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Steroids | Macmillan Cancer Support.Lymphoma Action | Steroids |
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Steroids are naturally made by our bodies in small amounts. They help to control many functions including the immune system, reducing inflammation and blood pressure. Man-made steroids can also be a treatment for many different conditions and diseases. The information on this page is about steroids used in cancer treatment. The type of steroids you might have as part of your cancer treatment are usually a type called corticosteroids.
These are man-made versions of the hormones produced by the adrenal glands just above the kidneys. You should have a steroid card to carry with you all the time if you take steroids for more than 3 weeks. Your doctor or pharmacist might also suggest you wear a medical alert bracelet. This is in case you need treatment in an emergency.
It tells the healthcare team you are taking steroids. When you take steroid tablets, the higher amounts in your bloodstream stop your body from making its own supply.
Stopping them suddenly can cause serious symptoms such as:. Never just stop taking your tablets. Cut them down gradually with help and guidance from your doctor or pharmacist. You have blood tests before and during your treatment. They check your levels of blood cells and other substances in the blood.
They also check how well your liver and kidneys are working. We haven't listed all the side effects. You may get some of them, but it is very unlikely that you will have all of them. You might have some of the side effects at the same time. How often and how severe the side effects are can vary from person to person. Your doctor or nurse will go through the possible side effects.
They will monitor you closely during treatment and check how you are at your appointments. Contact your advice line as soon as possible if:. Steroids can hide or change the signs and symptoms of some infections. They might also make it harder for your body to deal with an infection. This means infections are more difficult to diagnose at an early stage. Symptoms of an infection include a change in temperature, aching muscles, headaches, feeling cold and shivery and generally unwell.
You might have other symptoms depending on where the infection is. Infections can sometimes be life threatening. You should contact your advice line urgently if you think you have an infection. You might feel more anxious and emotional than usual when you take steroids. You may also feel tired and sad for a while after you stop taking them. This includes depression. Let your doctor know if you notice any changes in your emotional or psychological wellbeing.
Let your doctor know if you or any family members have ever had depression or manic depression bipolar disorder. Rarely, steroids can cause a reaction called steroid induced psychosis. This can be frightening, but it goes away when you stop taking the steroids. You might have regular blood and urine tests to check this. Some people develop diabetes. You might need to have blood sugar lowering treatment.
But your sugar levels usually go back to normal shortly after you stop taking steroids. If you have diabetes already, you might need to check your blood sugar levels more often than usual. Steroids can increase your appetite. Feeling hungrier can make it difficult to keep your weight down. Your appetite will go back to normal when you stop steroids - but some people need to diet to lose the extra weight.
A build up of fluid may cause swelling in your arms, hands, ankles, legs, face and other parts of the body.
Contact your doctor if this happens to you. It can help to change a few things about when and where you sleep. Try to go to bed and get up at the same time each day and spend some time relaxing before you go to bed. Some light exercise each day may also help.
Tell your doctor or nurse if you have headaches, nosebleeds, blurred or double vision or shortness of breath. Your nurse will check your blood pressure regularly.
You might feel dizzy and you may feel as though the room is spinning. This is vertigo. Let your doctor or nurse know if this happens. Steroids can increase the number of white blood cells in your blood. Your doctor might see this on a full blood count test. You might have more body hair than usual.
Your head hair may thin. This is usually not noticeable by other people but can be upsetting. Your legs may feel weaker and walking or climbing stairs may be more difficult. You may have aching muscles for a short while after stopping treatment. You might have an allergic reaction to steroids, causing a skin rash, itching, swelling of the lips, face or throat, breathing difficulties, fever and chills. Tell your nurse or doctor immediately if at any time you feel odd or strange.
Steroids might cause growth problems in babies, children and teenagers. A low level of potassium in the blood is called hypokalaemia. You might have blood tests during cancer treatment to check for this.
You might have a burning or tingling sensation around your bottom during a steroid injection into a vein intravenous. It usually goes once the injection finishes. Your nurse will give the injection slowly to try and prevent this. Blood clots can develop in the deep veins of your body, usually the leg. This is called deep vein thrombosis DVT. This drug can cause inflammation of the pancreas pancreatitis.
Tell your doctor straight away if you have sudden and severe pain in your tummy abdomen. You might have liver changes that are usually mild and unlikely to cause symptoms. They usually go back to normal when treatment finishes. You have regular blood tests to check for any changes in the way your liver is working.
