Pred and hydrocortisone??

[yaf_user681_15459]

Been told today that our little girl (aged 2) is going onto a daily maintenance dose of Pred. We were also given a very quick demo and vague explanation of an additional hydrocortisone injection she may need if in an accident or if she has a vomiting bug for example.

Thing is I'm confused. Not about the Pred, but about the hydrocortisone. Why does she need it and when?? What kind of accident warrants it??

My husband thinks just when she has a bug, but I'm sure the consultant said if she has an accident too. Thing is, by that stage I was so shocked she needs daily Pred that didn't hear much else!

Also, does this mean she's steroid dependent? And what does this mean? What are the implications?

Anyone????

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The extra injection will be, from you have said, when her body is under 'stress'.

I had to take quite a lot of extra pred for some dental surgery a few weeks ago because apparently when you are steroid dependent your adrenal glands kind of shuts off ad tops producing it's own steroids and so when your body needs them - like if you have a accident or surgery - it can't produce them and so you have to provide more artificial ones.

This stops the body going into shock then. I didn't get this right the last time (or my dentist didn't) and still passed out and spent a couple of days feeling really woozy and sick until I upped my dose enough to cover it.

Sorry you have ghad this news must be very daunting for you but hopefully will give her the strength to be the bright and bubbly little girl she should be allowed to be

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Has she had her adrenal response tested? I was previously on maintenance Pred and had instructions for upping that if upwell. However once they found I was in adrenal failure, I was changed from Pred to Hydrocortisone. I was told I shouldn't be taking the two, but have a hydrocortisone dose that covers the asthma and my adrenal whatsit. I now have instructions to increase the Hydro on 'sick days', i.e. if unwell, and if vomitting and not keeping Hyrdo down or in an accident/injured I have to have an injection of Hydro to mimic the body's natural steroid response to stress.

This however has all been on the back of full testing of my adrenal function. It would seem odd to make these suggestions without testing this first, as you won't know what her own body's steroid reaction is.