I don’t blame you in the slightest for avoiding the little devils then. I’ve always found that within a few days of the last tabs, I’m over side effects. Not that the beggars have always worked (in fact I’m generally an advocate of IV if they’re available). I doubt I’ll be having any more though, unless my MS decides to have one last roll of the relapse dice.
Oh blimey Fay, you and I are both cursed with the demon that is MS gone too far to let us be terribly useful in most areas of life. I am in awe of the way that you have grabbed hold of issues that are new to you (i.e. benefits) and helped so many people.
They don’t usually bother with taper these days unless there is a particular reason. When I was first dx nearly 20 years ago, steroids were still being doled out in tiny white pills that you had to count out about 73 of to get the right dose (and even then it was a fraction of today’s high doses) and then gradually tapering down over days until you were counting out those wee white pills in your sleep. That carry-on is totally old-hat now. Short sharp mega-blast is in. 20 years on, it will probably be totally different again!
The steroid taste lingered all day yesterday despite being lower-key now that I’ve mastered the yoghurt trick. Particularly unpleasant after I suddenly realised what the taste reminds me of. Anyhoo I’ve washed down the pills & yoghurt with cheesy wotsits this morning and am cautiously optimistic about keeping that nasty flavour away.
Apart from that and a (short-lived and possibly time-of-the-month related!) crazy rant to the long-suffering wife in late afternoon, still no real side effects, and my walking confidence is continuing to improve. Not much above a snail’s pace, but no longer having to cling like grim death to the furniture / walls / doorframes / cat etc just to stay upright when I totter to the bog and back
I’m sure that Tiddles is very pleased about this. Don’t worry about ‘the crash’ - not everyone gets it. And in any case, some quiet downtime while the drugs let your body get to work repairing the damage would be no bad thing, whether enforced or chosen.
Just look forward to a nice restful weekend, when your sleep should be better. Not everyone gets a mood crash, but some do. Not everyone gets the feeling like all their muscles are bruised, but again some do. Keep resting, but also keeping up the walking round, stretching your muscles a bit. Just watch out for that cat.
What you can expect is that by tomorrow, your tastebuds should have come back to normal. No more horrible metallic taste. Although now I really wish I had a packet of cheesy watsits. Grrr.
2 days after the steroids have finished. My walking is very much improving. Nasty taste has not gone but fading…
My heart rate still hasn’t settled either. According to my wrist-based heart monitor (not the most accurate but indicative!) it’s been 100+ bpm just sitting on the sofa - currently 112. Usually about 80. Pumping away and feeling rather anxious.
I’m also struggling with foot drop this relapse. Had a trying day but anxiety levels dropping now and heart rate has settled down. Scoffing bananas and apricots, can’t remember why but I think someone (you?) said it was a good idea! Just need a good night’s sleep
4 days after steroids. Walking steadily improving I can get about with a walker and have even left the house unaccompanied… Heart rate still rather high, mild mood swings, and I’ve had one or two funny-turns from overheating but (while still very far from “normal”) I must feeling myself again, I’m even thinking of going to the gym tomorrow…
7 days after steroids. Walking still improving gradually and things generally going well.
Steroid taste faded gradually over several days rather than disappearing immediately but has been gone for a couple of days now. Phew! I can drink plain water again Scoffing apricots and bananas to keep up my potassium levels (knew there was a reason…)
Still having the odd mood swing where I fly off the handle very suddenly for very little provocation.
Still have elevated heart rate. But less so - earlier in the week it was rarely less than 100bpm if I wasn’t actually asleep, and often in the range 110-130 (!) whereas right now its sitting in the low 90s and only goes >100 when I get up and move around.
Still sleeping poorly. But less so, and forgetting amitriptyline doesn’t seem to make it much worse.
All the above I can suffer gladly for the sake of mobility improvements so no regrets