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Kari,
So sorry for all you have gone through. May your recovery continue uneventfully.
love,
Jean
Suggestions for Blood Thinner?
Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Thank you Jean - so good to hear from you. I'm on my 3rd day of Prednisone, and so far it seems to benefit my GI issues. However, after reading stories here over the years, I don't want to get my hopes too high. I know how easily one can fall back after coming off steroids. To stack the odds in my favor, I plan to be super careful with the diet as usual.
Love,
Kari
Love,
Kari
"My mouth waters whenever I pass a bakery shop and sniff the aroma of fresh bread, but I am also grateful simply to be alive and sniffing." Dr. Bernstein
Hi Kari,
I just wanted to drop in and wish you all the best for a quick and complete recovery. I’m sorry to hear you’ve been challenged with more health issues.
Carol
I just wanted to drop in and wish you all the best for a quick and complete recovery. I’m sorry to hear you’ve been challenged with more health issues.
Carol
“.... people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou
Thank you Carol. I'm starting on my 6th day of Prednisone and haven't had this kind of energy since my twenties:). I'm enjoying it while it lasts and hope it will eradicate all the inflammation in my body. The tapering will most likely start after 4 weeks.
Love,
Kari
Love,
Kari
"My mouth waters whenever I pass a bakery shop and sniff the aroma of fresh bread, but I am also grateful simply to be alive and sniffing." Dr. Bernstein
It's been a long haul so I thought I'd post an update.
The very good news is that I've not had any more aphasia/stroke episodes since starting the Prednisone and staying on Clopidogrel. The other good news is that my GI issues are substantially better. It's a bit of a roller coaster, with good and bad days.
The first 6 weeks of being on Prednisone were magical. I truly felt like a young person again, with plenty of energy and mostly "normans". If I only could have stayed that way!!! Anyhow, I also experienced constipation for the first time ever. It was no fun, and I sympathize with those of you who are constipation dominant. I tried different things to help, and finally settled on prune juice and prunes.
Anyhow, as I tapered the Prednisone, the BM's softened and "normans" all but disappeared. I have to admit that I'm fond of eating out. Living in NYC for 35 years created a habit that I suspect will never be broken. I'm always super careful when ordering, and send messages back to the cook staff of what I can have. It usually works out well, as restaurants have become very informed about food sensitivities and take them seriously.
Believe it or not, I'm still tapering - down to 5 mg now and will get off in a week. This final step frightens me, as I've read so many horror stories. However, I know that I will be able to handle whatever comes my way. The last few months have not been easy, as I have suffered the typical prednisone side effects: Muscle weakness and cramps, moon face, gaining weight, feeling "puffy" all over, depression, etc.
The biggest help coping with this has been my disciplined regimen of meditation, yoga and walking every day - usually 2 hours, with about 30 to 40 minutes of each. I believe that the meditation has helped me the most. I have now been meditating 30+ minutes every day for a year. It is an incredibly powerful tool.
I'm not sure exactly what to expect when I eliminate Prednisone from my life in a week, but I figure I'll continue with what I'm doing. My goal is to be back to some kind of normalcy by the end of the year. Wish me luck - I'm sure I'll need it:).
Lots of love to all of you and thanks for being here,
Kari
The very good news is that I've not had any more aphasia/stroke episodes since starting the Prednisone and staying on Clopidogrel. The other good news is that my GI issues are substantially better. It's a bit of a roller coaster, with good and bad days.
The first 6 weeks of being on Prednisone were magical. I truly felt like a young person again, with plenty of energy and mostly "normans". If I only could have stayed that way!!! Anyhow, I also experienced constipation for the first time ever. It was no fun, and I sympathize with those of you who are constipation dominant. I tried different things to help, and finally settled on prune juice and prunes.
