Systemic Vasculitis Side effects of steroids and other systemic vasculitis medication
Do not eat liquorice while taking prednisolone, however, as this can increase the amount of the medicine in your body. If you need any medical or dental treatment, show your blue or red steroid card to the doctor, dentist or pharmacist so they know that you’re taking steroid tablets. You may be given a blue steroid treatment card that explains how you can reduce the risk of side effects. Steroids are used sparingly for conditions such as RA, because of the side effects, in the smallest possible dose for the shortest time.
- If you’re having an operation, you might need to stop your steroids.
- Steroids also reduce the activity of the immune system, the body’s natural defence against illness and infection.
- Talk to your nurse or your dietitian about how to safely control your weight.
- They work by reducing inflammation and the activity of the immune system.
Due to the illegality of purchasing steroids, it can often be difficult to know exactly what the substance is, leading to a whole host of health complications. Steroids obtained from a gym or dealer may be produced for use on animals, could be fake or may have been labelled incorrectly. If you take anabolic https://travelcaresports.co.uk steroids, try to ensure you know exactly what you’re taking and that any drugs you’re using haven’t been tampered with. When abused, anabolic steroids can cause baldness, erectile dysfunction, infertility, reduced sperm count, severe acne, shrunken testicles and excruciating stomach pain in men.
What are the potential side effects?
These can be treated by giving you steroid treatment at much higher levels than your own body would normally produce. As well as speaking to a medical professional about your use of steroids and monitoring your body’s reaction to them through blood tests, you should also consider post cycle therapy (PCT). If you’re new to the subject, it may surprise you to know that steroids are naturally occurring chemical compounds found in all humans and animals. They come in a wide range of different types and have a crucial impact on the body’s metabolism and the creation of vitamins and other essential elements.
“Most people on a short course of steroid tablets can safely stop at the end of their course, as long as they’ve recovered well,” says DrAndy Whittamore. Taking high doses of steroid tablets can make your immune system weaker, so you may catch colds and viruses more often. If you’re worried about any side effects, ask your GP or asthma nurse for advice as soon as possible. For example, if you have an upset stomach after taking steroids, your GP may suggest taking the tablet with meals or after food.
Long Term Steroid Treatment
If you are unwell, for example if you have a cold, a bladder infection or a stomach bug, you will often find that your MS symptoms get worse. Once you have recovered from the cold or treated the infection, your symptoms should start to improve. Checking for an infection is also important because steroids can make infections worse. These symptoms could suggest that your blood sugar levels have temporarily risen and you may have steroid-induced diabetes.
If you have Acute Severe Ulcerative Colitis (ASUC)
You will also have your chest condition monitored, this is usually done by a combination of regular check-ups, X-rays and breathing tests. The best thing is to be sensible about normal day-to-day situations. If you know a family member of yours has an infection such as a cold or flu, then stay away from them until they are better. If you develop osteoporosis despite all of these treatments, you may be asked to see a specialist to discuss other treatments for osteoporosis.
This usually resolves when your medication is reduced or stops. During your course of steroids, your blood pressure will be monitored by your medical team. Some of the more common side effects of long-term steroid administration are listed in Table 2.
As mentioned before, some people do buy their own monitors to check their blood pressure at home. We also check your blood using a test called HbA1C regularly while you are on treatment. This blood test gives an idea of the longer term level that your blood sugar has been running at over the last 6 weeks.
Prednisone (see Steroids)
In these cases, you may be more likely to develop troublesome side effects. Steroid tablets may be recommended if you’re pregnant and have severe asthma. This is because the risk to your baby from uncontrolled asthma is higher than from the medication. They shouldn’t be used if you have an ongoing widespread infection.
They are commonly prescribed for the control of pain, especially joint pain and can be very effective. They should be used with caution as they commonly have side effects and can interfere with other prescribed medication. Even the drugs available without prescription can cause problems and patients should discuss with their medical team before taking them.
Increased appetite and weight gain
New research found that the risk of cardiovascular disease increases with the dose and duration of steroid treatment. A surprising finding was that even low daily doses increase the risk. Anticoagulant medicines are medications that make the blood less sticky.
