Oral Pred not work = no MS?!
 

Hi all,

I saw my neuro today and now I'm a bit happier... i think!!

She did a very quick exam (legs only)... did the babinski test with my socks on....?? is that normal? :confused:

She said by the exam she could rule out MS, as it was so normal, even though I shuffled in there, due to a very 'bad leg day'!!!! but she will do a spinal MRI in 5 weeks still looking for demyelination.
I've only had brain and c-spine before.

I also had bloods to check for "Myasthenia Gravia"..... But i don't have any of the neck/droopy eye/swallowing symtoms of this disease. Just the weak legs with physical activity.

(Ok, i'm getting to my topic about the pred.) So she said, "because the oral pred (25mg for 5 days, then half for 5 days so far) hasn't worked for my leg, then it's highly unlikely to be MS as well.

So, does that sound right, that if the oral pred doesn't work it's most likely not MS??

Hello, Freesia.

My neuro always has me take off my socks. Even when I went to a different neuro my socks came off.

The of oral prednisone you were taking was a very small amount and if you have MS would possibly not be enough. Most with MS have a very high dose of steroids by IV.

I used oral prednisone years ago. I am not positive but I believe my dosage was somewhere around 40 or 60 mg.

My daughter has used oral prednisone for her asthma and the dosage was 10 mg.

Steroids are anti-inflammatory. Steroids working or not does not indicate MS.

I would get a second opinion if possible.

I've always had to be barefooted....even to do a walking test. I wanted to keep my socks on but he insisted that I take them off. He said it's not accurate with them on. :confused:

MG was one of the first things my first Neuro eliminated during my dx. But that was after extensive tests including and EMG and VEP. I'm confused as to how she could eliminate MS with only the Babinski test being done.

I truly hope that you don't have MS....but it just doesn't sound like enough tests have been performed for that judgment to be made yet.

I agree with the others and please get a more thorough Neuro..:hug: That rhymns. :D

I have done both oral and IV steroids. When I did oral it was 600 mg per day for 5 days (not 25) and then a taper of 50 for 5 days, then 25 for 5 days, etc. When I have done the IV it was 1,000 mg for 3 days. So, I agree with the others that your dose wasn't high enough for MS.

Also, I never had any kind of real improvement for a week or maybe even 2 or 3. My neuro said was quite normal for it to take that kind of time to show improvement.

This is interesting to hear. (about the improvements that may take a few weeks to show) I had improvement in my vision pretty much within the first week after IV steroids (this is my second week since steroids...the first week started last monday.) I had improvement in the numb and tingly sensations around the same time.

Right now tho, my right eye hurts (not the one I had the steroids for) and I've got such an increase in the burning sensation over the weekend that my entire left leg and foot are burning now. (more than it was last night when I posted an earlier message in this thread)

I feel like the improvement is going backwards...at least in my left leg. Oh, and my left hand is now more numb than it was before the steroids.

I really hope there's more improvement coming soon. The burning is getting really bad. I wonder if I should take a neurontin?

I'm just glad that I'm not seeing two of everything all the time now, and the vertigo let up so that I'm not walking into walls anymore.

Hi,

I should have filled in more details sorry....

the babinski isn't the only thing the neuro used to 'rule out' MS - my brain and c-spine were clear, bloods and VER.

The neuro did put me on 50mg oral pred with taper a few weeks ago, but I freaked out after day 4 when i couldn't stop crying for most of the day!!! I called her and she told me to go off it - just like that.

So my regular doctor told me to try the lower dose 25mg.

The test with the socks on though surprised me, and she didn't do a walk test.

Hi Freesia38,
Welcome!
I know health programs in your country may be different then some of us have in the US. But I do feel that if your doctor was treating you for probable MS, then he did not test well enough, nor give you enough steroids. Perhaps it is something else and you will be happy it is not MS.

My brain and C-spine were clear in an open-MRI. Then the MS specialist in NYC, ordered a closed one. It showed plenty of brain lesions. Later on I showed one brainstem lesion and one at C-2 or C-3 lesion I believe.

It takes time to get a diagnosis for any Neuro disease or disorder, so you might have to see how your body is over time. He will probably check you again in a year unless you have more problems.

Call him or get another doctor if you don't feel he has helped you, or if you have any more problems. Get all problems documented by the doctor and treated with something so you do not suffer. Good luck to you.:)