Corticosteroids in pregnancy to reduce complications from being born prematurely patient information leaflet

Corticosteroids in pregnancy to reduce complications from being born prematurely patient information leaflet

If you need to take both medications, you may be given a medication called a proton pump inhibitor (PPI). Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a group of commonly used painkillers. Corticosteroids can decrease the effectiveness of medications used to treat diabetes.

To find which service suits your needs use the drop down menu below. Remember the first season of Teen Wolf when Jackson thought Scott was on steroids? To find out more about the side-effects of prescribed steroids and what they can be used for, click here.

Common side effects

Seek medical advice if you feel unwell / feverish or there are
signs of Infection around the injection site heat / redness/
swelling/ further restriction of joint movement. Steroid injections for the treatment of acne are fast acting and often significantly reduce the size of large acne lesions, such as cysts and nodules, within hours. Steroid injections work by rapidly fighting inflammation within an acne lesion.

  • Within this leaflet we may use the terms ‘woman’ and ‘women’.
  • Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a group of commonly used painkillers.
  • All information is treated as strictly confidential and is not given to anyone who does not need it.
  • This causes pain, numbness and tingling in the wrist and hand.
  • This initial numbing of the pain will usually wear off after a couple of hours.
  • Steroid injections can effectively treat the joint inflammation that is seen in people with rheumatoid arthritis.

People are often concerned about the possibility of other steroid-related side effects, such as weight gain. One of the advantages of steroid injections compared to tablets is that often the dose can be kept low. This means that these other side effects are very rare unless injections are given frequently, more than a few times per year. After a local anaesthetic it may take several hours before the feeling comes back into your joint.

Changes in blood sugar levels

Putting ice on the area and taking a pain medicine (such as paracetamol) may help relieve any discomfort in the meantime. If you are unlikely to give birth in 7 days, you should not receive steroids. Even if you are at higher risk of giving birth early you won’t be given steroids unless you are likely to give birth in the next 7 days. Treatment with steroids between 22 and 35 weeks pregnant is likely to be safe and beneficial for your baby.

Other medicines, food and drink

You may have some numbness from the anaesthetic that could last up to 24 hours. They may want to check your blood pressure and blood sugar levels before your first injection as steroid injections can cause these to rise. Most people have no problems after steroid joint injections.

Blood clots

This might be from an infection, surgery or injury for example. Knowing this allows the healthcare team to give you prompt medical treatment. Generally the risk of side effects is thought greater with stronger doses.

Steroid safety cards

If you have any injection into the joint you should try to avoid strenuous exercise for two days afterwards. If you are having an injection around a tendon, you may be asked to avoid heavy impact and loading activities for two or three weeks. You may wish to arrange alternative transport home after your injection, especially if you are having local anaesthetic which can cause some numbness and make it difficult to drive. Corticosteroids can sometimes interact with a type of medication known as protease inhibitors (like ritonavir).

Also let them know if you or any family members have ever had depression or manic depression (bipolar disorder). These are manufactured versions of the hormones produced by the adrenal glands . Different steroids exist, some are shorter acting which work very quickly but unfortunately they only give only very short lived relief for a few days. Longer acting steroids such as those used for injections take around a week to work but can last for several months after treatment.

Some people may experience a vasovagal episode after an injection and feel faint. Patients who have gained no symptom relief or functional benefit from 2 injections should probably not continue with repeat injections, as the likelihood of improvement is small. It is normal to b-ttransportation feel a transient increase in discomfort in the joint that should resolve within 24 hours. In addition to the standard precautions below, patients are asked to kindly read the attached information sheet regarding the use of Steroid injections during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Hydrocortisone and pregnancy

They can be a bit uncomfortable at the time of injection, but many people find that they are not as bad as feared. Anticonvulsants are medicines used to prevent seizures (fits). If you have troublesome side effects, don’t stop taking your medication until your doctor says it’s safe to do so.