Question: I have had a mystery illness since Dec. 20. That day, I suddenly could not control my hands very well and had great loss of balance. I was visiting my daughter out-of-state and we went to an Urgent Care in Kansas City. A nurse-practitioner prescribed a Z-pak, saying I had a sinus infection and fluid behind my ears. I had some tingling on the tip of my tongue and front of lips, too. She said that was from the Thai food I ate the night before (stupid--we had feared stroke and that was why we rushed to an urgent care.) When my daughter picked up the prescription, in the bag was a box with Prednisone. The nurse had never even mentioned it! So I thought it was a mistake and did not take it. I took the Z-pak and my symptoms improved a bit--so I flew home Dec. 25 against my daughter's wishes. My own dr. saw me the next day and prescribed 50 mg. Prednisone for 5 days due to fluid still behind my ears (this was a bigger dose than the nurse in KC had prescribed). I had a terrible reaction to the Pred. and it raised my blood sugar to over 500 off and on--I'm diabetic, was taking 12 units Basaglar at bedtime and 10 mg. Glipizide 2x a day. Doubled the Basaglar for the duration of the Pred. but that did no good. Took 50 mg. Pred. for 2 days, then got permission to lower it to 30, took 30 for 2 days, then got the ok to stop altogether because I was so out-of-it--felt like I was dying. Now, about a month since onset, I am wobbly when walking, slightly dizzy all the time, can control my hand movements better but not back to normal. Had an MRI 3 days ago--no stroke, no mass. Some microvascular small vessel changes, fluid in left mastoid, and mucosal thickening along floor of maxillary sinuses. My dr. wants me to take blood pressure med. but I have always had low blood pressure and feel the high ones of the past few weeks is owing to something else. Next step recommended is to see an ENT specialist and a neurologist (waiting for the appointments). My belief is that I have a bad sinus infection even though I have not had ANY cold or flu-like symptoms, i.e., no symptoms in my head apart from the "Pred-Head" and dizziness and fatigue. Have not been able to blow my stuffy nose except one time, and the mucous was plentiful and sure did look like a sinus infection.