Steroid therapy is the use of steroid medications, also known as corticosteroids, to treat many types of autoimmune diseases, including myasthenia gravis, lupus and multiple sclerosis and other disorders such as asthma. Steroids are drugs such as prednisone and cortisone. Corticosteroids may be prescribed to be taken orally or in other ways, such as by inhalation.
According to Western medicine, steroid medications are medically necessary to treat many conditions and diseases. It is important not just to follow the recommendations of its professional medical use of steroids, if they decide to steroid treatment is appropriate for you but also to explore other medical options if you have questions about steroid medications.
It is the right of steroid therapy for you?
Steroids have important effects on calcium metabolism and bone. Steroid therapy can result in bone loss, osteoporosis and broken bones. With doses high steroid can cause rapid bone loss to as much as 15 percent per year. If you are taking steroids, is more than twice as likely to have a fracture of the spine, compared to a person not taking steroids. Fracture risk increases as the daily dose of steroid medications increases. The greatest impact steroid medication in the bones are fractures (broken bones) that occur most commonly in the spine and ribs. There are different rates of bone loss among individuals in corticosteroids. Bone loss occurs more rapidly in the first six months after initiating treatment oral steroids. After 12 months of chronic steroid use, is slower bone loss. However, not all patients taking steroid medications experience bone loss.
Other adverse side effects of steroid medications include elevation of blood pressure, weight gain, decreased resistance to infection, indigestion, skin thinning, and the potential development of cataracts and glaucoma.
Let me relate my own experience with treatment with steroids.
I was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis for many years. Myasthenia gravis is a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease characterized by varying degrees of weakness of the skeletal (voluntary) muscles of the body. The hallmark of the disease is muscle weakness that increases during periods of activity and improves after periods of rest. Some muscles, like those that control eye and eyelid movements, the expression facial, speaking, chewing and swallowing are often involved in this disorder. Also, the muscles that control breathing, neck and limb movements also be affected.
Because myasthenia gravis, who developed ocular symptoms such as ptosis (drooping eyelids) and diplopia (double vision), and weak neck muscles and limbs. Fortunately, I had the weakness of the muscles of the pharynx, which could cause difficulty chewing and swallowing and slurred speech in many cases of myasthenia gravis.
I was prescribed steroid medications and had been on steroid treatment for three years. Moreover, they also gave me medications to treat bone loss and adverse side effects associated with steroid use.
In my case, there was some improvement, but not important enough for me to decide to continue treatment with steroids after three years of treatment. I had to weigh the risks of steroids and the symptoms of myasthenia gravis.
My rude awakening came when I realized that my immunity system, which was the cause of the disease in the first place, not only is a network of cells that protect me in times of infection, but a system with many regulatory mechanisms that, if unchecked, would become my enemy instead of my friend. More importantly, these steroids can control symptoms of myasthenia gravis, but may also affect my immune system with lasting effects on my health and general welfare down the road.
I realized that the human body has a natural mechanism of self-healing, if given the right environment. As a result, took matters into my hands, and took a drastic decision to stop my treatment with steroids without consulting my doctor (Warning: do not ask anyone to do the same.) I stopped the medication very slowly and gradually. Meanwhile, I did my best to improve my immune system through a thorough detoxification program, and a change of diet. I did not gain weight, blood pressure became normal and, most importantly, my position did not deteriorate myasthenia gravis. Until today, I still have some double vision, which I learned to deal with (I can still drive), but my other symptoms have disappeared. I've been off steroid therapy for several years now.
Hippocrates, the father of medicine, once said: "No man is a better doctor than he, who knows his own constitution." No one can decide you what is best for your health. A doctor can only give advice, but you are making the decision about whether steroid therapy is right for you.
Copyright (c) 2008 Stephen Lau
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Acute steroid myopathies rising over past 5 years: suspect rheumatologic drugs. (Clinical Rounds).: An article from: Internal Medicine News
$5.95 This digital document is an article from Internal Medicine News, published by International Medical News Group on April 1, 2003. The length of the article is 529 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.Citation D... |
{ 1 comment }
I to have been affected by steroids, I believe that the steroids may have triggered by Myasthenia Gravis, previously I had no signs of MG prior being administered two corticosteroids injections for a shoulder injury.
12 years later I still have not gone into complete remission, even after having my thymus removed.
Never informed properly of the side-affects from the steroids.
Steroids are very dangerous to some of us!!!
Brockie
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