Steroid day!

So this evening the home health nurse will show up to stick a needle in my arm and start my infusion of Solumedrol. Let me explain.

Late last year I started noticing a trend. After each treatment of steroids for relapse last year, my energy started to diminish about 3-4 weeks after I finished the oral taper and would decrease over a period of 2-4 months when I would end up in a relapse again. I do take my Copaxone every day (mostly) but that didn't seem to be cutting it. The next option of drug for me had side effects that I wasn't willing to risk, so steroids became the next best thing. For about 6 months now I've been on what is known as pulse steroids, 1 high dose IV per month.

The idea is that it will keep my immune system suppressed and thus have less of an opportunity for a relapse. In theory.

In reality, I still work at a physically demanding job, still go to school 2 nights a week and am taking 9 credits this semester. I still have to take call and I still have trouble sleeping. So, in effect I have not reduced the stress in my life one whit, and frankly I don't think that the pulse steroids do much except increase my energy level - which of course is something.

There also tends to be a trend that the first few days of my period result in a temporary increase in my symptoms. The deep achy pain returns in my legs, the weakness in my left leg becomes noticeable, my legs become stiff and seem like foreign beings that move only when they deem necessary, and fatigue becomes unbearable.

The neuro I see say that core temp goes up slightly when women menstruate and that I'm probably susceptible to that increased temp. *shrug*

I talked over my issue with a gynecologist who suggested I take birth control year round without skipping a week for a placebo. That's what I've been doing since late last year.

At the beginning of this week I realized that I forgot to renew my birth control and I ended up missing one for 12 hours. In those 12 hours, my body was able to start menstruating and putting the rest of me in the crapper.

Now, knowing that this was a possibility anyway, I scheduled the nurse for today. I figured that if I was going to have symptoms, steroids the same week would take care of them. They have in the past.

Frankly though, I'm tired of this. I don't want to be a pin cushion anymore. Maybe the steroids are causing more harm than good. I'll have to discuss this with him when I see him in May.

Breakfast:
2 Eggo waffles - 170
1/2 low fat cottage cheese - 90
1/2 peaches - 80
20 g Reddiwhip - 60
Total: 400

Midmorning:
1 Polly-O cheese - 60
1 Pria bar - 110
Total: 170