Aa
Steroids
After talking with my doctor today, he is wanting to try me on what he calls "chronic steroid therapy." He mentioned Prednisone, but I am leaning toward asking him about hydrocortisone instead. Does anyone have experience with either of these medications? Is it true that they will make me gain weight?
Also, my minister asked me the other day a medical question that I couldn't answer, so I thought I would include it here and get some thoughts. Is it possible for overuse to cause the failure of something like an adrenal gland? That is...if a person lives in constant dire stress, is it possible for the body's stress response system to physiologically shut down and just stop working? Or does there need to be a medical cause for this kind of failure?
Also, my minister asked me the other day a medical question that I couldn't answer, so I thought I would include it here and get some thoughts. Is it possible for overuse to cause the failure of something like an adrenal gland? That is...if a person lives in constant dire stress, is it possible for the body's stress response system to physiologically shut down and just stop working? Or does there need to be a medical cause for this kind of failure?
Guess you're going to have to spite yourself. I remember you
now from a different forum. You're in the UK. You say that word
'bloody' all the time & mean annoying but some here in the US
thought you meant blood. You should be careful about different
cultures. I knew what you meant but the other person thought
differently. You also used it w/ nancy. My comments were to her.
I have no idea why you called me a 'semi-pseudo doctor in the
house' person. I wasn't speaking to you & I call that a bash.
I'm not a Nun & you seem to lack humor. Keep that stiff upper-
lip as you say. 'Since you said you're not religious at all'. I
hope it helps you with your illness. I wish you well & don't
need you to like me. I have no idea what comment hurt you but
I offer an apology. You keep reading more into things than what
there is. I'm much older and find this annoying but funny. I
don't 'chill'. But you should warm up. Yes it's lousy when you're not well. Many here disagree with helping-theories. We
have laughed about them later to lighten the forum. If your
opinion differs from mine or others, go for it! Name calling
is not allowed. Maybe try Earl Grey?
now from a different forum. You're in the UK. You say that word
'bloody' all the time & mean annoying but some here in the US
thought you meant blood. You should be careful about different
cultures. I knew what you meant but the other person thought
differently. You also used it w/ nancy. My comments were to her.
I have no idea why you called me a 'semi-pseudo doctor in the
house' person. I wasn't speaking to you & I call that a bash.
I'm not a Nun & you seem to lack humor. Keep that stiff upper-
lip as you say. 'Since you said you're not religious at all'. I
hope it helps you with your illness. I wish you well & don't
need you to like me. I have no idea what comment hurt you but
I offer an apology. You keep reading more into things than what
there is. I'm much older and find this annoying but funny. I
don't 'chill'. But you should warm up. Yes it's lousy when you're not well. Many here disagree with helping-theories. We
have laughed about them later to lighten the forum. If your
opinion differs from mine or others, go for it! Name calling
is not allowed. Maybe try Earl Grey?
Demiguise
I was also offended by your commments - but that was in another thread and should probably stay there. As I said no harm done. Less decaf, just chill.
Jane
P.S. I'm not religious at all so you can be whom ever you want to be! I may even get to like you despite myself!
I was also offended by your commments - but that was in another thread and should probably stay there. As I said no harm done. Less decaf, just chill.
Jane
P.S. I'm not religious at all so you can be whom ever you want to be! I may even get to like you despite myself!
We have the same pseudo opinion about his friend. Thank you for
your input. I've been w/ this Forum since the early 90's. I'm
glad to read new input but Medhelp likes us to be friendly.
Your previous comment was not a nice one to me. Please stop it.
Relax & have a cup of de-caf 'caffeine-free' tea. Sorry folks.
Would you like me more if I said I was a Nun?
Fuata: Hope you've been able to get some help from everyones
comments.
your input. I've been w/ this Forum since the early 90's. I'm
glad to read new input but Medhelp likes us to be friendly.
Your previous comment was not a nice one to me. Please stop it.
Relax & have a cup of de-caf 'caffeine-free' tea. Sorry folks.
Would you like me more if I said I was a Nun?
Fuata: Hope you've been able to get some help from everyones
comments.
