Steroids — corticosteroids, that is, synthetic versions of the natural hormone produced by the adrenal glands — are indeed miracle drugs, capable of restoring the health and saving the lives of countless people with a wide spectrum of serious ailments. Prednisone may be the best known, but there are scores of others, some tailor-made to counter specific ailments.
By suppressing the immune response and inflammation, steroids can keep a host of autoimmune diseases and allergic reactions from ravaging the body. They are the cornerstone of treatment for ailments like rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, ulcerative colitis, temporal arteritis, psoriasis and even bad cases of poison ivy.
But as with any powerful remedy, corticosteroids come with a downside: side effects that can sometimes be as serious as the ailments they are intended to treat.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/10/health/10brod.html?_r=1&ref=healthSteroids IV therapy is commonly used to treat Multiple Sclerosis Flares. Powerful stuff. I was given a 5 day IV high dose at home without a taper and ended up in the hospital. Adrenal Glands were shutting down. It was awful. I can take most treatments with few side effect that I can't live with...this was one treatment I would not ask for a re-do. It was as bad as the flare.