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Solu-Medrol infusion vs oral steroids for exacerbation

My recent MRI shows an enhanced active lesion and I am experiencing weakness and severe drop foot. My dr. Wants me to go in for 3 days of consecutive solumedrol infusions of 1g each day. The problem is the cost of this to me is a couple of thousand dollars. My question is if oral prednisone would possibly accomplish the same results? And if so at what dosage? Has anyone gone the oral medication way instead of IV.
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Avatar universal
Thank you both for your quick response. After reading studies and pointing them out to my drs. (They had to go look it up and call me back ) about there not being much difference in the efficacy of infusion or oral they sent in a script for oral prednisone which I started today. So far so good. Thanks again!
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572651 tn?1530999357
My neuro is rather adamant that there is not much difference between doing IVSM and oral steroids -  the problem is with the oral form you have to take MASSIVE quantities- like about 25 tablets to equal that 1gram dosage of the IV.  

I have done both IVSM and oral, but the pill form was a compounded version that a pharmacist puts together and only requires one pill in place of the 25.

Are you saying the doctor wants you to go into the hospital for treatment?  The IVsM can be done in a clinic or even at home with the help of a visiting nurse, but even that is still costly.  

whatever way you go, the steroids will give you some relief by helping with the inflammation but be sure to do something to keep your stomach happy.  They can really tear up your stomach and there are other meds you can take to help ease that problem

Good luck and welcome to this lovely community,  Laura

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987762 tn?1671273328
COMMUNITY LEADER
Hi and welcome to our little MS community,

Unfortunately from what i understand of the research, the oral steroids don't work the same and or provide the same benefits as IV steroids do, which is why IV steroids are still the standard practice. It might help more considering your financial situation, to keep in mind that there are many pwMS who save it for the big relapses or not do it at all, it can be simply be a personal choice.

The IVSM doesn't necessarily help or work for everyone, it's basically only suppose to help to shorten the attack but sometimes people feel worse on the steroids than they do just dealing with the sx's of the attack and sometimes their sx's return or rebound shortly after finishing the steroids course and then you get the other side of the coin and it all works as you'd want it too and they would never consider giving up the benefits it is for them.  

In a nut shell, it's not recommended that people choose not to do IVSM but the reality is, many people don't or can't for various reasons, so please don't get too stressed trying to work it out, speak to your neuro about the issue, you never know he/she may have a solution for you, it can't hurt to ask, right?

Cheers..........JJ
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