I have been on fludrocortisone since 6/06 for postural hypotension (low blood pressure when standing) although it has
helped with that condition I have the same spaced out feeling
shortness of breath and I think my eyes have been starting to
go bad. I am afraid to go off of it because of the blood pressure part but I think it is making other matters worse, my
dosage is 0.1 mg twice a day. Any input would be greatly appreciated.
helped with that condition I have the same spaced out feeling
shortness of breath and I think my eyes have been starting to
go bad. I am afraid to go off of it because of the blood pressure part but I think it is making other matters worse, my
dosage is 0.1 mg twice a day. Any input would be greatly appreciated.
I have to give it to Demiguise. Seems very smart.
mungufuata: For 4 years I have been having hives, itching, swelling, extreme burning in skin down to the bone feeling. I go to the emergency room sometimes two three times a week. Each time I was treated with predinisone. (Posted lots the allery forum.) I had terrible thrush, yeast infections, my depression was awful and I felt like I was losing my mind. Spacy unreal feeling. I gained weight and now have severe osteoporsis. I am 41. I don't know if has anything to do with it but I now have breast cancer dianosised in July. I believe the pred contributed. Everyone is different. Due some really thorough research before stated this med especially long term. For some there is no other choice of meds.
mungufuata: For 4 years I have been having hives, itching, swelling, extreme burning in skin down to the bone feeling. I go to the emergency room sometimes two three times a week. Each time I was treated with predinisone. (Posted lots the allery forum.) I had terrible thrush, yeast infections, my depression was awful and I felt like I was losing my mind. Spacy unreal feeling. I gained weight and now have severe osteoporsis. I am 41. I don't know if has anything to do with it but I now have breast cancer dianosised in July. I believe the pred contributed. Everyone is different. Due some really thorough research before stated this med especially long term. For some there is no other choice of meds.
Hi Mungu..
It really depends how much you need them, steroids that is, I have had to take pred countless times, but only short doses, I did gain weight initially but that sort of sorted itself out afterwards, I also found I was a bit moody, extreme happy to sad for short bursts, I do take inhaled steroids and have done for abt 12 years, I am noticing some side affects now because of the longterm, a little thinning of the hair, slight bump between the shoulder blades, but I suffer from chronic asthma so the side affects outweigh the possibility of a potential death causing attack. As I said it depends on the illness and the prognosis. I hope your Doc is thinking Short term, it sounds like it. And in that case I would trust them.
I take it your Minister was asking about steriods? If so, he may have been asking about Anabolic Steriods the kind that some athletes have been accused of taking and not the ones used in drug therapy. If steriods like pred are stopped quickly they can have an effect on the adrenal glands, but I don't know if this is far reaching or not. some steroids can also help adrenal function so.. it is a difficult question and it makes me wonder why your Minister was asking it, ( presuming minister to be in the religious sense?)
Regards
J
It really depends how much you need them, steroids that is, I have had to take pred countless times, but only short doses, I did gain weight initially but that sort of sorted itself out afterwards, I also found I was a bit moody, extreme happy to sad for short bursts, I do take inhaled steroids and have done for abt 12 years, I am noticing some side affects now because of the longterm, a little thinning of the hair, slight bump between the shoulder blades, but I suffer from chronic asthma so the side affects outweigh the possibility of a potential death causing attack. As I said it depends on the illness and the prognosis. I hope your Doc is thinking Short term, it sounds like it. And in that case I would trust them.
I take it your Minister was asking about steriods? If so, he may have been asking about Anabolic Steriods the kind that some athletes have been accused of taking and not the ones used in drug therapy. If steriods like pred are stopped quickly they can have an effect on the adrenal glands, but I don't know if this is far reaching or not. some steroids can also help adrenal function so.. it is a difficult question and it makes me wonder why your Minister was asking it, ( presuming minister to be in the religious sense?)
Regards
J
Steroids suppress your immune system and should not be taken if you have an infection unless doctor prescribes both. High dose steroids can cause all sorts of things including osteoporosis. What is the reason for prednisone and what is the strength? The Medrol dose pack which is a week long dosage pack is nothing to worry about in my opinion. It's when you get into the higher dosages over a long period of time that you need to be a little concerned. I have been on courses of high dose steroids every few years for 10 years. I do not like taking them but I have a rare medical affliction that can only be treated with high doses of prednisone.
