I have never had anything I would call a flare. My symptoms have just gotten steadily, progressively worse. When they gave me the solumedrom I had been taken to the ER by ambulance with SEVERE DIARRHEA and a fever of 104.3. I was absolutely sure I had food poisoning, and I told eveeryone. They admitted me, then discovered I was under the care of a neurologist. So they called him in. He said I had inflammatory colitis caused by MS. He ordered 5 days of very high dose solumedrol IV's. The solumedrol gave me such severe chest pains, I couldn't breathe. They put me on morphine so I could draw a breath. I got sicker and sicker, lost 30 pounds in a short time. My heart stopped twice and they moved me to the cardiac unit. After 5 days of HELL I was no better - a lot worse. The neuro ordered another 5 days of solumedrol. I refused it. I was still sure I had food poisoning and the solumedrol would only weaken any immune system I had left. After 21 days I was near death, and I finally got a new young ward doctor to listen to me. They checked and sure enough, I had e coli and salmonella. Within 12 hours of taking an antibiotic I was amazingly recovered.

I personally don't like the steroids. I think they bring on horrific mood swings. They should warn people better about the side effects. I had one or two rounds of them years back and have worked hard to steer clear of them. They screw with your appetite which means they're screwing with your gut. I can remember I used to go sit behind my house as we have woods behind it so my kids did not see how they were effecting me. )One day my younger son asked me Mommy are you going to die? It was an ah ha moment for me I told him I was too mean to die and reassured him God would give us the strength to deal with this. My hope is that the steroids help more people than they hurt. Sure hope someone is keeping track of that. My younger son has asthma. I let them give him steroids twice. His behavior was that of a different child. I figured out fast how to deal with it in a much better way for him. He hasn't had tem for many years. Thank God.

after my 3 day drip, had a BURST of energy (loved it). Then, a crash. feelin poorly, but now 3 wks later I feel like I am on the gain...Give it time, you could snap out of it. Thinking of you and sending positive vibes your way..hugs to you PurpleButterfly.

Give it time, dear. They solumedrol treatment is usually 3-5 days long. It stays in your system for up to two months or so. It will help! It'll also make you depressed when the treatment ends! Something most docs won't warn ya about...

it got worse as far a fatigue goes and some of the symptoms did get worse but then it got better. I thought the good outweighed the bad in my case.