Steroid tablets

Steroid tablets are not usually recommended for children as they can cause growth problems. Steroid tablets may not be suitable in these cases, although your doctor may recommend them if they think the benefits outweigh any risks. Do not stop taking your medicine without talking to your doctor. Steroids are a man-made version of hormones normally produced by the adrenal glands which are 2 small glands found above the kidneys.

It can lead to joint problems, with users reporting ‘dry’ and painful joints.
It is important you monitor your blood sugar levels after a steroid injection.
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Discuss this with your health professional if you’re concerned. Other types of steroids are sex steroids (oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone) and anabolic steroids. Anabolic steroids are a prescription medication used to treat a variety of legitimate medical needs. Most often, people will be prescribed in the form of inhalers for asthma, or sometimes to help with muscle pain.

The risks

Government guidelines recommend that men and women shouldn’t regularly drink more than 14 units of alcohol a week. It’s a good idea to space your units out over the course of a week. Having at least two alcohol-free days a week is good for your health.

This can cause thinning of the skin, stretch marks, and the face to become rounder, but it usually clears up once steroids are stopped.
Steroids cause a rise in the level of sugar in your blood, and insulin lowers the level.
You may become very ill if you catch these, even if you’ve previously been infected.

If your symptoms are not well controlled, even while taking other treatments, your doctor may prescribe a longer course of steroid tablets. If you need two or more short courses of steroid tablets in a year, or your symptoms come back once you’ve finished the course, you should ask your GP for a referral to a specialist clinic. Or you may need a longer course of steroids if your asthma is severe or difficult to control.

Side effects while treatment is being given

The most common side effects include a metallic taste, indigestion, difficulty sleeping, mood swings or altered mood and flushing of the face. Keeping a close eye on your child’s mouth can help in spotting this early and getting it treated by your child’s doctors. Your child may have indigestion or heartburn after taking steroids tablets.

Your doctor or other healthcare professional might call these short-acting soluble steroids. Soluble means that the drug dissolves quickly in your body and starts working quickly. Steroids might affect some medical conditions, such as diabetes, heart or blood pressure problems, or mental health issues.

Steroids for asthma

Any side effects of steroids are usually short-term and gradually improve once you stop taking them. The purpose of a steroid emergency card is to help support the early recognition of adrenal crisis. Although steroids are very useful, and are commonly used for many different conditions, they are strong and can have side effects, especially if they are used incorrectly. Side effects can be worrying but they are often better than putting up with an unmanaged condition or a pet that is suffering.

This includes vitamins, herbal supplements and over the counter remedies. Also let them know about any other medical conditions or allergies https://pharmacycanadian.bid you may have. Tell your doctor or nurse if you have headaches, nosebleeds, blurred or double vision or shortness of breath.

But sometimes they can cause unpleasant side effects, such as an increased appetite, mood changes and difficulty sleeping (insomnia). They’re different from anabolic steroids, which are often used illegally by some people to increase their muscle mass. If you need to take medication for diabetes with corticosteroids, your blood glucose levels will usually need to be checked more regularly. Your dose of diabetes medication may then need to be adjusted.

Protecting your bones

Steroid tablets may be recommended if you’re pregnant and have severe asthma. This is because the risk to your baby from uncontrolled asthma is higher than from the medication. Cyclophosphamide is commonly used to treat severe forms of
vasculitis and is also widely known as an anti-cancer chemotherapy drug.

If you need any medical or dental treatment, show your blue or red steroid card to the doctor, dentist or pharmacist so they know that you’re taking steroid tablets. If you’ve been taking steroid tablets for more than a few weeks, you usually need to reduce your dose gradually. Stopping suddenly can cause your adrenal gland, which makes important hormones for the body, to stop working. If you take more than your prescribed dose of steroid tablets, contact 111 for advice.

If there is not enough cortisol in your body, you can become unwell and this can be life-threatening if not treated. Corticosteroids can interact with some other medications so be sure to inform your doctor of any other medications you are taking before starting corticosteroids. You may be given both a course of oral and also rectal steroids simultaneously. Intravenous steroids are usually given to people when they are admitted to hospital.