Steroids

If your child develops a rash or severe/unexplained bruising, contact your doctor straight away, as there may be a problem with your child’s blood. Have the medicine or packaging with you if you telephone for advice. If you have any concerns or questions, speak with your child’s doctor or pharmacist.

Steroids are a manmade version of hormones normally produced by the adrenal glands, which are 2 small glands found above the kidneys.
There is evidence that steroid drugs may come through into your breast milk.
Don’t have immunisations with live vaccines while you’re having treatment and for up to 12 months afterwards.

It is important to warn your family and friends that this may happen as this will help them to support you. If you do need a steroid card, make sure you always carry it with you. If you lose it, you can get a replacement from your pharmacy or GP. It’s important to avoid being around anyone with chickenpox or shingles.

Is there anything I should know before taking corticosteroids?

Because you’re only taking them for a short time, they’re unlikely to cause harmful side effects. Steroids, also called corticosteroids, are anti-inflammatory medicines used to treat a range of conditions. The vaccine against the most common cause of pneumonia and yearly flu vaccines don’t interact with steroid tablets, as they’re not live vaccines. It’s important that you have these vaccinations to reduce your chances of getting these infections.

The steroids used to treat asthma are known as corticosteroids.
If you have systemic sclerosis, prednisolone could cause problems with your kidneys at certain doses, so you might not be able to take this type of steroid.
Inactivated vaccines (such as the winter flu vaccination) are considered safe for people with lymphoma; however, they might not be as effective.
But sometimes they can cause unpleasant side effects, such as an increased appetite, mood changes and difficulty sleeping.
Corticosteroids, or commonly just referred to as steroids, are a common medication used in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

This also depends on what other cancer treatments you have, such as chemotherapy. Your nurse will give you telephone numbers for the hospital. If you feel unwell or need advice, you can call them at any time of the day or night.

Top 10 tips to reduce unnecessary steroid use

Give the missed dose when you remember during the day, as long as this is at least 12 hours before the next dose of prednisolone is due. Your doctor will work out the amount of prednisolone (the dose) that is right for your child. This leaflet is for parents and carers about how to use this medicine in children.

If the symptoms of your relapse are causing significant problems, such as affecting your eyesight or making walking difficult, your MS team or GP may suggest that you have a short course of high dose steroids. They should explain the benefits and potential side effects of taking steroids so that you can decide together on the best course of action in your particular situation. This is because when you’re on high doses of steroids your body may stop producing enough of its own natural steroids to help illness or injury.

Taking steroid tablets for a long time can make you more likely to get infections. If you feel feverish or unwell, or develop any new symptoms after starting steroids, it’s important to tell your doctor or rheumatology nurse. If you’ve taken steroid tablets for more than a few days, they can cause side effects known as withdrawal symptoms if you stop suddenly.

Knowing this allows the healthcare team to give you prompt medical treatment. Concomitant administration of ulcerogenic drugs such as indomethacin during corticosteroid therapy may increase the risk of GI ulceration. Aspirin should be used cautiously in conjunction with glucocorticoids in patients with hypoprothrombinaemia.

Your immune system produces extra fluid to fight infections or bacteria, which causes swelling, redness and heat in the affected area. You might have noticed this if you have had a cut or wound on your skin. Around best buy steroids 5 out of every 100 people (around 5%) experience serious mental health problems when they take steroids. Let your healthcare team know if you notice any changes in your emotional or psychological wellbeing.

Smart drugs

Many people will find that their blood sugar levels return to a healthy range when they stop taking steroids. But for others, steroid-induced diabetes can continue even after you’ve stopped your treatment. This is more likely if you are at higher risk of type 2 diabetes. A 24-year-old man with a 3-year history of left sided ulcerative colitis presents to the emergency department with diarrhoea and bleeding.