Dr prescribed steroids! I did not know and took them...now what?!

As some of you know I am recently diagnosed with Lyme. Not sure of co-infections at this time as I was not seeing a LLMD I see one Wednesday for the first time. My PCP prescribed steroids not knowing any better. I took half the script before finding thru research this is an absolute no no. He took me off them slowly. I am terrified of the effects I will have from taking steroids. I have read they can cause permanent damage to people with Lyme. Any had any experience with this and been ok?

Girlie is right.

I don't know in medical, scientific terms the action of steroids, but in theory they inhibit the body's responding behavior, which causes what we call inflammation, in it's effort to rid a particular location of a harmful situation.

Therefore it by action, reduces the inflammation, but it's like calling the soldiers away form the battle.
I don't know if you are or have been interested in any kind of herbal treatments, but what you can do is look into getting herbs that are recommended for reducing inflammation(s), which also seem to reduce pain.

This would be considered a supportive aid. As long as your are going to be getting proper Lyme treatment, the treatment takes over fighting where the immune system has been too weak to anyway.

I don't believe taking the steroids like you did can cause permanent damage or there would be a whole lot of really really sick people running around out there from all the germs and viruses people face every day.

Steroids are artificially made hormones that our bodies manufacture naturally. Using them long term is bad for anyone, but in the case of having already weakened immune function that's why we avoid them.

Don't worry, they'll be out of your system before too long.
I think the injections last quite a bit longer than the oral meds.


The first year after I first got infected I was put on steroids indefinitely by my GP. Another Dr. recommended I stop taking them, which I did start weaning off right away, but I'd been on them for several months by then. My immune system still managed eventually to get into remission without treatment somehow for awhile.

I think the best advice for a new person is to learn as much as possible and be willing to walk away from a doc that isn't helping.

Gracie, my advise to a beginner would be to try to do a little reading for ideas, either Stephen H. Buhner's Healing Lyme Second Edition or Bill Rawl's book (someone needs to recommend a title).

Both advocate the importance of the immune function and helping it to help you. Buhner for certain makes specific herbal recommendations as a core therapy as well as an extended one for specific symptoms.

The books are not expensive at all. Rawl's is reportedly easier to read and understand but maybe both would be helpful.

Gracie, my first symptom was achy knees and I went to the orthopedic surgeon, not knowing I had lyme, and he gave me shots of steroids in both knees.

I have since healed from lyme and those shots proved to be no problem at all.

Thanks to everyone! Support means so much! Wonderful information.