Steroid medicines are used to treat many chronic diseases but suddenly withdrawing or stopping of these medicines may put at a health risk. Get information about side effects and guide to safely stopping steroid medicines below.
What are Steroids?
Steroids are one type of medicine which has strong anti-inflammatory effects. Steroids are helpful for many conditions like asthma and arthritis. Steroids are available in pill form, as inhalers, nasal sprays, creams and ointments. The major use of steroids in health care is to decrease inflammation (redness, swelling and soreness) and other disease symptoms. Steroids have many different effects in the human body, which start over several days. In conditions such as arthritis and lupus, steroid pills help to treat inflammation and pain. Inhaling Steroid have an important role in reducing deaths from asthma and local steroid injections are useful in treating painful joints and ligaments.
Immune system becomes less active after the use of steroids, which can be very useful in illnesses where a huge number of immune components are present. Due to various side effects in the body as a whole, steroid use in medicine is limited. Because of this, steroids tend to be used sparingly in local preparations like sprays and creams which ensure maximum steroid dose where it is needed, and minimum levels in the blood stream.
Side effects of steroid medicines:
With the effectiveness and life saving medicine, steroids also have some side effects. Side effects of steroids are thin skin, higher blood sugar level, dry mouth, irregular menstrual cycles, increased blood pressure and weakened bones. These side effects makes steroid for short term use. Steroids are naturally produced in the body. When steroid pills, sprays or creams are used in the body, body may stop producing its own steroids.
Short term use side effects:
- Skin rashes or any signs of infection
- Stomach/intestine problems (nausea, diarrhea, pain, rarely ulcers or bleeding)
- Worsening of diabetes (i.e. higher blood sugar)
- Difficulty sleeping, confusion, agitation (nervousness)
- Worsening of epilepsy (i.e. more frequent fits)
- Headaches
- Changes in your menstrual periods
- Mood changes, depression, suicidal thoughts, or feeling ‘high’ (sometimes causing unusual behavior) – these conditions affect children as well as adults, and can happen within days of starting treatment
Long term side effects:
- Muscle weakness
- Reduced growth in children
- High blood pressure
- Thinning of the bones and increased risk of fractures
- Change in appearance, and skin changes: bruising, ‘stretch marks’, acne, sweating, weight gain, developing a rounder face
- Eye problems: poor vision due to problems with the eye lens (cataract) or increased pressure in the eye (glaucoma)
When the dose of steroids is reduced, the body must begin to make more steroids on its own but it may take a few weeks or even a few months. When body makes steroids, it feels like dizzy, lightheaded, tired, have stomach pain and body aches may occur. These symptoms are sometimes called steroid withdrawal symptoms. Consulting of doctor is necessary when any of these symptoms or any other unusual symptoms take place.
How to stop steroids?
When steroids get into body for more than three weeks (particularly if given regularly by mouth as tablets), natural steroid production stops gradually in the body. Natural steroids are needed to keep well. Slowly stopping of medicines (for example by taking fewer tablets over several days or weeks), gives time to body to get back to normal.
Stopping of steroids
- If you are taking steroids tablets for more than three weeks, then follow the doctor advice to reduce the dose gradually.
- If you feel unwell in any way while you are reducing your steroids, then consult your doctor as soon as possible.
- Your doctor may want to do a simple blood test to see when you can stop the medicine completely.
- If you are taking steroids for a short period (i.e. less than three weeks), then your doctor may advise you that there is no need.
- Under stress condition, your body may be slow in making the extra steroids. At these times, your doctor may want you to continue or restart your steroid medicines until the stressful time is over.
- Your doctor will give you a schedule to follow for taking the medicine and it is important to follow this schedule carefully.
To prevent steroid withdrawal symptoms:
- Do not take any other medicines at the same time as steroids, including over-the-counter drugs, without asking your doctor.
- Never stop taking your steroid medicine unless your doctor tells you to.
- If you feel sick while your steroid medicine is being reduced, then consult your doctor right away.
- Consider buying a bracelet with your medical information written on it. If you become unconscious for some reason, then this bracelet will tell emergency health workers that you are taking steroids. Always tell health care workers that you are taking steroid medicine.