Anyhow, as I tapered the Prednisone, the BM's softened and "normans" all but disappeared. I have to admit that I'm fond of eating out. Living in NYC for 35 years created a habit that I suspect will never be broken. I'm always super careful when ordering, and send messages back to the cook staff of what I can have. It usually works out well, as restaurants have become very informed about food sensitivities and take them seriously.
Believe it or not, I'm still tapering - down to 5 mg now and will get off in a week. This final step frightens me, as I've read so many horror stories. However, I know that I will be able to handle whatever comes my way. The last few months have not been easy, as I have suffered the typical prednisone side effects: Muscle weakness and cramps, moon face, gaining weight, feeling "puffy" all over, depression, etc.
The biggest help coping with this has been my disciplined regimen of meditation, yoga and walking every day - usually 2 hours, with about 30 to 40 minutes of each. I believe that the meditation has helped me the most. I have now been meditating 30+ minutes every day for a year. It is an incredibly powerful tool.
I'm not sure exactly what to expect when I eliminate Prednisone from my life in a week, but I figure I'll continue with what I'm doing. My goal is to be back to some kind of normalcy by the end of the year. Wish me luck - I'm sure I'll need it:).
Lots of love to all of you and thanks for being here,
Kari
"My mouth waters whenever I pass a bakery shop and sniff the aroma of fresh bread, but I am also grateful simply to be alive and sniffing." Dr. Bernstein
Hi Kari,
It’s good to hear from you. I’m glad you are doing well and have had no more aphasia/stroke incidents. I have also started a meditation practice and have found it beneficial. I hope your improvement continues.
Best wishes,
Carol
It’s good to hear from you. I’m glad you are doing well and have had no more aphasia/stroke incidents. I have also started a meditation practice and have found it beneficial. I hope your improvement continues.
Best wishes,
Carol
“.... people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou
Hi Kari,
I've been wondering how you were doing. Thanks for the detailed update. It's great to hear that you're doing so much better.
I hope the rest of the tapering process goes smoothly and all the unpleasant side effects disappear.
Love,
Tex
I've been wondering how you were doing. Thanks for the detailed update. It's great to hear that you're doing so much better.
I hope the rest of the tapering process goes smoothly and all the unpleasant side effects disappear.
Love,
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Carol - thanks for your note, and lots of luck with making meditation a part of your daily routine. So sorry to read that you have new issues to deal with. I agree with Tex and Jean that you should be very cautious about the treatments.
Tex - thank you for your well wishes.
Love,
Kari
Tex - thank you for your well wishes.
Love,
Kari
"My mouth waters whenever I pass a bakery shop and sniff the aroma of fresh bread, but I am also grateful simply to be alive and sniffing." Dr. Bernstein
Kari,
While I don't chime in with great consistence and have only been an MCer for slightly less than two years, I read all posts. There is always something to learn. I am so glad that you are past the stroke and know how frightening that must have been. Indeed, it must have have felt like going through "HELL." I am glad that you are "alive and sniffing." Thank you for sharing and know that you are in my thoughts as you heal and figure out the next best path to take. Your progress will be happily noted.
Susan
While I don't chime in with great consistence and have only been an MCer for slightly less than two years, I read all posts. There is always something to learn. I am so glad that you are past the stroke and know how frightening that must have been. Indeed, it must have have felt like going through "HELL." I am glad that you are "alive and sniffing." Thank you for sharing and know that you are in my thoughts as you heal and figure out the next best path to take. Your progress will be happily noted.
Susan
Thank you Susan - you are right, it was no fun at all!!! Fortunately I have not had the paralysis symptoms that are often typical with strokes. The "episodes" have been limited to temporary loss of certain brain functions (Aphasia). Nevertheless, they were scary enough for me to agree to taking Prednisone. In general, I avoid taking meds., and have treated MC with diet alone.
Love,
Kari
Love,
Kari
"My mouth waters whenever I pass a bakery shop and sniff the aroma of fresh bread, but I am also grateful simply to be alive and sniffing." Dr. Bernstein