Timing of taking steroids....

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anita01
anita01 Member Posts: 43
edited 11. Jun 2011, 06:54 in My child has arthritis
Hi,

Many of you will already know this, but It was impressed on me today by an advanced practioner at Gosh,(Polly on Dolphin Ward) that we MUST NOT give Em her Steroids in the evening, (as we had been doing for the last year ).but to give them in the morning as prescribed.

We had changed to after school/evening, as we had problems with getting em to take her meds, and basically, it was because we had more time to deal with this later in the day, and we were also having problems at the time with the fatigue and nausea associated with methotrexate.

We realised the steroids were probably contributing to sleeping difficulties, but were unaware that they would inhibit the growth hormones, which are released during sleep!

It was only a chance comment which the nurse picked up on, otherwise I would have continued with what was easier for us as a family. We will set the alarm earlier now, and maybe she will be ready for bed earlier at night too :smile:

Yesterday was a bit of a wake up call, that we have been burying our heads in the sand , not pushing her to take her calcium and vit D supplements either, in spite of a greenstick wrist fracture earlier in the year. The importance of these was explained to us too.

Best Wishes,

Anita

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  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    The morning is the best time as that mimics the body's own production of natural steroid: I think I am right in saying that the body soon stops making its own as the synthetic ones are introduced which is why withdrawing from them can be so hard, it has to be 'reminded' to begin again. (I am devoting this year to getting off them for that reason.) They are a stimulant so taking them at night is a complete waste of their value. I hope you can all adjust to the new timings and that they do help her more. It is an absolute drudge, the meds and supplements routine, but it is soooo important. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
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