Treatment
Doctors generally
use the corticosteroid drug prednisone to treat sarcoidosis.
Corticosteroids are powerful anti-inflammatory drugs that mimic the
effects of hormones produced by your adrenal glands. They're not the
same as the anabolic steroids used by some athletes to increase strength
and muscle mass.
Not everyone with
sarcoidosis needs medication. In general, you may not need treatment if
sarcoidosis is affecting only your lungs and nearby lymph nodes. Because
sarcoidosis often disappears on its own at this stage, your doctor is
likely just to monitor you closely.
When chest X-rays
reveal more widespread areas of lung inflammation, your doctor may
monitor the disease for three to 12 months and begin treatment only if
the inflammation hasn't improved or has progressed.
On the other hand,
treatment with prednisone is usually recommended if your heart, eyes or
central nervous system is involved or if your blood calcium level is
elevated.
Just how long to
continue prednisone is a matter of debate. In some cases, you may take
medication for several years, in as low a dose as possible while still
controlling the disease. For a small percentage of people, symptoms
return when the medication is discontinued. In addition, prednisone can
cause serious side effects, especially when it's taken long-term. These
side effects include:
-
Osteoporosis,
a disease that causes your bones to become thin and brittle, leading
to fractures
-
high blood pressure
-
Cataracts
-
Diabetes
-
Increased risk
of infection
-
Weight gain
and redistribution of body fat
Talk to your
doctor about the best ways to help prevent or reduce the possibility of
side effects. One option is to take prednisone every other day, rather
than every day.
