Celestene

I was given Celestene by a GP in Frace for bronchial problems/ashma - 4mg for 10 days.  It gave me really irritated red skin with spots, overy sensitive skin to my face which tingled when touched, stomach problems and blured vision.  It was the second time I'd been prescribed this drug and I also had some of the symptoms the first time but did not connect the two.  I understand this drug is given routinely in France.  In my opinion French GP's overprescribe drugs, and it's common to receive 4 or 5 different drugs for one ailment. On the same visit the GP also prescribed a drug for a high fever, when told I didn't actually have a fever I was told 'well take it just in case...'. 

I was given 4mg a day of Celestene in August 2001, after developing a calcification in a salivary gland, following routine gastric tests and anaesthesia. I'm told I dehydrated too far.
On stopping 10 days of Celestene, no taper, I became dizzy, lost peripheral vision, developed severe stomach troubles, lost my memory, lost my concept of time, I developed severe dermatitis and later a severe staph. infection that caused osteomylitis of my spine.
I was also left with severe chronic fatigue.
Six years later I was diagnosed finally, having had 5 different diagnoses, including Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis, when blood testing in November 2006 finally confirmed I have Adrenoleukodystrophy, almost unheard of in women. A rare inherited metabolic disorder that leads to neuro degenerative disease not unlike ALS, motor neurone disease.
Women are normally carriers of this disease and seldom develop symptoms. Nerve conduction tests, genetic tests and MRI's confirm I have a serious form although not the cerebral form, yet.
Professors of Endocrinology in the UK and US confirm that in all likelihood Celestene 'unearthed' the symptoms of this disease and I may never have developed ALD had I not been given Celestene.

I am now semi paralysed with increasing neuropathy, thanks both to the ALD, a progressive disease and thanks to the infection of the lumbar spine, this is not an ideal combination. I still have overwhelming fatigue although cortisol tests are normal in the morning but too low in the evening. I am not permitted steroid treatment to improve quality of life since Celestene has left me 'hyper sensitive' to steroid treatment and will, apparently, accelerate the course of this disease.

The Celestene was given in France and my local GP here in France can confirm the history. I have had no life since I was given this medication 8 years ago. In the UK and the US, all endocrinologists and pharmacists I have consulted agree that Celestene is far too toxic a steroid to use systemically. My blood tests from 2001 prove I developed Cushings Disease and my neutrophil and potassium levels did not normalise for months, I was diagnosed in the UK with a steroid excess, on 4mg a day for 10 days in total.

We need to stop the use of this steroid in France. It's given to adults and children daily here, for minor inflammations, with complete disregard for the toxicity of this medication. It has destroyed my life. I have not recovered.

Elizabeth Campbell