Steroids

Why is it considered not good to just stop your inhaled steroid medication

[O2Trees]

Because stopping regular steroid medication, be it inhaled or oral like prednisolone, means you get a return of symptoms. This is called a kick back and can be quite violent. Steroid medication is generally meant to be tapered if you are stopping it, though a short course of pred 5 - 7 days taken for acute symptoms can usually be stopped when the time has finished. But speak to your GP is you need advice, Bugat.

[Caspiana]

Hi Hidden , 👋

Predisone suppresses our immune system and reduces inflammation. It's also very similar to the hormone cortisol. So similar in fact that our bodies think it is cortisol. Our bodies consistently make just the right amount of cortisol to keep our blood pressure and heart rate going smoothly. Because Predisone is so very much like cortisol, our bodies sense it and so adjusts to the "extra" cortisol by making less of it naturally to keep the balance even. When we stop taking steroids our bodies must make up for the change in levels of cortisol. This takes time. If stopped suddenly, our bodies don't have enough time to make up for it leading to withdrawal symptoms like extreme fatigue, joint pain, generally feeling out of sorts, irritability and for me I had extremely itchy ankles believe it or not!! Even with tapering, I had many of these withdrawal symptoms. I cannot imagine how it would have been going cold turkey. 😑 I cannot advise it and neither would anyone who has experienced it!

Have a lovely weekend.

Cas xx 🙋🐕

[garibaldon in reply to Caspiana]

Great explanation, Caspiana. Many thanks

[Caspiana in reply to garibaldon]

😊👋

[Hacienda in reply to Caspiana]

We all Learn so much from this Forum, Thank you my Dear Buddy, your explanation is a positive for all of us. Love n Hugs to you & Chom. XXXXX

[Caspiana in reply to Hacienda]

Hi Carolina *BIG HUG* . I agree we learn so much on here. I hope you are doing okay. xx 😘😘

[dorfy in reply to Caspiana]

Very well explained

[Caspiana in reply to dorfy]

😊👍

[Gladwyn in reply to Caspiana]

Thank you Caspiana for such a clear explanation re steroid withdrawal symptoms. I’m so impressed 😀😀. I’m hopeless at explaining things.

[Caspiana in reply to Gladwyn]

👍😊

[Hidden]

All the reasons stated above I can confirm as my Pulmonary nurse of 9 years has just discovered I was on double the dose of Symbicort inhaler as she thought and she considered it too high (I'd been on it for at least 3 years, and taken my meds to every appointment as requested) So she has halved the dose on her discovery! My Fev1 has plummeted to 23% from 30% (with all medications), I feel like I've been stopped in my tracks, breathless sitting still, coughing loads and pain in my lungs, legs and feet swelling up, absolutely exhausted, no energy, and after 3 months on half the dose it's not getting any better. So I would definately not recommend stopping or even halving the dose abruptly. I've been back to her since and although they all tell you not to stop it but taper it, she thinks "no stick with half dose." Of course when I ask her when and how and who changed to the double dose, she has no answer. If I had more energy I'd probably be upset or angry lol.

[Hacienda in reply to Hidden]

I would have Waited & Spoken to my Consultant whom I refer everything to regardless of a R.Nurse Advising you. I take two Puffs of my Symbicort every Morning & Evening, It works very Well for me, So I won't ever reduce it. Please talk to Your Consultant, This sounds so Wrong. Your REV1 Should not just drop like that so quickly. Good Luck Hun. xxx

[Hidden in reply to Hacienda]

I don't have a consultant, only the respiratory nurse. I see on here all the medical help others are getting and realise the truth of the Health postcode lottery. 🤔

[Echoblue]

A number of years ago a doctor suddenly stopped my long term Prednisolone and it actually knocked out my adrenal glands to stop making cortisol. This led to awful symptoms and on the clinicians realising what had happened I was told I would have to take hydrocortisone tablets for life. If Fibromyalgia and asthma have taught me anything it has been that things are never black & white so I researched and with support of some amazing clinicians I introduced taking Siberian Ginseng which supported the adrenal glands while they recovered. After a few months of taking it I worked with my GP to very very slowly reduce the hydrocortisone and with regular blood tests to check the cortisol levels they were sustained and it proved my adrenal glands had recovered! The moral of this is just how important correct and slow tapering is as the impact can be huge. I was very lucky.

Please be careful with meds.

None of us like being on more than we have to but please be guided by a trusted clinician.