Nasal steroid long term effects?

Janni · 06-03-2006, 12:14 PM

Someone close to me has been using nasal steroids along with allergy medicines for severe respiratory allergies. Her regimen seems to give her a lot of relief when otherwise she would be miserable. However, in the last few months she seems to have gotten more irritable, "short fuse" about everything, and while she has always been a very active "over-busy" sort of person, it seems like she has gone even more overboard than usual. I know she has stresses in her life, but I'm concerned that the steroids might be somehow involved in these personality changes. I've looked it up in past posts here and in other search engines, and haven't seen any mention of personalitly effects. I can't even suggest to her how she has been coming across, and possibly to talk to her DR about it for fear she would fly off the handle at me. Any comments or experiences would be helpful. Thanks.

DJBucs2005 · 06-03-2006, 05:51 PM

Here is what I would do without doing the work for you. I would suggest finding out what medicine it is she is using. Then, I would research those ingredients and see what exactly type of steroids or other ingredients are in the medicine. There are different types of steroids, so doing some prior investigating before some research on the effects of say...just "steroids" would really benefit you and cost you some time in the short run, but help you narrow your research in the long run.

Titchou · 06-03-2006, 06:51 PM

I doubt seriously the nasal steroids have anything to do with this issue. Inhaled steroids such as nasal sprays and asthma inhalers dissipate quickly - unlike injectable steroids used by athletes. The two do not work in the same way. Asthmatics are on inhaled steroids for life and there are no such side effects for them. Depending on your friend's age, what you're seeing may be an indication of hormonal changes.

sneezydiva · 06-04-2006, 05:14 PM

Allergies themselves can make you feel very irritable and short fused. I would suspect a worsening of her allergies might be to blame. I agree with Tichou that nasal steroids are very different from oral steroids, and oral steroids like prednisone are very different from the steroids athletes take.

I have used nasal steroids for years. As my allergies have improved, I have become less irritable, not more so. In the end, antihistimines and nasal sprays just offer symptom relief. To get true relief from allergies, allergy shots were the answer for me.

Twickle Purple · 07-10-2006, 04:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Titchou

I doubt seriously the nasal steroids have anything to do with this issue. Inhaled steroids such as nasal sprays and asthma inhalers dissipate quickly - unlike injectable steroids used by athletes. The two do not work in the same way. Asthmatics are on inhaled steroids for life and there are no such side effects for them. Depending on your friend's age, what you're seeing may be an indication of hormonal changes.

Nasal steroids can affect people with the same adverse side effects as taking oral prednisone/steroid. The athlete reference is a different type of steroid altogether and not relevant.

That said, nasal steroids can be the cultprit. I stopped using them due to nose bleeds and facial flushing. I also used topical steroids for many many years and the conventional wisdom back then was they would not be systemically affecting. I had secondary addisons (suppressed adrenals) in my 20s and was one of the lucky first so not much was known. Now it is common knowledge that topicals are absorbed. Nasal blasts are metabolized differently than asthmatic inhalers.

Anyway, find out what she's taking. If you are noticing an altered personality it could be the medication. And, sneezydiva has it right, allergies can affect a person. My husband gets a different personality (he becomes ill-tempered and impatient -- something he is not normally) when he is exposed to certain things.

Good luck and be patient, nobody likes to be out of sorts.