Aaahhh.."Creatively Independent"..I like it, Finlady! I must replace the word "stubborn" with it now..

hi thumper,

i'm really sorry that you're having such a hard time right now.
i think part of being independent is giving yourself permission to ask for help.

i hope each day will bring some improvement.
glad to have you here.

Thumper sorry you are down right now, but thats just it now not permantly, you will shake out of it the first year is so over whelming, we all lose our minds at this lovely news of having MS i was on something that really helped fight the aniexty and that in turn helped me think clearer and it helped a lot(lexapro was what i was on), talk to your doc about something that can help take the edge off. i hope you can get this settled in your mind soon, cause it is an illness that can be lived with, its a PITA but it can be done, hang in there Thump

I like that phrase Frank..PITA. I usually reserve that for my visit every month.

The best way I can explain the Solumedrol experience for me takes me back to my early twenties, when I was so desperate to diet that I tried every new diet pill that came on to the market. When I tried diet remedies coupled with coffee, I felt nuts, shaky, queasy, like I was running in invisible circles. I feel that way with the Solumedrol. My hands are shaking so much I can barely type. My face and hands are swollen, as are my feet (which make it difficult to squish into uncooperative shoes).

I tried to infuse early in the morning in order to be able to sleep at night. I also medicate with Tylenol PM and a small dose of clonazepam. Sleep’s not escaping me, although by 6 a.m. my eyes are bugging out of my head and I’m wide awake.

Now I’m on a yoga cool down – the Prednisone taper in the form of a pill. I don’t know if I can last the 12 days with it. I just dread the thought of putting more steroids into my exhausted body. I was hoping the minute that port went into my arm that I would feel better. It doesn’t seem to work that way.

So, I’m accepting that while the yoga has begun it will be a few weeks before I feel “better”.

Thank you all for the replies and the welcomes. I'm feeling less alone already. I hope that I can fit in here, like I said I never did this before. I tend to bottle things up until it spews out all over. Not a pretty sight.

did they give you pred or the other one medarol(sp?) pak, the second one is easy, the preds, well stay away from sugars and starches that will help in the wieght area, other than that try not smacking the first person that cuts you off lol yeah I have no words of wisdom for the preds, they can get your body revved up big time, and dont be fooled by the pseudo energy those preds give you, and dont forget you always have here to help your mind and feel better folks here are so kind its a godsend thats for sure

I had to give it a couple weeks after I'd finished up the steroids before I began to feel better again. Hang in there!

I almost smacked someone in the church parking lot Frank because she was taking too long to get out. I'm tapering on regular prednisone, 200 mg for 4 days, I'm only on day 2 , then decrease it by 10 every day until I'm done.

This week was very long and I’m so tired, physically and emotionally. It's been so hard for me to accept that I have MS.

When a second neurologist reviewed my records and MRIs , I had an episode of S.O.D (Sudden Onset of Denial). For about 45 seconds, I wondered if she was going to tell me I did not have MS after all and that it was all one really massive medical mistake. I pictured the ensuing court case, the insurance settlement, maybe being on Judge Judy, and the awkwardness of telling everyone, "Just kidding! I don’t have MS...I have an inner ear problem!"

I'm just feeling a bit overwhelmed by it all at the moment, not whining. I think there's a difference, I hope so. I'm proud of myself though for reaching out, that's so so hard for me to do.

Welcome to NT, Thumper. Good luck with the steroids. Some do well on them, others do so-so, and others just take a while to get used to them. Hopefully you won't have to do them very often.

Some docs don't believe in oral taper and some patients (like me) refuse to do the oral taper! I sleep a lot with the solumedrol so can't relate to the non-sleep issue but know that a lot of others do. It does, however, take a few days or up to a couple of weeks for it to work. So hang in there.

Stay positive (I know it's difficult) and you've got a lot of support here. Even if we are mostly a bunch of loonies!

Hi Thumper... I haven't been on for several days, but saw your thread when I got on at work today. I can so relate. It can be really difficult to just wrap your brain around the idea of having this disease. The only thing that has kept me from completely losing it is having the perspective of others going through the same thing.

I started into a relapse right before Thanksgiving and I'm on the last 5 days of oral pred right now. It was an interesting holiday season. Thankfully I have a very patient and understanding husband.

I hope you start feeling better soon... and I believe you will. I remember with my first attack I thought that I would never improve. But I did... eventually, it took time. So here I am, 3rd relapse since my dx 2 1/2 years ago frustrated that I'm not feeling better quicker. Patience was never something I had an abundance of.

to you!

Thumper, hang in there. I've been lucky. I've been on Copaxone since dx in 8/05 and have no reactions to that, but have gone through a lot of meds to tx my major symptom-pain. Just when you think something works....Anyway, my mantra is adjust and adapt. It doesn't mean giving in to MS but it helps with the rollercoaster ride of MS. I'm glad you found us here. Hang in there and don't be afraid to post. I'm fairly new this site and had never posted in a forum before. There are some wonderful people here at NT. Hope you feel better soon. Hugs and doxie kisses