I have severe asthma so I feel like I know a little bit about steroids. Steroids can reduce inflammation while not fighting fever- and at the same time leaving the body unable to properly fight off infection -- that was really my point in this.
Long term steroid use can have devastating effects on a body...including osteoporosis, bruising, cataracts...dexamethasone gives me acid reflux so bad that it shoots up and burn the insides of my sinuses (TMI - sorry). Cushing's syndrome is terrible -- caused by long-term steroid use. NSAIDs work by a different mechanism on inflammation...their long-term side effects are quite different...and their effects to surpress fever are quite different. (one dose of aspirin or advil will send me straight to ER - believe me - they work differently) I am painfully aware of the necessary evil of steroids - I am living proof...being able to breathe is something I find to be pretty important...but I respectfully do not believe that steroids reduce fever. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (such as ibuprophen and aspirin and naproxin-sodium) do...but corticosteroids do not reduce fever and can, infact, leave the body more susceptible to conditions that cause fever. elizabeth On 1/30/07, Kelly L <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
At 07:32 PM 1/30/2007, you wrote: guess i gave too simple of an answer, the body reacts to a variety of assaults, Inflammation is one method as is fever..it is an immune response to anything from pollen, insect bites, bacteria etc,,,Steroids suppress the immune system, It is a complicated chain of events, regardless, when the immune system is suppressed it cannot respond in the normal manner of swelling/ inflammation. fever/ pruritis..etc,,,To some degree that is what you are doing when you take mortrin or Aspirin, In life threatening circumstances the danger of the immune response, be it a bad case of hives, or dangerous swelling that can impede breathing is far more dangerous that the underlying cause so saving the patient is far more important, the under tying cause if often never discovered, the risk of long term side effects is minuscule compared to the immediate risks. Asthmatics regularly take steroids, and after many years MAY develop side effects such as diabetes or weight gain, But without the steroids dying from an asthmatic attack is the real danger. People with Chrones disease owe their life to steroids as do pregnant women in pre term labor, Women are given betamethasone during the end of their pregnancy to help the fetus's lungs mature so if they are born early they can survive, Decadron ( a steroid) saved my son during a severe case of MONO as his throat was swelling so bad he could not breathe, I think people are too afraid of steroids, In a kitten or puppy you want to reduce the length of time on steroids as they are very young, but they are life saving. They work in auto immune diseases like a miracle, My cat with pemphigus and dog with auto immune hemolytic anemia owed their life to steroids, Kelly Respectfully, I am not convinced that all fever is caused by inflammation. Some of the worst fevers I've had were while on major doses of corticosteroids. elizabeth On 1/30/07, *Kelly L* <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: At 07:11 PM 1/30/2007, you wrote: Steroids are anti inflammatories, the fever is called by inflammation ,,hence the steroids reduce fevers, swelling and inflammation. Kelly Michelle, I am so sorry for all you and Lucy are going through. I've been keeping up with the discussion but haven't responded since I don't feel I have anything to add. What I don't understand is how steroids would make her less likely to have fever. Corticosteroids make the body less able to fight off infection...and I know that in people they don't do anything to lower fever - I just wondered how that works...? I have a lot of experience with those drugs, unfortunately, since I have asthma...and an unfortunately also very familiar with their side-effects. I worry about so much steroid overtime because although cats can tolerate far more than dogs...there is still a point where they cannot help but begin to acquire the side-effects. I'm not advising -- just generally wanting to understand. My thoughts, prayers, and love are with you both, elizabeth On 1/30/07, [EMAIL PROTECTED] < [EMAIL PROTECTED] > wrote: Actually, she now feels hot, not warm. I have two ice packs against her and she actually climbed on top of a third on her own. If it is not down in 15 minutes I will give her fluids. What I don't understand is why she got another high fever all of a sudden, after so long. She got more steroids today than she probably has ever gotten, so she should be less-- much less- prone to getting a fever today. Does this mean the fip is getting worse? Could it somehow be because her fluid got drained today? she is still on a mega-dose (toxo dosing) of clindamycin, so it should not be that she got an infection of any kind from that. depressed and concerned, Michelle No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.410 / Virus Database: 268.17.15/659 - Release Date: 1/30/2007 No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.410 / Virus Database: 268.17.15/659 - Release Date: 1/30/2007
