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Does anyone take steroids on a low dosage?

A MyMSTeam Member asked a question 💭
glbran@comcast.net

Recently, I was having bad muscle spasms in my back and the orthopedic put me on a very low dose of a six day maybe steroid pack it made a lot of of the spasms and hurt from my MS go away. Once I stop them, it all came back. Today I had my infusion and they give you steroids. That made my pains go away again so I wonder, if I should be requesting low dosage of steroids on a regular.

July 30
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A MyMSTeam Member

Steroids damage the endocrine system , so I think that’s why it’s not recommended to take them routinely.

July 31
A MyMSTeam Member

@A MyMSTeam Member the best way to get anti inflammatory benefits in our bodies is through food , eat lots of berries and fruits , veggies , dark cocao, olive oil, walnuts etc. Vitamin D3 is great for inflammation if you aren’t on a supplement please take one. Drinks tons of water , and exercise if you can . If you can find out if you have any allergies or food sensitivities eliminate them as they cause so much inflammation.

August 1 (edited)
A MyMSTeam Member

Everything I read, and everyone who I talk to tells me how bad of an idea it is to be on steroids for any length of time. I know steroids are used to help MS patients recover from certain severe disabilities . And I guess that is what the steroids were doing for me. So I’m thinking that there are certain things that I was living with before the steroids that I still have to live with now. I’m going to guess that the prolonged use of steroids brought on the progressive MS. I know they’ll bring on diabetes and other harmful issues. It makes me wonder why they can’t find an anti-inflammatory that works as well without the bad side effects.

August 1
A MyMSTeam Member

For years my neurologist kept giving me steroids...get shots and got up and could function... like magic but next MS progressed quickly with disabilities...

August 1
MyMSTeam

It's great that steroids have been providing some relief! Many people with MS find that steroids help ease symptoms during flares or infusions. That said, steroids are generally prescribed short-term for MS because long-term use can lead to some serious side effects, including:

- Thinning of bones (osteoporosis)
- Weight Show Full Answer

It's great that steroids have been providing some relief! Many people with MS find that steroids help ease symptoms during flares or infusions. That said, steroids are generally prescribed short-term for MS because long-term use can lead to some serious side effects, including:

- Thinning of bones (osteoporosis)
- Weight gain
- Increased blood sugar
- Higher risk of infections
- Hormonal disruptions Here's something important to know: steroids don't actually change the long-term outcome of MS symptoms. What they do is speed up recovery during a relapse. So while they may feel like a relief in the moment, regular low-dose use carries risks that could make managing MS harder over time. This is absolutely worth bringing up with your neurologist. They can weigh the benefits against the risks for your specific situation and may also explore other symptom management options like muscle relaxants or disease-modifying therapies that could help with ongoing spasms and pain without the risks of regular steroid use.

July 30

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