first steroid treatment scared

[joshua77]

How bad is what side effects do you get if any what do they help with also any effects to the heart with it? Thanks

[Ny3]

I had 3 days of IV steroids at an infusion center. The process itself wasn't bad and I was working on my laptop while there. Side effects I noticed were the metallic taste in your mouth while receiving treatment (peppermints or gum helps) and insomnia. I did not sleep well at all while on the steroids (both IV & oral). I was giving the oral steroids to taper down after infusion & avoid a crash. Can't say about the improvement, my main symptom was (still is) optic neuritis and it didn't seem to help, but perhaps for other symptoms it works better. Good luck to you!

[joshua77]

I've been symptomatic for about six months does this sound right like crazy fatigue.

[twopack]

IV steroids increased my heart rate as well.  I wasn't lucky enough to get an energy boost.  I feel more wiped out than ever during a relapse - steroids or not. I did managed to escape the metalic taste for some reason so it isn't an absolute requirement.  I kept waiting for it to hit but it never did.  When all five infusions were completed 'in good taste' I was quite the happy camper as I wasn't looking forward to needing the remedies I had lined up.

Fact is Joshua, steroids are like every other drug - the response and side effects you end up with will be dependent on how your own body interacts with and tolerates the drug.  Good luck to you.  I hope the treatment gets you off to a good start on feeling better.

[anon07072023]

If you're going to have IV steroids (Solumedrol), I did have heart issues with mine.  Every time I've had it, it makes my heart race the entire time (about 115 bpm). I typically lose about a pound a day when I've taken it.  I think it's from the racing heart.

[joshua77]

Thank you

[doublevision1]

High dose IV steroids rapidly and dramatically reduce inflammation in the body.  MS attacks are periods of acute inflammation affecting the central nervous system.    Reducing the inflammation has the effect of calming down acute symptoms.  Steroids tend to shorten the duration of an attack but not the ultimate degree to which you will recover  They tend to be very effective with symptoms like fatigue and visual disturbance, less effective on problems like numbness.  From what I understand, anyway.  They did help me when my balance was really off, as well as my fatigue, dizziness, MS hug, hoarse voice, optic neuritis.  Didn't help my double vision at all, the only thing that helped with that was time and neuroplasticity.  Some experience minimal side effects, though the metallic taste seems to be universal; others have a hard time.  I've had both good and not so good experiences.  The worst for me was facial flushing, sweating, jitteriness and major mood swings/bitchiness, lol.  Still better than not taking them, though.

[joshua77]

Thank you so what do they exactly do to help with ms. So far the worst for me is fatigue and balance.

[Ojibajo]

I didn't think they were that bad. In my case I went to the infusion center at a local hospital near me. Sometimes I goofed off on my laptop or took a nap or talked to other patients there. One time I even got a free manicure. It was cool.

They put a PIC line in because I got 5 days of treatment. It makes a metallic taste in your mouth which is gross so I sucked on hard candy while I got treatments and really all of the time to try to mask it. It gave me more energy and helped with my balance. The only sucky thing about it was at the end of the treatments I kind of crashed. Also the spiked my blood sugar, so be careful of that. If you have an symptoms of high blood sugar be sure to let your doctor know.