The LP is about the same as the epidural for having a baby. Only you get to lay down on your side instead of having to sit up, and bend over.

The rule of thumb about MS flairs, and relapses is

Any new or worsening of an existing symptom. It needs to last 24 hours straight with no breaks in symptoms. (breaks in sx means its probably a flair, or you are over heated, overstressed, or overtired)

You have seven days to report the symptom to the MD for consideration of steroid treatments.

They have up to 14 days from the start of the first symptom that would allow steroids to be effective in the treatment of this relapse.


That being said "most" relapses will clear and recover with or without steroids. The steroids will help make it less severe, and make the probablity of permenant damage less likely. it will help reduce the swelling around the lesion that is eating on the mylin. The name of the game is to survive the relapses with as few disabilities as possible.

My MD calls this the 1/7/14 rule.

hope you feel better.