steroids

[dianneh1]

hey guys

just wanted to ask if anyone had a problem comming off of the steroids?

I was on them for 2 week following the surgery and one I cane off I had big prblems,  Dizzy to the point I had to lay down, when I would open my eyes everything was upside down, my face and mouth were numb and tingly.    Really scarry moments.  I called the Dr. and he put me back on saying that I must have come off them too quickly.  Now I am worried that this might happen again when I ween off of them in 3 days.  Any suggestions or imput would be very helpful.

I was feeling great for the last week or so and now that I am back on them I feel much better, but that was really an experience I don't want to have to go through again.

thanks
Dianne

[JHager]

Hi Dianne,

Steroids are used as extraordinary anti-inflammatories.  I've had them before after arthroscopic surgery on both my knee and shoulder.  After I finished with the steroids, I noticed that I had some slight 'reswelling'. 

Although I am certainly not a doctor, I would guess that stopping the steroids 'cold turkey' may have caused some new inflammation.  Your symptoms sound like the nerves were aggravated by new swelling.  Hopefully, the symptoms will disappear with a new dose, and you won't have the same effects if you 'wean' yourself off them.

Good luck!

Josh

[Raydean]

Josh makes a good point.  It's important to follow the instructions to a T when weaning off of steriods.
Take to your doctor or drugist to make sure that you're understanding the dosage for each day.

We marked on the calender exactly how many pills per day so there would be no confusion on our part.  It really helped us to keep it straight. Steroids are pretty powerful stuff, with side possible side effects.

Good luck and best wishes
Raydean

[okiesandy]

I have been on steroids twice because of AIED that has caused fluctuating hearing loss in my only hearing ear. the first time it was great and no problems it was tapered slowly. the next time the doctor gave them to me and did not include a taper. I contacted  my PCP she said never, come off a high dose of prednisone without a taper. If you are on them more than a few dayss always have a taper.  When I tried to come off quickly I had headaches, swollen feet and the most huge ankles you have ever seen and the side effect of acne on my scalp. I didn't have acne when I was a teen. I called my neuroltolgist and he agreed a tape might have been better.

[Vincent87]

Mom had gamma knife in May; swelling started in August...hospitalized for a Decadron induced psychotic episode on September 16th.  (She started on 8mg. then increased to 16mg. daily.)  To this day I still think the Dr. didn't have a clue what he was doing with the drug.  Tapered off at the hospital..went to rehab...now in a nursing home.  She says the same as you-everything is upside down.  I've actually watched her as she naps-she gets dizzy in her sleep!  Grabs the buddy bar and then closes her eyes again.  She's lost 30 pounds since September because of the nausea.  And of course it effects her OT and PT.  She went without vertigo for a few hours when one PT performed the Epley's Manuever on her but the vertigo returned nastier and uglier than before.  She took an anti-vert drug that helped slightly; this weekend she's gonna try Klonopin.  Now, because she's so inconsistent in PT, the family is looking at a private pay at the nursing home.  When I called the Dr.'s office for suggestions the nurse told me-"It's not life threatening."  "No, I said, "it's life altering."  I'd like for that nurse to walk in YOUR shoes and my mom's for a day.  I agreed to the terms of this website not to use profanity, but I think you can only imagine what I said about that nurse when I hung up.  Hope this email finds you feeling better.

[Jeanlea]

Vincent,

Have you asked the doctor what klonopin will do for your mom?  I am certainly no expert, but I do know that my husband took klonopin for anxiety.  After being unhappy with the side effects he decided to wean himself off of it.  It took about a year for him to stop feeling the side effects.  He felt his thinking was clouded on the drug.  Just something for you to check out.

Jean