Observations placeholder
Steroid-dependent Crohn's disease psychosis
Identifier
026336
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
This is saying that as immunosuppressants suppress the symptoms, people with Crohn's become dependent on them thinking [falsely] that the problem has gone away.
But the use of the immunosuppressants - because they suppress the immune system - themselves create numerous side effects because the underlying cause now has no opposition.
This makes for chilling reading
A description of the experience
Can J Gastroenterol. 2000 Sep;14 Suppl C:17C-22C.
Steroid-dependent Crohn's disease.
Sandborn WJ1.
1 Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation, Rochester, MN, USA. sandborn.william@mayo.edu
Abstract
...A population-based study of 109 patients with Crohn's disease undergoing their first course of corticosteroids showed that, at the end of one year,
- 44% of patients were steroid responsive,
- 36% were steroid dependent and
- 20% were steroid refractory.
Side effects occur frequently during a four-month tapering course of corticosteroids, including
- moon face,
- acne,
- infection,
- ecchymoses,
- hypertension,
- hirsutism,
- petechial bleeding and
- striae.
More serious side effects occur with long term use, including
- hypertension,
- diabetes,
- infection,
- osteonecrosis,
- osteoporosis,
- myopathy,
- cataracts,
- glaucoma and
- psychosis.
Low dose corticosteroids, alternate-day corticosteroids and mesalamine (5-aminosalicylate) are not effective steroid-sparing agents in patients with Crohn's disease.
Controlled ileal release budesonide, 6 mg/day, is an effective steroid-sparing agent, but it does result in some decrease in adrenal function.
...Surgical resection is an effective strategy to reduce steroid use in the short to intermediate term, but postoperative reoccurrence of Crohn's disease occurs frequently.
Given the morbidity associated with prolonged corticosteroid use, medical [alternative] and surgical treatment strategies to reduce steroid use should be employed routinely.
PMID: 11023556