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    Questions about Steroids

    Good Morning! Was having very blurry vision, went to the doctor yesterday and he confirmed I am having a flare up and have Optic Neuritis. He prescribed Solumedrol (IV Steroids), 1000mg a day for three days then nine days of Prednisone to wean me off. I had the Solumedrol 8 years ago and the only thing Ican really remember is wide awake and hungry all the time while on it, I also remember the mood swings and horrible pain a few days after I was done, he didn't prescribe anything to taper the steroids down so I just basically crashed and went through horrible withdraw. Will the Prednisone help me with coming off not to have such severe side effects and while on the Solumedrol will I be able to do normal activities like go to work? Also will it help improve my vision quickly?
    Sorry about all the questions, I am so scared and never had a flare up this bad. Please, any advice would be so greatly appriciated.

    #2
    The Solumedrol cleared my vision up within 3 days. It was clear for 5 and it is now blurry and double all the time (took about a week to get this bad). So for you I hope it sticks. I did not get weaned off with Prednisone, but did not have the withdrawal you are describing, though I believe it should hep you avoid that situation.

    I too was super hungry and away for the whole 3 days! Best of luck with this treatment.

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      #3
      Thank you for your response. Any information is appriciated. You are lucky you didn't get the withdraw, that was beyond horrible and I just can't imagine going through that again. I'm sorry you are still having trouble, good luck and I hope it gets better. I just heard from the Home Health Care provider and a nurse will be out tomorrow morning.

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        #4
        dcancellarich, so sorry to hear you're doing roids.

        they are no fun. since dxd 4/15/02 i have more roids than i can count. i can actually give the dr what should be written on a script.

        i've done 2 full rounds of prednisone and a Zpack of antibiotics since beg of year.
        my lungs, vertigo, vision and walking didn't go away with the oral roids, so mon i start 500 mg of solumedrol IV outpatient for 4 days with no prednisone taper.

        i actually questioned him about the no taper, because they forgot one time and the withdrawal was enough to understand how addicts feel in detox!

        neuro seems to think it'll be fine. i pray that yours will be too.

        when you have the IV you will taste metal in your mouth. kinda like sucking on a nail, though i've never actually done that! take something easy on your stomach to drink (tea, gingerale, water) plus you'll want gum or mints or something to counteract that metal tests.
        you didn't say if it was at home or hospital. if hospital take something to keep you from being bored. i've done both, there just about the same. i only had one bad experience where a new nurse put it in too fast. it should take about an hour to go in for comfort.
        i get queasy, very thirsty, hyper active mind and after a few doses, tired body.

        just be prepared. i've lined up a lot of books and crocheting
        projects for this time. personally i don't sleep for 48 or more hours straight. tho i can catch up on a lot of stuff. nothing with heavy thinking tho.

        you will be hungry, but i've realized it's because the roids are dehydrating you. when you're dehydrated your body will signal you to eat so it can get something. i keep a big bottle of water (usually flavored with ginger & cinnamon for stomach). if you keep up your water intake your hungries might be less.

        sorry so long, unfortunately i'm quite proficient in roids!

        praying the best for you!
        take care and God bless ya!
        "All things are possible for those who believe." Jesus

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          #5
          I am on pulse therapy and get the 3 days of 1,000 mg Solumedrol each month. I have had 4 treatments and have at least 2 more to go.

          The treatments themselves don't bother me. I get the pepsid in the IV and the we take 30 minutes for the Solumedral infusion. This last time it did increase my appetite, but not so much the first few times and I feel pretty good for those 3 days. The worst part is the day after the last infusion. I feel really fatigued and it is like some of the MS symptoms return for about 10 days. I do not get any taper - that might help, but I don't like taking drugs needlessly and just grind through the withdrawal or whatever it is.

          Next time, we are going to reduce the dose to 500 or 750 mg. I hope that helps.

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            #6
            I just finished my 6 months of the pulse steroids, 500 every 6 weeks, my neuro wanted me to do the 1000 but my first experience was horrible with that so he talked me into the lower dose just wish now that it would of been the 750 but with some infection problems he would'nt move up the dose.
            Each time it seemed to get better I did'nt have the yuck feeling so much. I also do not taper, may have helped the first time, but I just wanted it out of my body the first time.

            The one thing about the hunger is the home nurse told me that the steroids will drive up the body sugars so I try not to eat sugar loaded stuff. My wife bought me sugerless life savers, helped keep that taste at bay. I also make sure I have Xanax and Ambien available, some people love to stay awake but I can't and want my sleep unbroken as possible. I take the .25 Xanax when my mind and body seem to go into overdrive and needs to be slowed down a bit.
            Anyways good luck and I hope it helps you, has felt like a life saver for me the last 6 months.

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              #7
              Today was my 3rd day of IV 1000mg Solumedrol at an infusion center. No taper. The metallic taste is the worst. The only thing that I found that would help was orange lifesavers. Water tastes terrible (to me) for about 24 hours after each infusion. Only other side effects are I am a little jumpy and I want to punch a wall. I took a little Xanax to sleep last night. The first day I got a terrible headache. The other two times I had Solumedrol, I had a home health nurse come to the house, get me started and I did the rest myself. I think the dose was 500mg and was for 7 days ea. time. The volume of fluids with the SM was much greater than at the infusion center so after the first day this time, I asked them to increase the fluids. Either way, it took an hour. That took care of the headache. I expect I will be jumpy for a couple of days now and nasty for a few more. Oh, suggestion for taking reading materials or something to keep yourself busy is good. It can get pretty boring.

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