I had an IV solu medrol started in April on 3 days into a 5 day treatment, I ended up in the hospital with the most excruciating pain in my legs ever imaginable. After all kinds on blood tests and xrays/ct scans, they came in to let me know that my femur bones were inflamed. First, I didn't even know bones could become inflamed. My neurologist didn't know if it was the solu-medrol or the tecfidera I had just started taking the day the pain started. He sent me to a pain specialist, who has seen this with solu-medrol more times than he wants to think about. Unfortunately, to this day, the pain and inflammation in my femur bones are still there and have only been controlled by Endocet and Zanaflex. Since the bones are inflamed, they make my thigh muscles very mad and the Zanaflex works pretty good and also helps with all the spasticity throughout the rest of my legs from the MS. So, I'm no too fond of solu-medrol, unless you are in a bad relapse and it is absolutely necessary. I found that taking high dose oral prednisone has helped for minor relapse and pseudo relapse. My pain specialist also does steroid injections in certain areas that are more troubling during a relapse and just doesn't use solu-medrol.

IV Solu Medrol has helped me a couple of times with MAJOR relapses however, the downfalls from them were unable to do Copaxone in the lags because of extra fluid retention,increased appetite, sleep effects etc. At one time I said I looked like an "Elemunk", an Elephant/Chipmunk, because of the extreme swelling from it
As it was wearing off, I would get tightening spasms in my shoulders traveling down to my lower back. I dreaded getting them too!

Thank you for answering this. Will ask all the above questions you have provided. Have a great day! :)