Keep away from people who have chicken pox or shingles whilst taking steroids if you have never had these illnesses. They could make you very ill. Cancer drugs can interact with some other medicines and herbal products. Tell your doctor or pharmacist about any medicines you are taking. This includes vitamins, herbal supplements and over the counter remedies. This treatment might harm a baby developing in the womb. Talk to your doctor or nurse about effective contraception before starting your cancer treatment.
There is evidence that steroid drugs may come through into your breast milk. Talk about breastfeeding with your doctor. You can make a decision together based on the benefits to you and the possible risks to your baby. The length of time depends on the treatment you are having. Ask your doctor or pharmacist how long you should avoid live vaccinations.
This also includes the rotavirus vaccine given to babies. So, avoid changing their nappies for 2 weeks after their vaccination if possible. Or wear disposable gloves and wash your hands well afterwards. You should also avoid close contact with children who have had the flu vaccine nasal spray if your immune system is severely weakened. For further information about this treatment go to the electronic Medicines Compendium eMC website.
The feedback is from individual patients. It is not information, or specialist medical advice, from Cancer Research UK. Search for the cancer type you want to find out about. Each section has detailed information about symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, research and coping with cancer.
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Other steroids are manmade medicines. Both have many different jobs and help organs work properly. The most common steroids used include:. Steroids can reduce inflammation irritation and swelling in the body.
Sometimes they lower the body's ability to fight infection. Steroids used in medical treatments can have some side effects. Talk to your doctor and ask questions if you have concerns. You may not have any side effects. But if they do happen, they'll only last as long as you take the steroids. When treatment stops, things will return to normal pretty quickly. Less common side effects include trouble fighting infections, acne flare-ups, and increased facial hair.
The doctors will give you all the details, but there are some things to remember when you take steroids by mouth for cancer treatment. Steroids, both the liquid and the pill form, have a bitter somewhat unpleasant taste. Steroids can irritate the stomach. To protect it, you should take them with food in your stomach.
The dose you have and how long you have the treatment for depends on the reason you are taking steroids. Swallow steroid tablets with plenty of water or milk. You may need to take the tablets at set times each day. You usually have them in short courses. It is important to make sure you know how long you need to take them for. If you have difficulty swallowing, your doctor may prescribe steroid tablets that dissolve in water.
Some steroids also come as a liquid syrup. If steroids are given into a vein, you have them as a quick injection or as a drip which takes up to 30 minutes. They can be given through:. We explain the most common side effects of this treatment here. We also include some less common side effects.
You may get some of the side effects we mention, but you are unlikely to get all of them. If you are also having treatment with other cancer drugs, you may have some side effects that we have not listed here. Always tell your doctor, nurse or pharmacist about any side effects you have. Your doctor can give you drugs to help control some side effects. It is important to take them exactly as your nurse or pharmacist explains.
This means they will be more likely to work for you. Your nurse will give you advice about managing your side effects. After your treatment is over, most side effects start to improve. Some cancer treatments can cause severe side effects. Rarely, these may be life-threatening. Your cancer doctor or nurse can explain the risk of these side effects to you. Your nurse will give you telephone numbers for the hospital.
If you feel unwell or need advice, you can call them at any time of the day or night. Save these numbers in your phone or keep them somewhere safe. We cannot list every side effect for this treatment. There are some rare side effects that are not listed. You can visit the electronic Medicines Compendium eMC for more detailed information.
Steroids can irritate the stomach lining. Let your nurse or doctor know if you have indigestion or pain in your tummy. They can prescribe drugs to help reduce stomach irritation. You should take your tablets with food to help protect your stomach.
Some steroid tablets are coated to help reduce irritation. Steroids can raise your blood sugar levels. Your nurse will check your blood regularly for this.
They may also test your urine for sugar. Symptoms of raised blood sugar include:. If you have diabetes, your blood sugar levels may be higher than usual.
Your doctor can talk to you about this. They may adjust your insulin or tablet dose. You may gain weight, or your face, ankles and legs may swell. This improves slowly after your treatment has finished. Your doctor may give you drugs to help reduce the swelling.
Steroids can make you feel hungrier than usual and you may gain weight. Your appetite will go back to normal when you stop taking them. If you are worried about gaining weight, talk to your doctor or nurse.
If you are taking high-dose steroids, or having steroids and chemotherapy at the same time, you may have an increased risk of infection. Tell your doctor if you notice signs of infection.
This can include a cough, a sore throat or a temperature above There are things you can do to help reduce the risk of getting an infection. It is important not to take any medicines including those available without a prescription, such as antacids without checking with your doctor; some can interact with steroids and cause unwanted effects.
