Steroids made me do it!

I’ve mentioned some of the fantastic steroid side effects I’ve experienced (bloating to the size of a whale etc.) but as well as physical side effects, steroids can also effect your mood and behaviour. Here are 10 of the crazy things steroids made me do! #steroidsmademedoit

1. Go on an online spending rampage for Mint Velvet clothing in the John Lewis sale – yes that’s right, for days 1 and 2 of IV steroids I was out of it but on day 3 I took to online shopping. Now I have to stress this is MOST unlike me and just to remind you (and myself) I have been on a sabbatical from work for 6 months!! Online shopping for clothes is not a priority, especially when you’re also saving for a wedding. I then made Henry drive to Waitrose the following day – not the nearest Waitrose because in my steroid confusion I ordered them to the wrong town – to collect them. I did say I would send them back but looking at the clothes now I’m home they’re so lovely and I deserve a treat right?
2. Tell my mum I could only eat tomatoes if she removed the skin and the seeds – I feel very bad about this one because she actually did it religiously. And they were delicious. And I don’t want to tell her she can stop because I’ve come to realise I do actually prefer my tomatoes like this.
3. Crave Twiglets as though there’s a world shortage – I hadn’t eaten Twiglets since 1998 but a vision came to me in the night and now it won’t leave. Henry’s parents brought me a huge multipack and I had a little packet every day and it was bliss. The day I realised I hadn’t any left I had a major meltdown and had a cry in my hospital bed. I’m trying to wean myself off them now.
4. Cry hysterically – about literally anything. This has subsided a bit now, although I do still get very emotional about the smallest thing. In the early days it was a gutteral howl, usually about something related to bloating or tomatoes. Now it’s more of a gentle sob so I’m heading in the right direction.
5. Have hot flushes – These were the worst with the IV steroids as it felt like a rush of heat through my body as soon as I was connected to the drip but I still get them a bit on the oral steroids. They lasted for 6 – 8 hours at first but now it’s just 30 minutes or so after I take the tablets. I would turn bright red which would also flare my rash, and sweat profusely. I felt like I even sweated from my hair, which I didn’t know was possible. Because I was connected to a heart monitor, drip and was so sick I was barely conscious, I couldn’t wash so you can imagine how icky I felt. The only thing that eased the discomfort was to be permanently dabbed with a cold, damp flannel. My poor family.
6. Rage like the Hulk – I’m not normally an angry person, am I? Well on steroids…. I’ll refer you back to point 2 vis-a-vis tomatoes. Seriously though, this one is horrible because the LAST thing I want to do is snap at the people who are looking after me so splendidly. But for some unknown reason I just flip inside about the stupidest thing and have to hold back this wave of frustration and rage. Like yesterday, I told my mum she used the wrong type of potatoes in the curry. But it was the most delicious pea & potato curry and I had it for lunch again today and it was so yummy and the potatoes were completely perfect for the curry. I feel really guilty about that. Sorry mum.
7. Listen to the Adrian Mole ‘Book at Bedtime’ omnibus every night – as you might have gathered, sleeping on steroids is an issue. They are a stimulant so keep your brain active all night. The only thing that seems to get me to drift off for a few hours is the audio of Adrian Mole ‘The Prostate Years’. Weird I know.
8. Completely lose my memory – I forget what I’m talking about mid-sentence; I forget what I’ve spent 15 minutes struggling up the stairs for; I forget my date of birth when they ask me at the hospital; I forget what disease I’ve got; I forget where I live; I forget my name; I forget how to spell basic words; I forget what I’ve eaten; and god forbid someone asks me what medication I’m taking and whether I’ve taken them today.
9. Fantasize about food every second of every day – The steroid hunger is real. Although I can’t manage huge amounts of food I feel peckish all the time. The worst bit is the constant thinking about food, rather than necessarily wanting or being able to eat it. As soon as I see food or drink on TV I am salivating and then think about that food the rest of the day. Mostly it’s fresh fruit and veggies so at least I’m not craving bad foods (don’t mention the Twiglets!) Yesterday it was Thai food. And I don’t even like Thai food.
10. Resemble a chipmunk – it’s true, my cheeks are soo chubby! Everyone that visits wants to squeeze them. Although I do have quite a round face, I’ve not had chubby cheeks since primary school. I know it will go down eventually so I’m not worrying about it too much. And besides, it does makes my neck look thinner so every cloud.