Sorry to hear you are in a flare.

I have never had IVSM so I can't be of any help with that.

I hope it goes well and you are on the mend soon!

my legs feel exactly the same way right now. Heavy, and not playing well with the rest of me at the moment. I'm starting to wonder if it has something to do with the pain in the middle of my back that I've had the past few weeks. (right at waist level, where waistband of my jeans go. Right on the spine)

And the sneaky fatigue. I hate when I sit down to do something, and all of a sudden, I can feel myself falling asleep, sitting straight up. I've had to start sitting my chair further away from my desk. I've had a couple of near misses with the Corian desktop when I've fallen asleep, and nearly faceplanted my nose into the corner edge of the desktop.

I like apple flavored candy when I'm getting IVSM. Oh, and this probably isn't the thing to eat while on steroids, but I like Greek food, usually gyros, with garlicky tzatziki sauce. Something about the garlic in the tzatziki sauce kills the taste of the steroids for me.

Well, it wasn't too terribly bad. They left the IV in because I'll be back in the morning at 9AM and on Sunday at 8 AM.

I have the metallic taste already. I felt sort of queasy when I got home so I ate some saltines and that seemed to help.

The nurses at the infusion center were real nice. The nurse who took care of me was a riot. I asked her if I could use my cell phone while in the room getting the infusion and she said "Of course honey! You're not in prison!" Okay then.............

My cats are having fun sniffing the bandage covering my arm. I'll have to figure out how to keep it dry in the shower.

Erin, do you think you might have a UTI? That can cause all sorts of havoc with symptoms.

It's not in the same place as where I get the weird sensations during a uti. This is actually pain on the spine, with a spot of numbness that radiates out. It might just be from sleeping in my computer chair when the sneaky fatigue sneaks up.

But, I'm always on the lookout for a uti. They are the bane of my existence, and usually the cause of most of my MS problems.

Well, day 2 was uneventful. I've noticed that the numbness in my right hand has gotten less severe and today I can even write somewhat legibly. I had not even thought about that getting any better but I'll take what I can get.

How long do the effects from IVSM last after the 3 day course is finished?

So far this has been a positive experience. I even enjoy visiting with the nurses at the infusion center.

Today is day 3....last day!!

I can definitely tell a difference. I didn't go to bed until 1 AM and here it is 5 AM and I'm UP!! Oh well, no big deal. I'll nap later if I need it.

I keep telling myself that I'm just feeling better because I know I'm "supposed" to and it's just a placebo effect but I can really tell there is more strength in my legs and I'm walking better. Noting miraculous but it was so bad a week ago there is definitely a difference today.

I hope this lasts for a long while. I could get used to this!!

Hope it lasts for you too.

Last time I had steroids for something that was not vision related, it didn't work. (usually only take steroids for vision related MS stuff)

The one time I tried steroids for a non-vision thing, it was when my hands went numb in 2012. Movement of my fingers was weird then too. Steroids didn't seem to do a thing for it. My hands are still numb. I created my own PT for it. I crocheted, knitted, and did typing tests on the internet to try to help any movement issues, and keep my hands moving. That seemed to help some.

I did have some cortisone shots in my shoulder last year for the not-MS-related frozen shoulder, and was told that wouldn't do anything for the MS. It did seem to help my energy for awhile, and it helped the pain in the shoulder from the frozen shoulder.

I've been having a lot more issues lately with walking. I'm about to contact my neuro and see if he'll Rx some steroids, or a round of IVSM, or I'm going to switch neuros. Just afraid to switch neuros, because they'll probably want an MRI, and I'm claustrophobic and don't want to crawl into a tube where it'll be uncomfortable, and I'll end up emotionally traumatized from the claustrophobia AND be in pain from not moving.

I'm supposed to have an MRI but they are waiting for the authorization from Humana and I think the weekend timing of all this is slowing it down. I was really hoping to be able to get the MRI while at the hospital already receiving the IVSM. That's not going to happen, though.

The IVSM seems to be helping the numbness in my right hand a little bit. I can write better....or at least legibly....so that's a positive.

The grandbabies were over yesterday and they both zoomed in on the bandage covering the IV on my arm so that was interesting trying to get them to leave it alone! They don't miss anything new.

you don't really want to be in an MRI machine while hooked up to a steroid infusion. Depending on how long you'd be in the machine. I only say this because IVSM makes me have to go potty very very very often.