Steroids can affect the speed at which your body breaks down food to get energy from it your metabolism. This can increase your hunger levels, leading you to eat more and to gain weight. It might build up in your face, giving your face a more rounded or puffy appearance. You might lose some of the weight in your arms and legs. This can happen with or without an increase in appetite.
Although it can be upsetting to gain weight, continue to eat a healthy, balanced diet. Your weight should gradually return to normal once you stop taking steroids. Steroids play an important role in balancing water and salt in your body.
Avoid standing for long amounts of time to help ease fluid retention. You might also be interested in our information about coping with lymphoedema. Steroids and insulin are hormones made by your body that work together to balance your blood-glucose levels. Steroids cause a rise in the level of sugar in your blood, and insulin lowers the level.
Taking steroid medication can disrupt this balance and lead to high blood-sugar levels. Usually, this is short-term and the balance is restored once you stop taking steroids. While your blood sugar levels are disrupted, avoid sugary foods and drinks. Occasionally, if you take steroids for a long time, it leads to type two diabetes , or can uncover diabetes that has gone undiagnosed up until this time.
It is important to recognise symptoms of diabetes, in case you need treatment to help control your blood-sugar levels. Tell your doctor straightaway if you experience any of these symptoms, and let them know that you are on steroid medication:. If you had diabetes before you started steroid treatment, your lymphoma medical team and your diabetes medical team work together to manage your treatment and blood sugar levels.
Steroids regulate emotions such as excitement and nervousness. Taking steroid medication can therefore affect your mood. Some people feel happier than usual while others feel low in mood, short-tempered and irritable. Very rarely, steroids cause confusion. Some people feel low or flat for several days to weeks after they stop taking steroids, as it takes a while for your body to begin making its own steroids naturally again. Effects on your mood can happen quite suddenly and improve once you stop taking steroids.
Nonetheless, it can be unsettling to experience changes in mood. Let your medical team know how you are feeling so that they can help to manage these side effects of steroids. If your side effects are severe, they might lower your dose of steroids. Changes in mood can also impact your relationships with family and friend s. Steroids can disrupt the natural sleep cycle. You might feel alert when you would like to be sleeping.
Speak to your doctor or clinical nurse specialist for advice. They might recommend that you take your steroids first thing in the morning and can offer suggestions to help you get restful sleep. We list some of the less common side effects of steroids below. These are more likely if you take steroids for a long time.
However, they can also happen with steroids taken at a lower dose for a long time. Steroids can cause thinning of the skin, which can make you bruise more easily than usual — this is further increased if you have thrombocytopenia.
They can also make your skin more oily, which can cause spots acne — this is more common on the face, back and chest, and in younger people.
You might experience aches and weakness in your bones. If you take steroids for a long time, you might be at risk of osteoporosis , where your bones become thin and weak. This can make them more fragile and likely to fracture or break. Osteoporosis is very uncommon with the types of steroids used in the treatment of lymphoma. However, in older people who have also had chemotherapy, it can increase the risk of fracture, particularly of the bones in the spine vertebrae.
If you are at an increased risk of osteoporosis, your doctors might suggest a dual energy X-ray absorptiometry DEXA scan to keep a check on your bone density. You might also be prescribed medicines to help protect you from developing osteoporosis.
There are some lifestyle factors that can help to reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis, including:.
You can find out more about preventing osteoporosis on the NHS website. Steroids can increase your blood pressure hypertension , which can lead to headaches and dizziness.
You should have regular blood pressure checks while you are taking steroids — ask your medical team for advice. You can read more about hypertension high blood pressure on the NHS website.
Taking steroids can cause a temporary blurring of vision. If you take them for a long time or at a high dose, they can cause side effects including reduced vision, cloudy patches in the lens of your eye cataracts and a build-up of pressure in the eye glaucoma. If you notice any changes in your vision, ask your GP or optometrist optician for an eye health check. There are some simple steps you can take to help lower the risk of developing problems while you are on steroid medication.
They help to control many of the different ways our bodies work. They regulate:the way the body uses fats, proteins and carbohydrates. You usually have steroids as tablets or liquids that you swallow. But you can also have them as an injection. The dose you have and how long you have the treatment for depends on the reason you are taking steroids.
Swallow steroid tablets with plenty of water or milk. You may need to take the tablets at set times each day. You usually have them in short courses. It is important to make sure you know how long you need to take them for. If you have difficulty swallowing, your doctor may prescribe steroid tablets that dissolve in water. Some steroids also come as a liquid syrup.
