What missing 1/2 a dose of one med can do

I decided yesterday to try to separate my prednisone into two doses again to get some stamina.
I've tapered myself to 5mg, the lowest dose I've seen in years, and probably, I will ever see. I only tapered to this dose from 7.5 because I kept forgetting my noon dose of 2.5 mg.

I've been napping a lot. Bendamustine really kicks in a couple weeks after taking it, and I've been playing full throttle with X since he's been on vacation. I've worked out a solid half day of good times together, but the other half, I'm exhausted.

Exhausted to the point of non-functioning. If you call, I'll talk, but maybe not make sense. I certainly won't be chipper or even friendly, and that's if I remember talking to you at all. I may not even be awake.

So yesterday I actually wanted to accomplish something, anything, in my half day. I planned out a couple hour nap. At 1:30pm I hopped into bed. I thought about taking my afternoon dose of steroids, but then thought that it would only keep me up, my mind revving with thoughts, and make me cranky later when I wanted to hang out.

Here you go again, Doc, another patient that didn't take their
 medications like they were supposed to.

I didn't think of the opposite possibility, the side effects of adrenal insufficiency or Addison's disease that comes after taking long term steroids if I miss a dose, any dose. These include nausea, vomiting, extreme lethargy, coldness, chills, extreme fatigue to the point you are doing nothing, do not pass go, you're not getting off the couch, out of bed for anything, and that's if you're not sent into a long sleep.

I bet you all can guess what happened to me.

I went to sleep at 1:30pm and didn't fully wake up again at 5:30. . . am.
And waking up only happened because I forced myself out of bed and headed straight for my prednisone bottle, all 5 mg, and caffeine.

I woke up periodically during my slumber, at 6pm when x and J got home and again at 10pm. I took my evening meds except my herbal tea concoction J made for me. I couldn't stomach it and can't still.

 I always need to take my PM meds. If I'm asleep I need waking because you see what happens if I miss one half dose of something.

Waking up was not easy.


My eyes burned, my lungs were stiff and every part of me hurt, but of course, I did it. I'm doing it. Now I'm even dressed and ready to go check out where X will have his morning summer school for reading. I'm even going to pick up some beef bones for the bone marrow soup I plan to cook Sat before I drop X off for an afternoon at meme's while I nap in prep for The Relay for life!