorapid to help with the steroid induced diabetes
-Tecta to help with the heartburn because the prednisone is eating my stomach
-Fosamax to help prevent osteoporosis because prednisone hates bones
-Calcium to help prevent osteoporosis
-Vitamin D (okay I'm supposed to take this anyway, but it gets mentioned because I was told to take it) to help with the Calcium absorption.
-Hydroxyzine to help me sleep because prednisone makes that difficult (I've been able to cut back on this one as I've been tapering.)

and now ramipril.

Since I dropped to 40mg/day I've been having weird dizzy spells.  I know that decreasing prednisone can cause a drop in blood pressure (I was warned if I ever am sick and can't keep it down to go to the hospital immediately and get IV because it's dangerous to stop cold turkey because it can severely drop your BP).  My blood sugars were fine, so I thought, maybe since I normally have normal-low blood pressure, it dropped.   I had the nurse at my school check it.

170/98.   That is the OPPOSITE of low.   Especially since 3 weeks ago it was 110/70 (and has consistently been around that for the past two months... I think I had a 125 over something once...)

The nurse made me go to the emergency room.  I was in and out in under 4 hour which was surprising, and nice, since I did not want to go.   Urine test, ECG,  bloodwork.  The doctor said it's common for people on prednisone to get high blood pressure, and gave me a prescription for low dose ramipril.

It's kind of funny (not in a ha-ha way) that I wonder which is worse, (other than the potential for death part of DRESS Syndrome),  DRESS or prednisone side effects.  Diabetes, high BP and osteoporosis are pretty severe side effects.  Although elevate liver enzymes are pretty severe too, and the rash was HORRIBLE. (Now I'm itchy from prednisone giving my extremely dry skin... so apparently I'm destined to spend half a year being itchy)

In Honour of it being Thanksgiving weekend,  I am going to look at what I'm thankful for

-I am thankful to be alive.
-I am thankful to have people who love and support me
-I am thankful to live in a country with access to universal health care.  Where I never have to question if I can afford to seek help. I think that the 20% mortality rate for DRESS is influenced by people who live in countries without access.
-I am thankful my Ontario provincial insurance covers me while I'm in PEI
-I am thankful I am well enough to continue my post secondary education, even if it's a lower load.
-I am thankful to live somewhere where I don't have to worry about air strikes or being bombed.
-I am thankful to not currently have food insecurity.

Happy Thanksgiving to all my fellow Canadians.  Enjoy the harvest.