If steroids are given into a vein, you have them as a quick injection or as a drip which takes up to 30 minutes. They can be given through:. We explain the most common side effects of this treatment here. We also include some less common side effects. You may get some of the side effects we mention, but you are unlikely to get all of them. If you are also having treatment with other cancer drugs, you may have some side effects that we have not listed here. Always tell your doctor, nurse or pharmacist about any side effects you have.
Your doctor can give you drugs to help control some side effects. It is important to take them exactly as your nurse or pharmacist explains. This means they will be more likely to work for you. Your nurse will give you advice about managing your side effects. After your treatment is over, most side effects start to improve.
Some cancer treatments can cause severe side effects. Rarely, these may be life-threatening. Your cancer doctor or nurse can explain the risk of these side effects to you. Your nurse will give you telephone numbers for the hospital. If you feel unwell or need advice, you can call them at any time of the day or night. Save these numbers in your phone or keep them somewhere safe. We cannot list every side effect for this treatment.
There are some rare side effects that are not listed. You can visit the electronic Medicines Compendium eMC for more detailed information. Steroids can irritate the stomach lining. Let your nurse or doctor know if you have indigestion or pain in your tummy. They can prescribe drugs to help reduce stomach irritation. You should take your tablets with food to help protect your stomach.
Some steroid tablets are coated to help reduce irritation. Steroids can raise your blood sugar levels. Your nurse will check your blood regularly for this. They may also test your urine for sugar. Symptoms of raised blood sugar include:. If you have diabetes, your blood sugar levels may be higher than usual. Your doctor can talk to you about this. They may adjust your insulin or tablet dose. You may gain weight, or your face, ankles and legs may swell.
This improves slowly after your treatment has finished. Your doctor may give you drugs to help reduce the swelling. Steroids can make you feel hungrier than usual and you may gain weight.
Your appetite will go back to normal when you stop taking them. If you are worried about gaining weight, talk to your doctor or nurse. If you are taking high-dose steroids, or having steroids and chemotherapy at the same time, you may have an increased risk of infection.
Tell your doctor if you notice signs of infection. This can include a cough, a sore throat or a temperature above There are things you can do to help reduce the risk of getting an infection. These include:. If you have periods, these may become irregular or stop during treatment. Periods usually return to normal once treatment has finished. This also depends on what other cancer treatments you have, such as chemotherapy. Steroids can affect your mood and behaviour. They can cause:. Sometimes, when taken in higher doses, steroids can cause confusion or changes in thinking.
This can include having strange or frightening thoughts. Tell your doctor or nurse if you notice any changes in your mood or behaviour. They may make some changes to your treatment if the side effects are causing you problems.
Some people find it more difficult to sleep while taking steroids. Taking your steroids in the morning may help. If you take steroids twice daily, you could take them in the morning and early afternoon.
We have listed some less common side effects that may develop with long-term use of steroids. Long-term use of steroids is when you take steroids for more than a few months. Talk to your doctor if you have any of these side effects. They may be reduced by lowering the dose of steroids. Your muscles may become weaker while you are taking steroids. When you stop taking steroids, you may have muscle cramps for a short time as your body adjusts. If you are at risk of bone thinning, your doctor may prescribe drugs called bisphosphonates to protect your bones.
They will also usually advise you to take vitamin D supplements and to eat foods with lots of calcium in them. You will be given a steroid card if you are taking high doses of steroids or steroids for longer than 3 weeks. You should always carry this card.
This is so that in an emergency, a doctor will know that you are having steroid treatment. When the body is under stress, for example during a serious illness or after an injury, it naturally makes extra steroids. These help the body cope better. But, if you have been taking high doses of steroids, or steroids for 3 weeks or longer, your body is less able to make them quickly. This means that if you were unwell or were in an accident, you might need to be given a higher dose of steroids for a while.
After you stop taking steroids, your body will begin to make its own natural steroids again. But it can take a few days for this to happen. So if the steroids you have been taking are suddenly stopped, you may have withdrawal effects.
To reduce the risk of withdrawal effects, the dose you take will gradually be reduced before being stopped at the end of your treatment. This gives your body a chance to adjust and get used to making its own steroids again. If you need medical treatment for any reason other than cancer, always tell the doctors and nurses you are having cancer treatment. Give them the contact details for your cancer doctor so they can ask for advice.
If you think you need dental treatment, talk to your cancer doctor or nurse. Always tell your dentist you are having cancer treatment. Steroids can be used as part of cancer treatment, or to help with the side effects of treatment. On this page. What are steroids? Steroids are substances that are naturally produced in the body. They regulate:the way the body uses fats, proteins and carbohydrates the immune system the balance of salt and water in our bodies inflammation.
