Ask the Mayo Physician - Steroid withdrawal

[Guest guest]

.. What are the withdrawal symptoms of decreasing/weaning from the steroid

prednisone?

No name / Florida

A. You ask an important but complex question. When you take a steroid such as

prednisone, your adrenal glands, the natural source of cortisone-like hormones,

cease to be stimulated to produce and secrete them. It takes time, the duration

depending on the dosage and length of time you're on the drug, for your adrenals

to recover this function after the medication is withdrawn. That's why the

dosage of the drug is gradually reduced over a period of weeks or even months.

One consequence of steroid medication withdrawal is a flare of the problem for

which it was used as treatment. This could cause a recurrence of head pain in

temporal arteritis, joint pain in rheumatoid arthritis, wheezing in asthma, etc.

Some people feel a surge of restless energy when placed on steroid medications.

When it's removed, they may feel unusually fatigued or lacking in normal energy.

The greatest risk to your health during steroid withdrawal is the inability of

your adrenal glands to fully respond to a physical challenge such as major

trauma, surgery and general anesthesia. In such circumstances, your adrenals

normally release an abundance of such steroids as a protective mechanism to cope

with the acute stress. In people with suppressed (not fully active) adrenal

glands, the lack of extra steroids can have disastrous consequences, such as

shock and even death. That's why it's always important to inform medical

personnel if you're taking or have recently been on steroid medications.

For more information

a.. Steroids - A close look at a catch-all term

b.. Steroid injections - Targeted pain relief

c.. Anabolic steroids

d.. Asthma - New understanding can help you gain more control over your

symptoms and lifestyle

e.. Rheumatoid arthritis - Treatment options

http://www.mayohealth.org/mayo/askphys/qa990514.htm