Solu-medrol, Optic neuritis questions..I'm new and could use any help!

[dtaylor1101]

Hey there,
I am new to this site as well as this whole MS thing. Though I have not been formally diagnosed with MS, I have been going through a battery of tests to figure out what is going on with me.

In July 2013 I started to get blurry vision in my right eye. A month later pain started on and off. In September 2013 I had an MRI which showed a slight signal change in my right optic nerve.

October 2013 I saw a neurologist who specializes in MS. He diagnosed me with atypical optic neuritis, sent me to an opto neurologist, set me up for a load of tests and started me on a 4 day IV solu-medrol with a prednisone taper.

Questions:
1. Is it a normal to feel jittery? This is the worst in the morning.

2. My eye with the ON seems blurrier than it has been in the last 3 months. Can it get worse before it gets better?

3. As the taper goes on, will I begin to feel more like myself?

Any help with these questions would be great. It is hard to feel this way and have no one around me understand it!

Thanks

[22cyclist]

dtaylor1101: Welcome to MS World, we are happy you joined!
Optic neuritis can be a real pain in the butt. I have had it in both eyes many times. I will try to answer your questions.

Questions:
1. Is it a normal to feel jittery? This is the worst in the morning.

Yes. This is completely normal. The steroids will make you jittery and shaky. It will get better in a couple of weeks.

2. My eye with the ON seems blurrier than it has been in the last 3 months. Can it get worse before it gets better?

The IVSM will make your eye more blurry for a while before it gets better. This is just a side effect of the steroids. It will go away, whereas the blurriness from the ON may or may not.

3. As the taper goes on, will I begin to feel more like myself?

You should feel better then, if not the first day, at least a week or two after the end of them. Sometimes it takes a while after the end of steroids for your body to adjust. Since you were on a taper, you should recover earlier.

I hope you will recover all of your sight and things start looking up for you!

Keep us updated on how things go for you!

Take care
Lisa
Moderation Team

[dtaylor1101]

Lisa,
Thank you so much. Your answers were very helpful. It has calmed me to know that what I am feeling is par for the course with the steroids. I don't feel like I am going crazy!

[MSer102]

The first time I had steroid IV's, none of my doctors warned me about the side effects either. What you are feeling is pretty typical. They might be gone before then, but all of the side effects should be gone about a week after you finish your taper.

[JBWInColorado]

My first experience with solu-medrol (5 days of IV, no taper) I wasn't warned about any side effects. I wondered why I started crying at ANYTHING. I was SOOOO hungry all the time. I was foggy brained and easily confused and upset, and anxious, and moody, and slept a whole lot.
My MS dr told me the solu-medrol stays in your system for up to 2 weeks... so any weirdness you're feeling should start to subside in a couple weeks. I started feeling better at the 2 week mark.

It's been 2 months today since I was diagnosed. I feel OK.

[Thinkimjob]

The 'roids are an interesting experience. I have fond memories, because doctor still won't relent and let me have some.
Jitters, rapid pulse, touchy mood veering between really, really cranky and really, really tearful, tongue like a fungus farm and fluid retention, but the suckers work.

Good news for your sexual partner/s , they certainly get you frisky. You won't be looking your best, but that's what light switches are for.

[Cat Mom]

Good news for your sexual partner/s

So....... they make it so more than one can be handled?????