Author: Gary Jackson

Steroid Drug Withdrawal Symptoms, Treatment, Side Effects

Prednisone is a glucocorticoid, which is a synthetic steroid that works to mimic the effects of cortisol, a hormone that the adrenal glands produce. It is important to stop abusing anabolic steroids before life-threatening conditions occur. Working with a doctor to taper the amount of steroid ingested is very important. Along with this, many people find that aromatherapy with lavender or chamomile essential oils promotes relaxation and reduces anxiety while tapering off prednisone.

This could be needed for as long as a year after you have stopped steroids. That is, prednisone withdrawal doesn’t cause you to crave prednisone. Still, it does affect your body physically, and it can disrupt several of your body’s functions. When taken for extended periods, prednisone interferes with the body’s natural production of cortisol.

1. Some healthcare providers will opt for a different corticosteroid than prednisone.
2. Sometimes this can be set off by injuries or a surgical procedure.
3. Your body generally works to make sure there’s a consistent level of cortisol.

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In most cases, prednisone withdrawal symptoms are mild and easy to manage with adequate rest and lifestyle adjustments. In rare cases, individuals may experience more significant symptoms that require medical attention. Before making any changes to your medication, have a discussion with your doctor about a personalized tapering plan. This gives your doctor the opportunity to review your medical history, including the dose and duration of prednisone use, as well as any other medications you’re taking.

Symptoms of prednisone withdrawal

Taking these anti-inflammatory steroids can suppress the hypothalamus, as well as the pituitary gland, which are all involved the process of stimulating the adrenal gland to make cortisol. For example, the pituitary gland production of ACTH (which stimulate the adrenal to make cortisol) can be inhibited. The adrenal gland itself can also show some suppression of its ability to make cortisol.

Because cortisone is involved in regulating the body’s balance of water, sodium, and other electrolytes, using these drugs can promote fluid retention and sometimes cause or worsen high blood pressure. Long-term steroids can suppress the protective role of your immune system and increase your risk of infection. You can also do other things to help ramp up your body’s cortisol production. It takes your body time to adjust how much cortisol it makes based on the amount of prednisone you take. If you’re taking prednisone for any treatment, you should know about prednisone withdrawal.

Medical Professionals

Synthetic cortisone medications (corticosteroids) simulate cortisol, a naturally occurring, anti-inflammatory hormone produced by the adrenal glands. Such drugs (for example, prednisone) have since benefited many, but are not without potential side effects. Additionally, it’s important to keep regular follow-up appointments with your health care provider. Most people won’t start taking a new medication without a doctor’s advice, diagnosis, or treatment guidance, but fewer people know this works the same way when stopping medications. Drugs change the way our bodies and brains function, so it’s important to remove these influences under medical supervision.

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This is especially important if you are receiving steroid therapy or have recently stopped taking steroids. Supplementation may be needed during periods of stress, even up to a year after discontinuing corticosteroid therapy. If you taper corticosteroids as your doctor prescribes, you shouldn’t have a flare or experience severe prednisone withdrawal symptoms. What may be happening instead is that your inflammation is returning. They’ll most likely recommend a brief period of higher steroids to get the inflammation under control before having you taper back off the medication.

Although prednisone withdrawal usually happens after long-term treatment, it can happen after short-term treatment as well. Stopping the drug or reducing your use too quickly may lead to withdrawal. If that’s successful, you may be prescribed 4 mg one day and 2 mg the next, and so on, until you are eventually alternating between 4 mg one day and no dose the next. The healthcare provider would then gradually taper the 4-mg dose. One way to deal with this is with a technique called alternate-day tapering. For example, instead of lowering the dose from, say, 4 mg to 3 mg, a healthcare provider may prescribe 4 mg one day and 3 mg the next day, alternating back and forth for one week.

Prednisone withdrawal symptoms

Therefore, it can be difficult to determine the true cause of a patient’s symptoms or reaction to stress (for example, from a disease flare-up, procedure, or surgery). There is no way to predict who will experience withdrawal and to what degree. If your symptoms are severe or last longer than seven days, call your healthcare provider, who can adjust the dose and tapering schedule. A prednisone taper gradually reduces your corticosteroid dose over days, weeks, or months to prevent prednisone withdrawal.