I have been in this cycle for about 6 weeks and this weekend I have slept about 18 hours per day. I simply cannot stay awake. I am taking prednisolone and this is supposed to make me mean and wide awake. Does anyone else go thru this?
Thanks, Sophia

I gotta laugh, it hurst too much to cry.

An old message I first posted a couple of years ago.
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I posted this message on a chat group for dog owners (Vizsla). The issues are the same whether we are talking about animals or humans--so a little translating of words will make it understandable. The core idea: side effects are not an absolute--yes/no--issue. We must always balance potential risk with potential benefit. I'm concerned with the tendency to present comments about medicine side effects in terms which frighten folks away from trying meds which might be of benefit.
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This question about side effects from food (allergies) or medications pops up regularly. The problem is, we don't ask the correct questions. The issues are:

1. What is the rate or chance or probability that any particular side effect will develop?

Without information it's easy to assume that the list of side effects is a statement of what will happen if the med is used. In fact, side effects are reported in human medicine/vet literature as a rate of occurrence ranging from less than one percent and ranging upward.

It's important to ask the Vet for two pieces of information: what are the side effects?; what is the rate or chance that a particular effect will occur? Without information it's impossible to make a good judgment about using or not.

2. How serious are the side effects compared to the condition for which the med is being used?

We have a member whose Vizsla would have died from a systemic fungal infection without a med. The problem is that this med has serious and frequent side effects--but there were no treatment options.

3. How important is my judgment about the risk of side effects vs. the benefit of using this med?

This is a wholly subjective judgment which no one can make for us. We make a decision about how much risk tolerance we have; what are we willing to bear.

Bottom line: A list of side effects is a statement of POSSIBILITIES. It is not a PREDICTION of what will occur. Wisdom calls for knowing both the risk and asking the vet what to look for, i.e., symptoms of side effects.

sophia,

    I will have to agree with you!  When my bouts first start, I'm ready to go with a "I gonna beat it this time" attitude but after a few weeks of getting my butt whopped, I tend to get really really tired or fatigued you could say.  My problem until just recently was I couldn't sleep!  45 minutes after going to sleep, the beast would attack me waking me with full blown attack under way and robbing me of those precious few minutes prior to an attack to mount my defense.  Nonetheless, I have recently starting Melatonin which as not been flawless but for the most part lets me get some sleep most of the nights.  But YES, I too get really really exhuasted toward the middle or end of my bout!

Dave

If this demon was in solid form I would kill it with no bad feelings!!! I am up again for about the 20th night in a row with the beast and want it GONE!!! Nothing is working and the 02 isnt even helping tonight. I have to fly tomorrow and just hope that my big boyfriend is strong enough to keep me in my seat and not looking for the escape hatch. I had no idea these things could hurt so bad. The weird thing is they were diagnosed after I had shingles on my face and affected the trigeminal nerve. And I thought Shingles hurt... yea right. I just needed to vent. Sorry all but I would rather have all my wisdom teeth removed again without being given laughing gas than go thru this over and over again. I know I am not alone. Right now the only person I can stand is my cat and she is not leaving me alone at all. What are best friends for right? Hugs and hoping the beast dies overnight for us all. Sophia
I gotta laugh, it hurts too much to cry. [smiley=sgrin.gif]