Well, I have been allergy tested and came back positive for everything except for american cheese and beer, so I've been taking allergy shots for several years now, almost a decade. And immune-wise, I've had thrush for 15 months that didn't go away even with the most aggressive treatment (at one point, I was taking 200mg of Diflucan and 3 doses of Nystatin every day - didn't touch it). So we believe, after having struggled and been very sick for 2 and a half years, there's something autoimmune happening and steroids are really our last option. I just am scared about it because I don't want to get fat. As for psychiatric problems it may cause, that will be interesting as I already have severe PTSD that is not very well controlled. But mostly, I don't want to get fat.
What type of allergy testing did you have? Serum/pin-*****/
needle challenge? There is a new serum blood-draw test that is more accurate that was released abt 2yrs ago. Many docs don't
know of it/use to own tests/don't think cost justifies/stuck in
a rut! Can't remember name but will look if interested. The
shots over time have not wk'd & I know many in same boat. You
may be taking wrong injections if not recent tested. Is response
inflammation/hives/rash? Your immune system sounds like it's in
overload of meds. The thrush will continue on toothrbush/towel/
fork/spoon unless boiled away or replaced. Go aggressive when
treating. You need recent labs done, mainly IgE/A+G. You should
be off any meds affecting histamine/fungal to be correct for any
clear dx. Have this done before trying Pred. Make sure a ANA/Sed
is done again. Somethings not right w/ this picture. People
allergic to everything will always have a positive to cheese &
beer. Both have a type of fermented process. Beer will always
trigger those sensitive. It has yeast/grain as base. Maybe it's
environment or PTSD. Stress will crash your immune system. Xanax
in lo dose can help control inflamm/hives. It isn't a anti-hist.
but sedates spot of brain that tells body to produce swelling.
Start by ck'g everything around you & not just 'It's all bad'.
I went to ER 2x w/ severe hives. 1st one was said to be mental
stress do to pending surgery. 2nd happened after I had allergy
tests showing zip. Then it was off/on rash/hives. I played
Sherlock & found tests weren't for additives. I journaled all I
put in mouth including mouthwash. I ate 'jello' & was rushed to
ER again. Turns out 'Red dye 40' which was also in the gelcaps
of Benadryl & Tylenol. It's also in Pillsbury biscuits. I can
have alittle in system & be ok. BBQ Sc has alot & I'll get bad.
I acquired this from a lo system I guess. Always ate red-jello.
I now just have epipen & no pills. Zyrtec did help in past but
took 3mo to really wk + avoidance. As far as Pred. Have you
tried Medrol-pak? It wk'd in 2 days & is a temp. to see affect.
It doesn't puff-you & cheap. If system settles, wait a week &
have labs then. The Pred. is individual. Lo dose for a few mo.
shouldn't affect you. Long term does wt. gain but pills can
easily be split. Are you on meds for PTSD? Brain loves to make
cortisol-chems from stress & you'll have response. Someone
close died & I broke out in hives. They tested for cortisol
level & put me on Xanax. Hives/rash gone. Get copies of tests &
ck date. You need to be off meds 24-48 hrs pre-tests. Once you
start pred., tests will be thrown off. You're producing a fight-
flight chemical & will remain lo-immune so even a trial of
Xanax at night might settle things. This can suppress the
cortisol. I think I just wrote a novel. Gd-luck.
needle challenge? There is a new serum blood-draw test that is more accurate that was released abt 2yrs ago. Many docs don't
know of it/use to own tests/don't think cost justifies/stuck in
a rut! Can't remember name but will look if interested. The
shots over time have not wk'd & I know many in same boat. You
may be taking wrong injections if not recent tested. Is response
inflammation/hives/rash? Your immune system sounds like it's in
overload of meds. The thrush will continue on toothrbush/towel/
fork/spoon unless boiled away or replaced. Go aggressive when
treating. You need recent labs done, mainly IgE/A+G. You should
be off any meds affecting histamine/fungal to be correct for any
clear dx. Have this done before trying Pred. Make sure a ANA/Sed
is done again. Somethings not right w/ this picture. People
allergic to everything will always have a positive to cheese &
beer. Both have a type of fermented process. Beer will always
trigger those sensitive. It has yeast/grain as base. Maybe it's
environment or PTSD. Stress will crash your immune system. Xanax
in lo dose can help control inflamm/hives. It isn't a anti-hist.
but sedates spot of brain that tells body to produce swelling.
