Is Steroid Therapy Ideal For You?
Steroid therapy is the use of steroid medications, also recognized as corticosteroids, to treat numerous types of autoimmune illness, such as myasthenia gravis, lupus, and several sclerosis, and other issues, such as asthma. Steroid medications include things like medications like prednisone and cortisone. Corticosteroids can be prescribed to be taken orally or in other strategies, such as by inhalation.
According to Western medicine, steroid medicines are medically important to treat lots of circumstances and ailments. It is vital not only to comply with the recommendations of your medical skilled concerning steroid use, if you have decided steroid therapy is right for you, but also to discover other health-related solutions if you have second thoughts about steroid medications.
Is steroid therapy proper for you?
Steroid medicines have key effects on the metabolism of calcium and bone. Steroid therapy can outcome in severe bone loss, osteoporosis, and broken bones. High dosage of steroid medicines can lead to fast bone loss, up to as considerably as 15 percent per year. If you are on steroids, you are much more than twice as likely to have a spine fracture as compared to a individual not taking steroids. Fracture risk increases as the every day doses of steroid medications increases. The significant effect of steroid medication on bone is fractures (broken bones) that take place most commonly in the spine and ribs. There are various rates of bone loss amongst people on corticosteroids. Bone loss occurs most rapidly in the 1st six months right after beginning oral steroid medicines. Just after 12 months of chronic steroid use, there is a slower loss of bone. On the other hand, it need to be talked about that not all individuals who take steroid medications expertise bone loss.
Other adverse side effects of steroid drugs are elevation of blood pressure, weight get, decreased resistance to infection, indigestion, thinning of skin, and possible development of cataracts and glaucoma.
Let me relate my personal expertise with steroid therapy.
I was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis a number of years ago. Myasthenia gravis is a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease characterized by varying degrees of weakness of the skeletal (voluntary) muscle tissues of the physique. The hallmark of the illness is muscle weakness, which increases through periods of activity and anxiousness, but improves soon after periods of rest and calm. Specific muscles, such as those that control eyes and eyelid movements, facial expression, talking, chewing and swallowing are often involved in this disorder. In addition, the muscle tissues that manage breathing, neck, and limb movements may also be impacted.
Due to myasthenia gravis, I had developed ocular symptoms, such as ptosis (drooping of eyelids) and diplopia (double vision), and weak neck and limb muscle tissues. Thankfully, I did not have weakness of the pharynx muscle tissues, which could lead to difficulty in chewing and swallowing, as properly as slurred speech in many circumstances of myasthenia gravis.
I was prescribed steroid medications and had been on a steroid therapy for three years. In addition, I was also offered medications to deal with bone loss and other side adverse effects associated with the use of steroids.
In my case, there was some improvement, but not considerable sufficient to make me determine to continue the steroid therapy following 3 years of remedy. I had to balance the risks of steroids and the symptoms of myasthenia gravis.
My rude awakening came when I realized that my immune system, which was the trigger of the disease in the very first place, is not only an integrated network of cells that would protect me in times of an infection, but also a program with lots of regulatory mechanisms that, if uncontrolled, would turn into my enemy instead of my friend. More importantly, these steroids may perhaps handle the symptoms of myasthenia gravis, but they could also impair my immune system with lasting effects on my all round wellness and wellness additional down the road.
Roidtest color chart recognized that the human physique has a organic mechanism for self-healing, if given the appropriate environment. Accordingly, I took matters into my hands, and created a drastic choice to cease my steroid therapy devoid of consulting my doctor (Warning: I do not ask anyone to do the exact same.) I stopped the medication extremely slowly and gradually. Meanwhile, I did all the things to strengthen my immune program by way of a thorough detoxification program, and a modify of diet program. I did not obtain weight, my blood pressure became regular and, most vital of all, my myasthenia gravis circumstances did not deteriorate. Up to this day, I nevertheless have some double vision, which I have discovered to cope with (I can still drive), but my other symptoms have disappeared. I have been off steroid therapy for far more than 1 decade already.
Hippocrates, the father of medicine, when stated: “No man is a better doctor than himself, who knows his own constitution.” No a single can determine for you what is most effective for your overall health. A physician can only give suggestions, but you are the 1 who tends to make the choice on whether or not steroid therapy is appropriate for you. Listen to your body.