Pregnant,Relapse,solumedrol infusion,tips?

[bops_mama]

Well the past 3 days i have been completely 100% numb on my right side...i even stabbed myself with a fork to test..and NOTHING. I am 5 weeks pregnant so i did not think there was anything that could be done however my friend convinced me to call me neuro

he told me that he was 90% sure that i was having a relapse and that even though im pregnant, he recommends me having a solumedrol infusion I called the on call doctor at my OB clinic and he said YES that he thinks i should....and the on call neuro talked with 2 other ones and they decided that it would be the best course of action......

sooooo...this evening a nurse from walgreens came out to administer my first infusion of 3....and showed me how to do it myself tomorrow and monday i actually came close to passing out after she did the IV i have no clue why but it was kind of freaky...

my question to everyone (since this is my "first" relapse since being dxd) is there anything that i need to know about this infusion stuff? anything to make it easier? I have been very weepy and upset off and on all day.....i feel so bad that i have to put my family through this i am trying to be strong but it is so hard.......

[22cyclist]

It will be much easier today. An IV stick can be NO fun, even if it is only once. Today when you go to hook up the medication you only have to attach it, that is it. Have your significant other do it if you want, or a friend, just show them how.

Whatever it takes to take the stress away from you.

Secondly, you are not stressing your family, what you are doing is helping your family by helping yourself. You have to think of it this way, OK? This is not the only time this will happen to you, so you have to think of it as doing what is best for you and your family.

The sadness is both your pregnancy hormones and MS. You have not had enough Solu-Medrol yet, but that will add an additional factor into your hormone in the sadness/anger in due time. These are just medication side effects.

Today is the dose where you will start to feel better hopefully, and you are almost done after today. Enlist some help, it is OK. If you can not do that, you will be OK. Just hook up the IV, and move on. Talk to your kids while doing it, keep your mind off of it. It is nothing like starting an IV.

I have had 6 Solu doses in the last 2 years...hated them for the side effects (weight gain, acne, anger, no sleep), but loved them for the good effects (feel good again, more productive). Hope they make you feel better.

Take care
Lisa

[Theodora]

The solumedrol infussion can be really hell. In these past 8 months I had 17 IVs of solumedrol because of 3 cases of optical neuritis and I'm allergic to it so you can only imagine what I was going through everytime.

I suggest that you cut down the salt that you use on food, if you want you can eat food without salt, and also cut down on your sugar intake. That will help you decrease the risk of weight gain.

Also, the IVs can leave a really weird taste in your mouth so I suggest that you have chewing gums with you all the time and if you want to eat something sweet to change the taste in your mouth you can eat some honey.

Last but not least, you have to refrain yourself from devouring a lot of food. Solumedrol makes you crave for everything. And when I say everything, I mean it. I would have all these weird cravings like french fries with Nutella.

I know it's going to be hard to follow all these but you have to do it for at least a couple of weeks.. Hope everything is ok with you and your baby

Cheers

** Moderator's note - Post broken into paragraphs for easier reading. Many people with MS have visual difficulties that prevent them from reading large blocks of print. **

[Spydre]

I would also increase your calcium intake. IVSM can limit your calcium absorption, which is why it's only used infrequently. Even oral steroids, my doc went two years before prescribing them again. Also, reducing your sugar intake is a good idea, as well, as any steroids can pop up your blood sugar.

[cranberrysauce]

As others have said, just be aware of the side effects. I do get cranky and restless and its hard to sleep. And, I want to stuff my face.

Now that I know these things, I do much better. The first time around I was sort of blind sided by this and it was a bigger deal than it needed to be.

Just be positive The steroids can really help!