Start by ck'g everything around you & not just 'It's all bad'.
I went to ER 2x w/ severe hives. 1st one was said to be mental
stress do to pending surgery. 2nd happened after I had allergy
tests showing zip. Then it was off/on rash/hives. I played
Sherlock & found tests weren't for additives. I journaled all I
put in mouth including mouthwash. I ate 'jello' & was rushed to
ER again. Turns out 'Red dye 40' which was also in the gelcaps
of Benadryl & Tylenol. It's also in Pillsbury biscuits. I can
have alittle in system & be ok. BBQ Sc has alot & I'll get bad.
I acquired this from a lo system I guess. Always ate red-jello.
I now just have epipen & no pills. Zyrtec did help in past but
took 3mo to really wk + avoidance. As far as Pred. Have you
tried Medrol-pak? It wk'd in 2 days & is a temp. to see affect.
It doesn't puff-you & cheap. If system settles, wait a week &
have labs then. The Pred. is individual. Lo dose for a few mo.
shouldn't affect you. Long term does wt. gain but pills can
easily be split. Are you on meds for PTSD? Brain loves to make
cortisol-chems from stress & you'll have response. Someone
close died & I broke out in hives. They tested for cortisol
level & put me on Xanax. Hives/rash gone. Get copies of tests &
ck date. You need to be off meds 24-48 hrs pre-tests. Once you
start pred., tests will be thrown off. You're producing a fight-
flight chemical & will remain lo-immune so even a trial of
Xanax at night might settle things. This can suppress the
cortisol. I think I just wrote a novel. Gd-luck.
Okey dokey. Prednisone is not the worst drug in the world for short-term therapy, but the incidence of cancers on people who have been on prednisone on a daily basis for six months or so is extraordinarily high. Such drugs are often prescribed for auto-immune diseases. Diseases which trigger a constant reaction by the immune system causing inflammation and pain. Sometimes these reactions are triggered by something as simply as a genetic allergy to wheat. But in fairness to many physicians, it may be impossible to figure out the cause.Prednisone causes bloating of the face and also causes psychiatric problemns. Be prepared to curse at your spouse for no apparent reason, for example. This doesn'talways happen, but it is common. You need a really good professional allergy screen. If I were you, that would be square one.
I have been steroid dependent for 15+ years, and it is not pretty. My recomendation would be to ask or tell your DR you would like to explore other therapies. Prednisone make you gain weight, have a "puffy" looking face, can get what is caalled a "buffalo hump" at the back of your neck, can cause acne, excessive sweating, huge stretch marks called striations, thinnning skin, easy bruising...and these are just the cosmetic side effects!! In my experienced opinion, prednisone is "overused" by Dr.'s because it is considered a 'quick fix' for alot of ailments. You really need to research what steroids do to your body short and long term and weigh those side efeects with your disease and ddecide if it is worth it. In my humble opinion, it rarely is. And if I had been informed what prednisone would do to me I would have NEVER allowed Dr's to put me on it, I would have insisted on an alternate therapy. There are alternatives out there, but Dr's are too quick to place the steroid 'band-aid' on everything so they don't have to work to figure out a better method. Once again this is just my opinion, I am not in the medicla field, I just am a steroid dependant asthmatic who has experienced first hand the complications prednisone causes.
I'm confused abt question for friend. Are you asking if steroids
will effect adrenal? Answer is yes. It can lower hormones there
& in pituitary causing a hypo affect. Long term use of the
prednisone is easier to monitor for lengthy time & adjust dose
w/o problems. Just depends on what it's needed for. If stopped
suddenly, you'll have problems so they can go 1/2 or every other
day till stopping. Be sure pre labs or dental work is informed.
Pred. is usually for reducing inflammation. Hydro. is more for
replacing cortisone needed.
will effect adrenal? Answer is yes. It can lower hormones there
& in pituitary causing a hypo affect. Long term use of the
prednisone is easier to monitor for lengthy time & adjust dose
w/o problems. Just depends on what it's needed for. If stopped
suddenly, you'll have problems so they can go 1/2 or every other
day till stopping. Be sure pre labs or dental work is informed.
Pred. is usually for reducing inflammation. Hydro. is more for
replacing cortisone needed.
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