Steroids, Internal Medicine FAQ - Page 4

Regarding SLE (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus) Hello, doctor. I am a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). I was diagnosed at the age of 22, and it has been 18 years since then. Over the years, I have been taking steroids and quinine, without adding any other medications...

The steroid dosage has been reduced to 7.5 mg, and the symptoms are becoming more pronounced? Last year, I developed a skin wound from scratching due to flea bites, which became infected with bacteria. The wound started to hurt, but after taking antibiotics, the pain subsided. Ho...

Sjögren's syndrome and myositis? Dear Doctor, I am 51 years old and was diagnosed with Sjögren's syndrome in 2015. My main symptoms include dry eyes, mild vasculitis in the lower extremities, weight loss, and a white blood cell count of approximately 2800 to 3500. So f...

SLE & urticaria Hello Doctor, my question is regarding an unexplained acute urticaria attack I experienced in early July this year. Since then, I have been taking antihistamines, starting with Xyzal 1 tablet daily and now increasing to 1 tablet twice daily. During this period...

Gout-related Hello, doctor. I apologize for asking a question that is not directly related to health care. I found online that the mechanism of gout occurs due to the accumulation of excess uric acid crystals in the body, which triggers an inflammatory response from white blood c...

Rheumatoid Arthritis I have been experiencing burning, pain, and swelling in both ankle joints for over a year. I had blood tests done at a major hospital, which showed elevated rheumatoid factor and inflammatory markers. I have been taking immunomodulatory medications, corticost...

Hashimoto's thyroiditis Dear Dr. Tseng, 1. After giving birth, I discovered that I have hypothyroidism (TSH: 29), which is associated with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. My baby underwent a thyroid screening at birth, and the results were normal. How often should my baby hav...

Abnormal weight gain Hello: I am 40 years old, 170 cm tall, and currently eat one meal a day while walking 10,000 steps. My lifestyle is regular. I have gained 12 kg in the past six months, and my endocrine blood tests have shown no issues. How should I seek medical assistance?

Kidney problems Hello, my sister is 29 years old and has a history of refractory epilepsy for 23 years, is a carrier of hepatitis B, and has been diagnosed with schizophrenia for 2 years. She was hospitalized on July 31 due to cellulitis and developed sepsis, requiring intubation...

Edema caused by kidney problems? Hello Dr. Wang, I have a question I would like to ask. About two and a half years ago, I was diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome, and since then I have been taking steroids and mycophenolate mofetil. During the process of tapering the medication, I ...

Is steroid medication necessary for vasculitis? Two years ago, I experienced difficulty opening my left eye upon waking, and I was diagnosed with dry eye syndrome. Last year, after a salivary gland biopsy, I was diagnosed with xerostomia, and my white blood cell count dropped to ...

Kidney problems Hello Doctor, My family member (female, 29 years old) has long-term chronic health issues. She has been diagnosed with refractory epilepsy for 23 years and is currently taking the following medications: Depakote 700mg, Vimpat 100mg, Keppra 1000mg, and Lamictal 30...

Limb joints Hello Doctor, I have had joint discomfort since I was young. Whenever the weather changes, I feel soreness, primarily in my upper limbs—elbows, wrists, and fingers—and in my lower limbs—hip joints (less frequently), knees, ankles, and toes. Now at 30 years old, this c...

Hip bone issues? Hello, doctor. I would like to ask if long-term use of corticosteroids will definitely lead to avascular necrosis of the hip, or does it depend on individual constitution? Is it only possible to prevent avascular necrosis of the hip by discontinuing corticosteroi...

Can steroids cause dizziness? Hello, Doctor. I have had SLE for 15 years, and I was recently discharged from the hospital due to vasculitis. I have been resting at home for ten days now and am currently taking eight corticosteroids. I feel about 90% recovered, but I am troubled b...

Abnormal blood glucose levels Hello Doctor: I would like to ask why my blood sugar level two hours after a meal is higher than one hour after the meal? I did not eat anything in between. For example, my blood sugar before lunch was 85, one hour after lunch was 127, and two hours ...

Immune system ~ Swelling and pain in the fourth toe of the left foot? Hello Doctor: My wife has a family history of ankylosing spondylitis. She previously experienced an episode of iritis. After a miscarriage last October, her left fourth toe started to swell and hurt at the end ...

Kidney problems Hello, Doctor Wu. I would like to ask, around noon today, I experienced pain in my right kidney. It hurts when I squat down and when I get back up. My job involves standing and squatting to pick things up. In mid-February of this year, the clinic conducted blood a...

Sudden abdominal pain? Doctor, I suddenly felt a burning pain in my stomach after dinner last night. I noticed I gained weight, and it hurt a lot when I lay down to sleep, but it was more tolerable when I was standing. I drank some milk, which helped ease the pain and allowed me ...

Regarding diabetes and cholesterol issues? Hello Dr. Hsiao, Six months ago during my health check-up, my fasting blood glucose was 123 mg/dL and my hemoglobin A1c was 8.3%. The doctor advised me to take medication for control and to focus on weight loss. After four months of ef...