Steroid cards

[Wheezycat]

As I have an appt for looking at my medication tomorrow, I am reading up a bit, and just came across a Welsh asthma medication chart. It seems to suggest that anyone (in Wales) on Symbicort 200/6 2 puffs twice daily should carry a steroid card. I am on that level, but this has never come up. I don’t live in Wales. Though I have been on pred a few times in the last eighteen months, it has never in that time been extended etc. Who here is on steroid cards.....and why?

[PMRPete]

Usually available from your pharmacist or GP.

"All patients prescribed systemic corticosteroids for

periods of more than three weeks should receive a steroid

treatment card at the outset of treatment."

telfordccg.nhs.uk/your-heal...

[Blue-Breeze]

I have ever only been given a steroids card when in hospital upon discharge. Never when given steroids from the pharmacy via GP

[elanaoali]

I have a steroid card as I am on Fostair nexthaler 200/6 two puffs twice a day. This was given to me by my asthma nurse when I went for my annual review in March.

I keep it in my purse. It looks like the one Pete put a link to.

Asthma UK helpline nurse said it was the first time she had heard some one being given one in 2 years. I must admit I have a very good GP practice and asthma nurse.

[Smoggy1990Boggy in reply to elanaoali]

I am sure your GP surgery would appreciate you giving them that feedback, that's wonderful

[CDPO16]

I have been given a steroid card in the past when prescribed a course of prednisolone but I once read that if on a steroid inhaler that this should be on a card carried with you. I am on a high dose of Fostair 200/6 and have this on my card. The reason is so that medics will be alerted in case of a medical emergency to ensure that any steroid medication is not suddenly stopped, systemic or not.

All that said, I don't think it is common practice for this information to be given out. I just prefer to err on the side of caution by keeping my card up to date.

[Amy2091]

I live in wales and use symbicort but also carry steroids as part of a rescue pack. I use an action plan indicating when to use etc (not sure if they class this as the same thing?) but never been told anything about a steroid card.. do you have a link to where you found this?

[PMRPete in reply to Amy2091]

Health in Wales, When to Issue a Steroid Treatment Card:-

wales.nhs.uk/sites3/docopen...

[Wheezycat in reply to PMRPete]

This is really useful! I have saved it.

[Clanmacbeath]

Hi. I live in Cumbria and have a steriod card. I'm always on a minimum of 15mg of oral prednisone. The pharmacist gives me new cards every few months. It's just incase something happens to me and I need emergency treatment.

[Wheezycat]

Thank you all for your replies!

I also found the following:

networks.nhs.uk/nhs-network...

This one is from 2012, I think, and under that one I am in the middle category, not counting my emergency pack.

It made me wonder about how to share info. Clearly the outline that some people have prepared for themselves is great,, but would also something much smaller, which states all medication, be a good idea?

[peege]

I carry my little blue card.

I rarely take Pred so it's just for inhalers and possibly the steroid nasal spray I take daily

It's important as other meds can be affected. You never know when you might have to go to a&e (unconscious).

[martin_1972]

I get a blue steriod card every 3 to 6 weeks when I am hospitalised but I am on 20mg maintenance dose of pres, steroid nasal spray and flutiform 250

[shirl13]

Have been asthmatic since 1967 and on daily steroids since 1991 and only ever been issued with a card once.

[Wheezycat in reply to shirl13]

Interesting. But perhaps not good.

[Lysistrata Administrator Community Ambassador]

In London and Oxford pharmacies/hospitals every pred and steroid inhaler prescription came with a steroid card -I was swimming in them! I don't know if it happens for lower dose inhaled though, and I don't seem to have had one for a while for my Fostair (like elanaoli I'm on the Nexthaler 200/6 2 puffs twice daily). I don't get pred much now because we worked out it doesn't do very much for me.

I cut one of them up and put it in my wallet, but as I now have adrenal insufficiency due to the pred, I also have a medical alert bracelet and an app on my phone. I should have been more careful about having something like that when I was actually on the pred a lot to be honest as stopping it then would have been bad. However, I had a lot of trouble with drs at the time and in my head it felt like it would have been overkill and I was being a hypochondriac - instead of the reality of it being a sensible precaution.

[Wheezycat in reply to Lysistrata]

I can understand that. There are only so many potential battles one person can have energy for. At some point I will ask my local, lovely pharmacist.

Just today I saw my gp to sort out medication (my current one causes thrush at regular intervals whatever I do). The gp said she needed to refer to the in-house pharmacist to see ‘what’s in stock’..............presumably about current isssues regarding shortages. So card query has to wait until that is sorted.

[EmmaF91 Community Ambassador]

My old pharmacy gave me a pile of steroid cards once (so I could record doses as I was constantly rising and dropping my pred). I have also been give one for fostair 200 when I was on that (defo by hosp, maybe by old pharmacy). I do not have one for my relvar. No ones every asked for it or looked at it, and I no longer carry it since changing purses.

I have the info stored on my phone with everything else and wave that about if I can’t talk, and most people are aware I’m on maintenance pred so if I’m unconscious in company they will say if needs be.

[Wheezycat in reply to EmmaF91]

Hmmm, that could be an age thing. I would never think of that though it makes sense. Do you have a special app for it or just written down on a note or something?

[EmmaF91 Community Ambassador in reply to Wheezycat]

healthunlocked.com/asthmauk...

I use the medical ID that comes with my phone...

[Wheezycat in reply to EmmaF91]

I discovered one of those, too, on my phone................but would I remember to wave it around? And what if I am not entirely conscious? How would someone know to look? Perhaps for me it would be better to carry one of my used up inhalers in my handbag, to give an obvious hint.