question about steroids

[Likethewind]

With all the talk about doping in the past couple of weeks, I have been thinking about something that I don't understand.

I DO understand that when one is actually in a competition, drug use has to be banned.

But what I DON'T understand is that ANY time all year round ANY olympic level athlete can be FORCED to take a drug test at random or be suspended.....

EVEN IF THEY HAVE TO BE ON STEROIDS OR WHATEVER FOR A MEDICAL REASON.

SO what does the little Canadian skater with rheumatoid arthritis do? I think this rule is idiotic and extremely dangerous for people who have a medical NECESSITY for steroids. IS she allowed to be on them with doctors instructions and written permission from the IOC and then she has to go off them (a complex problem as you have to taper off them)prior to a competition? What do you do if you have a condition that DEMANDS steroid use such as IBD, or an extreme alllergic reaction!!?? I HAD to be on steroids a few years back for poison ivy! (and even with them I had some scarring)

Some people who are otherwise athletic, would be ill without these drugs that are a miracle for people with diseases like arthritis.

Does the IOC in essence mean that even if you need it, they would rather you got sick than took it off-season? This is ridiculous.

As I said, I understand about during and just before competition - because steroids make you feel super human even when only on them for a day - but to deny someone the proper medical treatment any other time but then is irresponsible.

Steroids are dangerous, and are evil if used for nefarious purposes like athletic inhancement, but this does NOT change the fact that they are life saving and necessary for some people.

And having to take - say predinisone for any number of conditions, does NOT mean you are otherwise incapable or too sick to be an athlete.

I would beinterested to know what the little Canadian skater takes for her arthritis and I sure hope she is not NOT taking steroids because of this stupid rule and thus endangering her health.

Perhaps gold, methotrexate, etc are subsitutes for her unless they too are banned.

I just think that it is crazy to not be able to even take a COLD PILL OFF season so you can breathe when you have a cold - like co-tylenol or whatever, for FEAR that the IOC police will suspend you for 2 years...

Think of that gymnast who , had she taken the same cold pill that cost her the gold medal OFF season, she would still have been suspended for taking it. The rules say NOT AT ANY TIME.

Just wondering. I think about these things because of what happened to Ina and because of things like that gymnast ...

[blue111moon]

The purpose of the IOC ruling is to keep athletes off performance-enhancing drugs. Drugs which are needed for documented medical reasons - asthma, arthritic, heart conditions,, epilespy for example - are not banned; they require documentation from certified physicians.

There are cold medications which are approved and do not contain any of the banned substances. It is up to team physicians to be familiar with the IOC banned substances list and make certain that athletes are not taking items on it.

And for the record, Ina was not suspended for taking a banned substance; she was suspended for yrefusing to take the test for banned substances. It is the IOC equivilent to DWI - if you take the breathalyzer test and fail, you lose your drivers licence; if you refuse to take the breathalyzer test, they take your license on the spot.

[jp1andOnly]

the steriods one takes for arthritis or any autoimmune disease are NOT banned. They are not anabolic steriods. And yes, an athlete can take them, they just have to disclose what medications they are on.

Steriods one takes for performance enhancing are anabolic. The steriods used for medical conditions are nonanabolic. They have different properties and different effects. For example, steriods you take for medical conditions cause weight gain, water retention, mood swings, insomnia/or sleepiness. They do have some of the same effects as anabolic, but non of them performance enhancing

[Likethewind]

jp1andOnly - thanks. I did not know that. BUT I can't believe they would allow prednisone at competition - it does have enormous performance enhancing properties. When I was on it for poison ivy it was surreal. I used to bike a few miles a day for exercise and i suddenly could finish the ride in about 3/4 of the time and I felt like i could do anything and "outbiked" my husband! A lOT more enhancing than sudafed.....Anyway, thanks again. I was wondering as they cannot even have too much caffeine - I would be afraid to have one cup of coffee if I was an olympian.,,

[jp1andOnly]

First off, if you are on prednisone not all people have an energy boost. Some people sleep constantly right thru it (like me). I had insomnia as well, which made my brain all foggy.

If you are on high doses of it, more than likely you are too sick to compete. The high dose regement only lasts about 5 days then you taper down. If you were to stop the drug without tapering it causes bad things to happen. Some people are on continual low doses of prednisone for whatever reason and they would not experience any energy from it as their body is used to it

[Duckie]

I agree with JP1andonly that not everyone who is on prednisone has an energy boost. For me it is the opposite. I couldn't imagine being able to compete well while on the prednisone because first of all for me personally I can't keep focus a long time because of it, as you taper down the focus improves to a degree. A lot of people have extreme fatigue (I actually sleep all the time because of it, haven't had the insomia or loss of sleep at all) because of it as well along with the other side effects already mentioned. I can't see anyone being able to really do well anyways if they are on relatively high doses because of all the side effects and because they are probably too sick. You can't just stop taking it either because of many other medical problems that could show up like blood pressure problems as your body goes into shock from the withdrawal. I know that every time my doctors attempt to take down my dosage it is done very very slowly because of this. I don't think that it is preformance enhancing at all, in fact just the opposite.

[axel18]

http://www.usantidoping.org/prohibited_sub/guide.asp
FYI
Above is the link to the list of drugs that the US Anti-Doping Committee Prohibits.

One always makes sure when getting a prescription that it does not appear on the list in addition one can contact them for clarification on any questionable drug.

[sk8ndancr]

Why are beta-blockers prohibited? I have to take one for high blood pressure.