[I tried to reply to this thread a few days ago, but it never showed up in my email. Sorry if you guys get this twice (or three times)!]
I will chime in on the steroid thing, only because I've been researching it for over a year. Yes, steroids in the doses that were studied are dangerous for long term use - they used very high doses. But your body makes many steroids and if you replace just what your body would normally be making, then there is no fear of immune suppression, stunted growth or any other of the 'bad' side effects. Estrogen, Testosterone, Progesterone, Aldosterone, DHEA, and Cortisol are all steroid hormones that your body makes and needs in appropriate doses! Cortisol is needed for nearly all body functions, and asthma has been linked to low levels of this hormone. I had my husband's, son's and my cortisol levels tested and we were all low. I didn't test my daughter at the time because she was only 2 and wouldn't spit in a tube! But I would assume based on her asthma and a few other things, that her cortisol is low as well. This low cortisol level can be caused by many things, including as you mentioned fungal infections. A year ago I was very scared of steroids, like most people are. But with much research I have found that they can be quite safe in the low doses your body would normally make anyway. I've been taking Cortisol (Cortef) for about a year now and I've never felt better. My levels were low, and seeing how cortisol is the only hormone that you would actually die without, it seems appropriate that replacing what your body would normally make would be a good thing! When under stress, the body is supposed to make what would be considered excess cortisol. This is what is supposed to happen in the short term! Cortisol is a big part of the immune system. The problem lies in the fact that we are under such huge amounts of stress from the foods we eat, to pollution, to EMF's, infections, and on and on, that our bodies don't have a chance to stop the excess cortisol production! Over time, the adrenal glands can't keep up and cortisol prodcution decreases. This is what is considered adrenal fatigue. http://www.drlam.com/articles/adrenal_fatigue.asp is one of the best explainations of this process of high, then low cortisol/adrenal fatigue I have found! I would recommend that everyone read William McK. Jeffries, MD's book 'Safe Uses of Cortisol' to get a good understanding of how cortisol works. You can read exerpts online. (Here's one http://livingnetwork.co.za/hormones/adrenal-fatigue/cortisone/) The book is out of print, but can be purchased at http://www.ccthomas.com/details.cfm?P_ISBN13=9780398075002 for $43.95. You may be able to find it in a library as well, but I'm not sure many would carry it! BTW, my daughter is doing much better. I've alternated the CS and meds (steroids and broncodilators) and she is much better. Still coughing, but she sounds and acts like she feels better! I give her Vitamins - B-complex and C - as well as Sea Salt to strengthen her adrenal glands/immune system. It has lengthened the time between attacks - it used to be every 6 weeks, but it's been 6 months since her last attack! Yea! She doesn't have the type of asthma that she needs an inhaler for. She has allergy induced, acute, severe attacks. Much more interesting to deal with since we never know when it's going to happen! She's had 6 attacks in the last year - like I said initially it was every 6 weeks, but it's now been 6 months since her last one. I'm building her adrenal glands slowly but surely! Since she is young, her body is more likely to respond to just giving it what it needs to make the steroid hormones as opposed to simply just giving her the hormone. Anyway, don't discount the importance of steroids. Just know that low doses that your body would normally make will make you feel better and boost your immune system! I am living proof of that! :-) Gina
