I started a 5 day course yesterday because of the worst relapse I’ve had. Feel so ill, was sick last evening and have still got a banging headache!
Do I have to continue the course?
Any advice welcome
Jen x
In short, no. You don’t have to keep taking them if you don’t want to! Steroids can give you even more problems than what your dealing with so for that reason I avoid them. All they ‘may’ do (if they work) is to speed up recovery but ultimately you will recover as well as you can with or without them. I had them once (IV) and the side effects were horrendous. So I avoid them now and choose to let nature take its course. Rest and look after yourself xx
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Hi Jenny
I think steroids can be extremely useful in shortening a relapse.
But their side effects can be intolerable. If this is the case for you, then there’s not a requirement that you take them. I suggest you contact your MS nurse or GP for proper advice from the medical professionals rather than rely on us lot though.
By the way, whenever I’ve had steroids (and I’ve had them quite a few times to varying effects, sometimes it’s been almost miraculous whilst other times have been disappointing), the side effects have got worse day by day. So if you have dreadful side effects on day one, I suspect continuing will make the effects worse, not better.
So in your case, imo, I’d stop them.
Sue
Well, my view is that no-one can force you to do anything you don’t want to do… but you have to trust the medics to some extent, and keep up the course of treatment once you’ve started it, unless they OK you to stop. (On the one occasion I’ve had steroids, they were not too bad on days 1 and 2 of a three-day course; but the side effects were all hiding until day 3 when they jumped out and set about me with baseball bats, leaving me feeling decidedly second-hand! Said I’d pass on them from now on…)
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Hi sorry tp jump on your steroid post but i have just experienced something similar.
I have been Diagnosed for 3 years, i have been lucky enough to not experience a relapse but since july symptoms have become worse and my MRI showed a new active lesion s it times to change my meds from avonex, this cant be done until NOV so the nuero and nurse advised i take a 5 day course of oral steroids to reduce inflammation and hopefully speed up recovery although i was happy to prod along until NOV. I took the steroids last week and felt great on them, even with complete insomnia and a massive appetite! i have been off them for 5 days now and feel awful!! dizzy and fatigue constantly, sweating,spotty. my legs feel like complete jelly and i can barely muster the steps to waddle down the stairs.I had my first ever sick day for 10 years on thursday, spent 2 days in bed and im no better. i read a few blogs that the after affects of steroids have been worse than the relapse to warrant the relapse taking them but when i spoke to the nurse yesterday she didnt sound very reassuring, she just said thats a real shame, meant to make you feel better, probably side affects, drink plenty of fluids? is this normal?? has anyone else had this experience?
thank you guys.