Solu-Medrol (Methylprednisolone sodium succinate) for Multiple Sclerosis

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Solu-Medrol (methylprednisolone sodium succinate) is a prescription medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating adults with acute multiple sclerosis (MS) flare-ups.

What Members Say

MHT logo These insights are based on 463 comments about Solu-Medrol from MyMSTeam members. These are the experiences of a small number of people and are not meant to be medical advice.

Benefits:

Relapse symptoms can improve quickly, sometimes within days of starting treatment.
Short courses of three to five infusion days can feel manageable.
Home infusions can reduce travel and hospital time.

Considerations:

Blood sugar can rise sharply and may need closer monitoring.
Insomnia, anxiety, irritability, or mood changes can happen.
Infection risk can increase because corticosteroids suppress the immune system.

How Solu-Medrol Works and How It’s Taken

Solu-Medrol is a type of steroid medicine called a glucocorticoid. It works by changing how the immune system responds and by lowering inflammation in the body.

Doctors prescribe Solu-Medrol to adults for acute flare-ups of multiple sclerosis (sudden worsening of multiple sclerosis symptoms) who cannot take medicine by mouth.

Solu-Medrol is given into a vein or a muscle (intravenous injection, intravenous infusion, or intramuscular injection) by a healthcare professional.

Typical Dosing for Multiple Sclerosis

Doses of Solu-Medrol for treating flare-ups of multiple sclerosis vary. One regimen starts with 160 milligrams daily for one week.

For individuals who respond to treatment, the dose may be reduced to 64 milligrams every other day for one month. Sometimes a short course of much higher doses may be used to quickly reduce multiple sclerosis symptoms.

Your doctor will decide the most appropriate dose for you. If this medicine has been used for more than a few days, your doctor may lower the dose gradually rather than stopping it suddenly.

This information is based on the prescribing information, but your healthcare provider may tailor your treatment plan. Always follow their guidance.

Top Advice From Members on Solu-Medrol

These insights are based on 463 comments about Solu-Medrol from MyMSTeam members.

Members who use Solu-Medrol often say it helps to stay in close contact with their neurologist, pay attention to side effects, and plan ahead for the practical side of infusions. Many members also mention that results can vary, with some feeling better quickly and others needing more time or not noticing much benefit.

1

Tell your doctor about side effects right away.
“So the first two days of the Solu-Medrol gave me lots of energy with no vision help. Then yesterday, which is after day 3, I started to notice that I was feeling edgy, moody, shaky, racing heart, extremely tired, and just weird. Today it is the same symptoms all day. I called my doctor’s office and they said no more after yesterday.”
2

Ask your doctor what to expect from timing and response.
“I never felt better right after the infusion of Solu-Medrol. It always took about a week.”
3

Talk to your doctor about the dose and treatment plan.
“My neurologist usually prescribes a three-day course of IV-administered Solu-Medrol. It helps me immensely.”
4

Plan ahead for infusion logistics and transportation.
“The first time I had it I stayed in the hospital for the entire five days. The last time my doctor arranged for a home health nurse to come to my home and it only takes about an hour and they can leave the IV port in your hand.”

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Solu-Medrol Side Effects

Serious Side Effects and Warnings

Solu-Medrol can cause serious side effects. These include:

Serious allergic reactions — These can include anaphylaxis and angioedema, which can cause swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat, and trouble breathing.
Serious infections — The immune system can be suppressed, which can make infections more likely, worsen existing infections, or reactivate latent infections such as tuberculosis.
Hepatitis B virus reactivation — The virus can become active again in individuals who carry hepatitis B.
Drug-induced liver injury — Rarely, high-dose IV treatment used for multiple sclerosis relapses can cause a toxic form of acute hepatitis.
Adrenal suppression — Your body may make less natural steroid hormone, especially after stopping treatment.
Increases in blood sugar or worsening diabetes — These changes can occur during treatment.
Severe mental health or behavior changes — These can include severe depression, mood swings, or psychosis.
Eye problems — These can include increased eye pressure, glaucoma, or cataracts.
Heart and fluid problems — These can include increased blood pressure, fluid retention, and worsening heart failure in susceptible people.
Stomach or intestinal injury — These can include ulcers, bleeding, or a perforation in the stomach or intestines.
Bone and muscle problems — These can include muscle weakness, steroid myopathy, osteoporosis, or fractures.
Kaposi’s sarcoma — This type of cancer has been reported with corticosteroid use in some individuals with a weakened immune system and other risk factors.

Some side effects require immediate medical attention. Get medical help right away if you think you are having a serious reaction.

How To Save on Solu-Medrol

Pfizer, the manufacturer of Solu-Medrol, offers Pfizer RxPathways. To learn more, visit Pfizer RxPathways or call 844-989-PATH (7284).

What To Know Before Taking Solu-Medrol

Tell your doctor if you have any allergies to methylprednisolone or any ingredients in Solu-Medrol, including if you have a known or suspected allergy to lactose, cow’s milk, or other dairy products. Some formulations contain trace milk ingredients.

Do not take Solu-Medrol if you have had a serious allergic reaction to methylprednisolone or any of its ingredients.

Tell your doctor about all medicines you take, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines, and supplements. Also let your doctor know if you have had recent infections or nervous system problems in the past.

Do not take Solu-Medrol if you have a systemic fungal infection. Do not receive live or weakened vaccines, such as chickenpox or MMR vaccines, while taking Solu-Medrol.

Inactivated (killed) vaccines may be given, but they may not work as well while the immune system is weakened by the corticosteroid.

Solu-Medrol is also FDA approved to treat certain allergic, skin, endocrine, gastrointestinal, blood, kidney, breathing, rheumatic, eye, and cancer-related conditions.

If you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding while taking Solu-Medrol, talk with your doctor about the risks and benefits.

Community FAQs

These answers are fact-checked by our editorial staff.

How effective is Solu-Medrol?

Studies have shown that corticosteroids can help people recover faster during a flare-up of multiple sclerosis. However, they do not change how the disease develops over time or its long-term outcome.

How long does Solu-Medrol take to work for multiple sclerosis?

After it is given into a vein, Solu-Medrol can start working within one hour. The effects can last for different amounts of time, generally several hours.

Can Solu-Medrol cause mood changes or trouble sleeping in people with multiple sclerosis?

Yes. Reported nervous system and psychiatric side effects include insomnia, mood swings, emotional instability, euphoria, depression, personality changes, and psychic disorders. Severe psychiatric effects can occur in some people taking corticosteroids.

Should I take Solu-Medrol for multiple sclerosis if I have an infection?

Solu-Medrol suppresses the immune system and can increase the risk of new infections, worsen existing infections, and mask signs of infection. It should not be used in people with systemic fungal infections, and people taking it should seek medical advice right away if they develop fever or other signs of infection.