Preganant Zone (Prednisone)

Prednisone is a synthetic corticosteroid drug that is used to treat a variety of conditions.  In my case, I was on it for several years as part of the issues infections I fought from 2009 through 2013.  I had fluid accumulation in the brain and a type of inflammation in both eyes.

Essentially, Prednisone mimicked my body’s natural hormones, which the adrenal glands produce.  When prescribed in significant doses, Prednisone helps suppress inflammation.  I also called it the pregnant zone, as it really impacted me with weight gain.  I have been off the medicine for over two years, and I am finally feeling closer to normal again!

What I have experienced is withdrawal.  I think my body and brain became dependent on Prednisone for everyday functioning.  I was not a high dose, only 30-40 mg per day.

When I went off Prednisone, it was cold turkey.  I had significant withdrawal issues.  They say it takes time for the body to make cortical on its own again.  Cortisol stimulates gluconeogenesis (glucose formation), activating antistress and anti-inflammatory pathways.   For a few years, I have had significant inflammatory issues!  I think this was a major cause.  I also have many issues I believe are related to Prednisone withdrawal.  They include:

• Weight gain is the most dreaded side–effects of steroid use.  In addition to causing weight gain, Prednisone leads to a redistribution of body fat to undesirable places, particularly the face, back of the neck, and abdomen.  I have never been heavier than when I was on or coming off Prednisone!
• My recent history of intense abdominal pain is a common withdrawal symptom.  The pain when I stopped taking Prednisone was debilitating at times.  Now, it is just a little pain, occasionally.
• I often felt depressed!  My anxiety level was sky-high.  My son was driven nuts by my anxiety, yet I could never tell him of the issues I was having.  It is my problem, not his.
• The worst has been severe body aches.  I felt, at times, I was unable to move.
• As part of three withdrawals, I would have dizziness at a life-impacting level. 
• The most pressing issue was fatigue.  I am expected to deal with extreme fatigue and low energy levels, as I no longer have adequate amounts of cortisol to provide the body with energy.
• I do not have headaches, but in the past few years, I have had some headaches that would hurt more if I so much as blinked.
• Another issue is suicidal thoughts.  While I never thought about actually taking the next step, I would rush across a bridge as I thought about leaping off the side.  This was really bad when I first discontinued Prednisone use. 
• A frustrating issue was muscle weakness and the overall sense of malaise.

I have read quite a bit about Prednisone withdrawal.  In some cases, it has taken 12 to 24 months before experiencing a complete “recovery” back to homeostasis.  I am 28 months old, and finally, I feel like an end is in sight.  I hope I am right and things will look up in 2017.  Only more time will tell.

Carry on, my friends, carry on…

“That’s a modest way of bragging”

Today at the office, I told a co-worker I was proud this year I have only averaged 6.7 work hours per day (47-hour weeks' average) if I worked all seven days of the week.  I stated that I was happy it had decreased from last year to 7.9 hours a week (55-hour weeks).  I explained that it is based on total hours worked divided by the number of days (365 days for a calendar year).  So yes, I worked 6.7 hours a day every year.  Of course, I had not been in the office every day, as I have 53 days (including weekends) that I was not in the office at all.  Over half of those days were two vacations and moving my son.

I made the statement because I was proud that I was improving on my goal to return to a manageable work schedule.  She said, "That's a modest way of bragging." I felt terrible!  That was not my intent at all.  In fact, I was happy I reduced the time spent working but also not glad I was still taking too much time off for our office. 

My goal is to be closer to 6 hours or less.  The typical employee who works Monday through Friday has 11 Holidays and 10 vacation days and would average 5.2 work hours a day if they worked all 365 days.  This is also 37 hours a week.  My goal is to be at 42 hours a week or less. 

We have a professional office staff of 8.  At the peak of the economy in 2007, we were an office of 11.  We worked more than wild animals during that period to meet the demand.  Of course, only the three non-union staff members, me being one, get the privilege of working without overtime pay, so the other five are basically 8-4:30, and we pick up where we are behind.  

From 2005 to 2009, I could work out and was much happier.  Then the economy fell, and we were a staff of 6 at one time.  As I stated, we built up to 8 staff, but more are needed.  I wish my ego would let me toss my arms and say, "You have to wait a week for an answer," or even, "Wait a month as you're on the pile." That is the reputation of government; we just do what we need and make you wait.  I can't do that to people. 

A staff member on maternity leave recently came in and told us she would not be returning.  So, we have a staff of 7, when we could easily have used closer to the 11 we had to accomplish the workload in 2007.  Then there is the other side: finding good employees is becoming possible.

What it comes down to is that I take a high degree of personal responsibility and care for our team's success.  I meet people on nights and weekends because they need help getting into City Hall during regular work hours.  

This is how I was raised, so I work as hard as possible to keep us functioning.  I usually go to work at 6:30 AM and work past 7:00 PM during the week just to return voicemails and e-mails I get during the day.  I tried one week in September to force myself to leave at 5:00 PM for a week, and I was over 110 e-mails behind by the end of the week.  I spend 14 hours over the weekend to get caught up!  So that did not work.

I'm figuring out how to keep this up, as I know my health is impacted.  Stress is at an all-time high.  I am so fatigued that I find walking hard, let alone working out.  I am trying to figure out what choice there is to keep the high customer service standards I have for dealing with people.  I either have issues with my personal beliefs or keep doing what I am doing. 

So it was not a "modest way of bragging" but admitting I was getting close to failing.  I hate to fail, but things need to change, and I am trying to figure out how to change them.  It may be time to evaluate changing careers, but I can retire if I hold out six more years.  But if this keeps up, I wonder if there will be much of a retirement.  In the past decade, I had two friends retire and die within 4 years.  It should be an easy decision, but it is another difficult choice I cannot make now, as I do not have time to do anything but work, eat, and sleep.  Makes me tired, fat, and unhappy.

Carry on, my friends, carry on...