Steroid For Asthma - The Art Of Balanced Medication

Amongst the most popular tablets consumed by asthma patients worldwide are steroids. The course for such tablets lasts for days or even a few weeks, depending on the intensity of attack that you generally get and your body type. For some individuals, who are continuously suffering from asthma, steroids treatment may last for a very long-term, may be even years if taken on a daily basis. Before prescribing such a treatment, the doctors however do recommend that the patients take the opinion of chest specialists, to make sure that all other alternatives have been adequately explored. This is because these drugs are associated with side effects, and hence, must be used only as the last option.

There are no problems when steroids are taken for a short time span of, lets say, a few days or even some weeks. However, prolonged consumption of steroids can cause a lot of side effects such as an increased appetite and the resulting weight gain, slow growth (in case of children), thinning of bones leading to bone fractures, reduced production of cortisol, slow healing of cuts and wounds, easy bruising of skin, stomach ulcers or indigestion, puffiness of the eyes or roundness of face, swelling of ankles due to excessive fluid retention, and formation of cataract in eyes. All these complexities arise either due to the sudden stoppage of the drug consumption, or when the individual’s body needs more than the actually consumed steroid to cope up with a severe illness.

Research has proved that there is no harm in consuming steroids, but the dosage must be kept strictly under control. One can do so by taking other routine asthma medicines regularly instead of waiting for the situation to worsen and then use steroids excessively as an instant remedy. The correct method is using the correct inhaler at regular intervals with the right technique, starting medical treatment as soon as the problem is diagnosed, studying the peak flow and informing the doctor immediately after the peak flow drops or shows any other abnormality.

 

As far as possible avoid taking any steroids. And if you have to take them, try taking them on alternate days, instead of taking them every day. Also, try taking the doze during and after the meals and not in the morning, as that is the time when the body produces the cortisone for the day.

Since a heavy dosage of steroids increase one’s appetite, there are chances that the patient on that medication will gain lots of weight during the course. The body generally puts on weight when it consumes more than it can actually burn. So, make a habit to eat sensibly. Try to eat three meals a day and take food that is high in fiber (wholegrain breads, cereals, fruits, and vegetables), eat a variety of foods for fulfilling your body’s daily necessities of vitamins and minerals and avoid fats. You must also take plenty of water and avoid drinking too much of alcohol, tea or coffee. Make it a habit to exercise everyday and seek the help of a dietitian in case you are unable to deal with the weigh gain on your own.  

 

It is a wonderful idea to wear a medic-alert bracelet if you are on steroid tablets. It is because if an accident occurs or your body needs an extra dose of steroids to fight with distress, the attending doctor will know instantly. Also, don’t stop taking steroids almost instantly. Slowly reduce its dosage over a period of months or so, so as to give sufficient time to your body to make its own cortisone all over again.