Acute adrenal insufficiency after tapering steroids

[hilary39]

I just finished a ten-day course of steroids (I was also on a 5-week-long course of steroids in January and February of this year) and I think my adrenals just completely crashed from so many months of suppression. I wound up in the hospital last night with chills, a pounding headache, my whole body hurt, and I could not stop throwing up everywhere (poor hospital workers!) It was terrifying. They filled me to the gills with hydrocortisone and I'm on that for the next month and taking it easy today. I'm still feeling traumatized and shocked. I've never had an experience like that in my 10+ years of taking steroids for flares. Have any of you?

[Carakraft]

This must have been so scary for you! It has not happened to me but steroids always are a blessed curse for me! I am on my third round of them over the last few months...

How are you doing this evening?

Sending you positive vibes 🌼

[hilary39 in reply to Carakraft]

Oh man I am still so sick. Steroids have always been my last wall of defense so this whole experience has been rather frightening. I've taken a 5 to 7-day course once a year or so for about eight years (whenever I have a bad attack that won't subside with inhalers) but this last year has been really rough and I've had to be on them much more often.

I just started Xolair so I'm hoping that'll kick in and reduce my asthma episodes generally. Given you're on your third course, I'd consider talking to your doctor about having a supply of hydrocortisone on hand just in case you start to have adrenal insufficiency symptoms (mine were progressive dizziness fatigue headache nausea and then throwing up). It might also be good to get your cortisol checked. I just say all this as I had never heard / been told about any of these things before this happened to me! If I'd known better, I'd have started the hydrocortisone days sooner and wouldn't have wound up getting so sick. I also had to wait at the ER for hours and hours before getting the meds which really allowed the symptoms to deteriorate. Blech!

Thanks for checking in! You're so kind.

[Tree20862 in reply to hilary39]

Xolair helped me a lot but took almost a year. Granted, about 6 months of that first year I was on steroids, multiple exacerbations, varying doses.

Since then, I have only been on steroids twice. Each time, the planned 12 day course. First time I was off for 5 months. The second time I was off steroids for 15 months! I got sick this January and now I have been steroid free 4 months and counting. During my 15 month steroid hyatus, I took charge of my diet and hot rid of 45 lbs. 💪😍

[hilary39 in reply to Tree20862]

So helpful to hear thank you for sharing!!

[Tree20862]

I have felt terribly tired, even with good sleep. I have not had the drastic events that you experienced. Healing vibes!