Steroid Treatment Information
Here is some info on steroid treatment that HG survivor Ellie posted on the HuGS message board. Remember it is very important to consult with a doctor before trying anything like this. Thanks for the info, Ellie!
Hello again. I was able to obtain some more accurate info on steriod use for hyperemesis. I contacted Dr. Thomas Murphy Goodwin, MD at the Univ. of Southern California Med School. He published 1 series & 1 random controlled trial of steriod use for hyperemesis in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology. He also published a chapter in Clinical Obstectrics & Gynecology Vol 41, Sept 1998, on hyperemesis. I haven't yet obtained these articles, but Dr. Goodwin e-mailed me that no long-term follow-up studies have been conducted or probably will be conducted for HG & steriods. He stated that steriods before 8 weeks should be avoided, but after 8-10 weeks, they can be used & you can infer their safety based on their use for other conditions. Before hearing from Dr. Goodwin, I did see a doctor in my area that deals with complicated pregnancies. He has been looking into steriod use for HG, but is hesitant to use it except for very extreme cases because in some instances, smaller brain sizes & learning disabilities have been found in the babies. After more research is done & can establish a better saftey record, he will be interested in using it. So, its food for thought for all of you HG sufferers. I'm going to obtain Dr. Goodwin's articles and discuss them with my doctor. Even if its not something I'd use now, maybe it will be more of a consideration in the future. My doctor also said that he thinks reglan & benedictin (not sure of spelling) are safer alternatives. I never tried them and would be interested in hearing from anyone that did. Sorry for such a lengthy message. Good luck! -Ellie
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