relapse after steroids

[little_lady_chat]

Hello all,

About 1 month ago I was treated with IV Solu-medrol for 3 days my symptoms seemed to get slightly better, but not completely go away.  Now it seems in the last few days the symptoms are as be a month ago and I am also very fatigued.  Do I just give this time, or repeat the treatment?  My last and seconnder 5 years ago, I do not recall the duration.  Any info would be appreciated, Thanks   Heather

[Lulu54]

Hi LLC,
Let me add to the welcomes here - i hope you will stick around and add to our conversations.  I just posted elsewhere here tonight about this same thought about the steroids.

I just listened to a discussion about ON and the use of steroids.  The doctors clearly stated that if you did not do a round of IV steroids, the symptoms would resolve to the same point as they would with a dose of the steroids, only it would take longer to get there.  So yes, your symptoms will  resolve without the steroids.  Remember though, the poin t that you resolve to may not necessarily be where you were before the relapse began.  We are constantly reinventing in our bodies a *new normal.*


It has been written other places that relapses can last even longer than the 6 months your doctor mentioned - like everything else with this MiSerable disease, there is no predicting its course, length or severity.  

Welcome again,
Lulu

[little_lady_chat]

Thanks for the warm welcome.  I probably didn't explain myself very well, yes I am diagnosed with ms since 2001 and I have now had a total of 3 episodes.  The last episode being about 1 month ago.  The steroid treatment that I had received this time was only for 3 days with no oral taper afterwards.  I felt pretty darn good for about a week after the solu-medrol, but now my symptoms seemed to have returned to what they were before treatment.  I have been in touch with my neuro (who practices one and one-half hours away so its hard to get there sometimes) and they just want to watch to see if my symptoms worsen or get better.  So answer me this, my neuro said that it could possibly take as long as six months to fully recover from a relapse, is this true?  I was also told that without steroids the symptoms could still resolve.  I am always hesitant to take medication.  But any advice or insight would be great.
A little about me personally I am a pharmacy tech so I read way too much on the side effects of drugs all day long so hence the hesitancy on meds!  My nickname little lady chat is actually my dog "Lady"  Her full name is little lady chatterly.  My husband and I got that from an episode of everybody loves raymond when she was a pup.  Life is pretty good except when I hit a little rough patch with my ms.  I am really happy I found this site to hear peoples story.
One more question I have my neuro recently brought up possibly taking gabapentin (neurontin) if the numbness in my legs continues.  Does anyone have any personnal advice on that one.  I know everyone is different, but some info would be great thanks,Heather

[Erin0313]

Heather,

  Hi & welcome! I was on IV solumedrol for 5 days at the end of Jan. for ON and it improved but then it came back. My neuro ordered another 5 days with oral dose after and it did the trick.

Listen to Quix and call your neuro tomorrow - she is one of the great people that got me to go to the ER when my eyes got bad and I am still thankful!

Hope to hear from you soon - take care

Erin :)

[Quixotic1]

Welcome to the Forum!  I don't quite understand your situation yet.  It sounds like you are diagnosed with MS.  You had your first and second attacks (or infusions) 5 years ago, but none since.  Is this correct?

To address your question, it seems as though you are concerned because you didn't have complete relief after your Solumedrol this time.  You improved some and then apparently stayed the same for about a month.  Now you are really fatigued and the symptoms are as bad as they were before the infusion last month.  Should you call the Neurologist or weight it out?

Most neuro's that we hear from on the forum really do want to know when things get worse, no matter when it is.  So I would advise you to call your doc tomorrow and leave word that after improving just a little from the infusion a month ago your symptoms have worsened again.  

The steroids don't always completely relieve the symptoms of a relapse.  It sounds like you did stabilize for a good length of time - possibly long enough for it to be called a remission.  Whether or not you need another infusion would be completely up to your neurologist.  Each one has their own guidelines as to when they order steroids and how often they will do it.

I hope you will join us and tell us a little about yourself.  Does your name indicate you are a cat-lover or do you like to talk?  I am Quix, one of the forum leaders and a physician in a former life.  We have all sorts of great people here with a wealth of information and experience.

Welcome again,

Quix