NEW TYPE OF STEROID CARD TO CARRY

[Helen0909]

Hi , can anyone advise please? I have received a New..Steroid Card. It is not the normal steroid card. This one, states its still to carry with me, and it says "I Am On Long Term Steroids" Being on Long term steroids can make you immune suppressed. Would this new card have something needing to be flagged? I have had the Covid vaccines but I have been told and I have read that being immune suppressed may cause the vaccines NOT to work. Is this why I now have this new "Im on Long Term Steroid" card to carry. Thankyou for any thoughts or advice in advance.

[EmmaF91 Community Ambassador]

STEROID CARDS

To combat the risk of accidental steroid withdrawal, or adrenal crisis, those on moderate to high dose steroid inhalers (see what yours is classed as here; shropshireccg.nhs.uk/media/... ) or those on steroid weans/on/off steroids a lot/maintenance steroids are normally advised to carry a steroid card. Traditionally these have been a blue card that you could just get from your local pharmacy, but NHS England (and maybe everywhere in the UK 😅) are now moving to sending red steroid cards in the post. This is because a lot of people who should carry them are unaware that they even exist 😅. They are only really used if you turn up to hospital unconscious and thus unable to tell them what drugs you take. ( healthunlocked.com/asthmauk... )

Hope this helps

[Helen0909 in reply to EmmaF91]

Hi Emma thankyou for your reply. I am on long term Prednisolone tablets. I have been for years. This new card says it is for people on long term steroids. It is worded differently to the general card, which, indeed was a general.."i am on steroid treatment" card. I have never had one needing me to state "Long Term" Steroid Treatment. Hence the confusion, I assume its linked to Immune Suppression and my Vaccine ...Helen

[twinkly29 in reply to Helen0909]

It's not linked to the vaccine or immune suppression, or covid. It's to do with if those on long-term steroids end up in hospital unable to say "I'm on steroids" - in case they're missed which can be dangerous for some people on long-term steroids (usually the tablets).

[EmmaF91 Community Ambassador in reply to Helen0909]

If it’s the red card that’s just the new style. Steroid cards SHOULD only be for long term steroid use. But steroids *shouldn’t* make use so immunosuppressed that vaccines don’t work, otherwise they wouldn’t make a point of telling us to get flu jab etc.

I suspect it’s a coincidence you’ve received them at the same time.

If it helps I’m on IM steroids after years of long term OCS of varying dose (40-10, average 20-25), and my tertiary con seemed very happy that I’d had both jabs and seemed to think they’d kicked in properly etc 😅 (saw him yesterday 😅)

[Helen0909 in reply to EmmaF91]

That's so helpful, thankyou Emma for your kind reply. Im sure you are right. Feeling very reassured. Have a lovely day..Helen x

[Bevvy]

I have one of the new cards. In my case is due to the inhaler I use. As others have said is just coincidence when you received. Is nothing to do with Covid or inoculation. Just be pleased someone is on the ball and sent you this. I had to ask when I was at gp surgery as to whether I needed card due to medication I am on.I put it in my purse and now will forget about it. Is to be used if I am unable to say what medications I am on.

[Helen0909 in reply to Bevvy]

Hi Bevvy thankyou for your kind reply. Have a lovely sunny day..Helen x

[Hidden]

I was a little surprised to get a steroid emergency card recently as well as I didn’t think my inhaler/dosage was of sufficient strength to warrant it and it’s very, very rare for me to need oral steroids. I did wonder whether it was because I’ve been on steroid inhalers of one sort or another for thirty plus years, but when I queried it I was told that all those on medication (I assume long term) which contained a steroid component were now being issued with one.

[Helen0909 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Maggie, thankyou so much for your kind reply...ill have a word with my surgery too.. have a lovely day..Helen x