Steroids can also be made in a laboratory as drugs. They can be used in cancer treatment: to help destroy cancer cells and make chemotherapy more effective to reduce an allergic reaction to certain drugs as anti-sickness drugs to improve appetite to reduce symptoms such as pain caused by swelling inflammation around a cancer. The most commonly used steroids are: hydrocortisone dexamethasone methylprednisolone prednisolone.
Raised blood sugar levels. Steroids can raise your blood sugar levels. Fluid build-up. Increased appetite. Trouble Sleeping: If you take a steroid once a day, take. Raised blood sugar levels. Steroids can raise your blood sugar levels. Your muscles may become weaker while you are taking steroids. If this happens, your legs and arms might feel weaker than usual, making some tasks difficult — for example, climbing steps, getting up from a chair, reaching to hang washing, and getting dressed. Contact the hospital Your nurse will give you telephone numbers for the hospital. Don't stop the steroids without your doctor's advice. You will be given a steroid card if you are taking high doses of steroids or steroids for longer than 3 weeks. Other types of steroids are sex steroids oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone and anabolic steroids. They help to control many functions including the immune system, reducing inflammation and blood pressure.The word steroid might make you think of "roid rage" or side effects in athletes, weightlifters, and bodybuilders who use them. But if your doctor prescribed a steroid as part of your cancer treatment, don't worry. It's not "that" kind of steroid.
It's an important cancer medicine. Steroids are chemicals made normally by the body. Other steroids are manmade medicines. Both have many different jobs and help organs work properly. The most common steroids used include:. Steroids can reduce inflammation irritation and swelling in the body. Sometimes they lower the body's ability to fight infection.
Steroids used in medical treatments can have some side effects. Talk to your doctor and ask questions if you have concerns.
You may not have any side effects. But if they do happen, they'll only last as long as you take the steroids. When treatment stops, things will return to normal pretty quickly. Less common side effects include trouble fighting infections, acne flare-ups, and increased facial hair.
The doctors will give you all the details, but there are some things to remember when you take steroids by mouth for cancer treatment. Steroids, both the liquid and the pill form, have a bitter somewhat unpleasant taste. Steroids can irritate the stomach. To protect it, you should take them with food in your stomach. The doctor might recommend stomach medicines, either prescribed or over the counter such as Zantac, Pepcid, or Prilosec.
It might help to start taking these medicines a couple of days before the steroids begin and continue taking them for a few days after the steroids are done. Don't stop the steroids without your doctor's advice. If you notice anything strange while you take the steroids, tell the doctor right away.
Sometimes, steroid medicine is decreased slowly over time described as being weaned or tapered. Other times doctors may just stop the steroids. If this happens, your body could go through a type of withdrawal if it's placed under a stressful situation like a new fever or infection.
You might have a steroid card or medical alert bracelet. A lot of steroid treatments happen in a doctor's office or clinic. But some teens on long-term steroid treatment take pills at home, and might have a steroid card or wear a medical alert bracelet. You should keep this card on hand or wear the medical alert bracelet at all times.
If there's an emergency, the card or bracelet will let doctors know about the steroids, which can change the treatment they give you. Reviewed by: Howard M. Katzenstein, MD. Larger text size Large text size Regular text size. What Are Steroids? The most common steroids used include: hydrocortisone prednisone methylprednisolone dexamethasone How Do Steroids Work?
Steroids can help with cancer treatment in a variety of ways. They can: kill cancer cells and shrink tumors as part of chemotherapy decrease swelling reduce allergic reactions before transfusions, for example reduce nausea from chemotherapy and radiation help headaches or other symptoms caused by brain tumors What Are the Side Effects of Steroids? Some of the more common side effects of steroid treatments include: increased appetite weight gain, often in unexpected places such as the cheeks or the back of the neck mood swings trouble sleeping stomach upset or ulcers osteoporosis weaker bones higher blood pressure higher blood sugar than normal.
Sometimes, people develop diabetes temporarily. If you already have diabetes, you'll need to do careful blood sugar level checks. How Do People Take Steroids? Doctors can prescribe steroids for cancer treatment in several ways: by an injection into the muscle IM through a vein IV by mouth orally as a liquid or pill as a cream applied to the skin The doctors will give you all the details, but there are some things to remember when you take steroids by mouth for cancer treatment.
To make sure you don't miss any doses: Mix the liquid steroid in a small amount of a tasty liquid, like your favorite juice. You can add a few drops of flavoring, like chocolate syrup or peppermint, to the spoon of medicine. Steroid pills are quite small and mixing them in applesauce or pudding can make them easier to take.
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