Q: tapering off steroid inhaler

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone-

I have a patient who's been on a steroid inhaler (Qvar), 2 puffs BID since the beginning of September. We've been doing drainage and acupuncture and she's feeling great and would like to start tapering off the steroid (She also has Albuterol PRN). Her MD refuses to talk to her about this, saying she needs to be on the steroid forever. My patient has told her that she won't do that and would like to know how to get off it but is getting nowhere.

I've looked in several sources, and can't find an actual protocol on how to do the taper, just that it should be tapered. Does anyone have any experience or a resource that may answer my question?

Thanks-

Hindman, ND, LAc

Portland, OR

family practice

[Guest guest]

Hi - While on shift with SSL, we had a patient with UC that we weaned off prednisone. You may want to contact him directly regarding his methodology. As she tapered down, he had her take 5mg of DHEA every twelve hours for the first four days. If there was no improvement or slight improvement after four days increase the DHEA to 10mg/day. The dose can be increased in intervals of 5mg as you taper (I think...this is where my notes become unclear) not to exceed 25 mg, and not long term. Warn them of the symptoms of too much DHEA (breast tenderness, acne, new hair growth). He also recommended anti-inflammatories specific for the tissue involved. I think Viburnum and Ribes gemmos would be

good considerations as well as surreninum 4CH.

Good Luck-

Picard ND

Family Practice

North field, RI

Q: tapering off steroid inhaler

Hi everyone-

I have a patient who's been on a steroid inhaler (Qvar), 2 puffs BID since the beginning of September. We've been doing drainage and acupuncture and she's feeling great and would like to start tapering off the steroid (She also has Albuterol PRN). Her MD refuses to talk to her about this, saying she needs to be on the steroid forever. My patient has told her that she won't do that and would like to know how to get off it but is getting nowhere.

I've looked in several sources, and can't find an actual protocol on how to do the taper, just that it should be tapered. Does anyone have any experience or a resource that may answer my question?

Thanks-

Hindman, ND, LAc

Portland, OR

family practice