fluticasone propionate (flovent HFA

Is this steroid addictive?

[Victoireh]

Inhaled steroids given at normal doses are not absorbed into the blood stream, so therefore wound not be addictive. Steroids that are inhaled into your lungs act like a topical cream, as in other words it only reacts with the cells on the surface of your airways.

Even oral steroids, such as prednisone aren't considered addictive in the normal sense that you and I think of, but rather cause the adrenal glands to produce less of the bodies natural steroids (cortisol). This is because your body feels it requires less, as you are taking more in orally, so oral steroids should be weaned off slowly to give the body a chance to kick in it's own steroid production. Most people can tolerate this well, and very few end up staying on a low dose. However you need not worry as inhaled steroids don't get systemically (through the blood stream) into your body, so this is not an issue.