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        New Message Board Archives >> Jan-Mar 2003 >> Methyl-prednisolone treatment
        
(Message started by: totka on Jan 25^th, 2003, 4:09pm)

Title: Methyl-prednisolone treatment
Post by totka on Jan 25^th, 2003, 4:09pm

Hi,

8) I'm :) so :D happy! ;D

My Solu-medrol (methyl-prednisolone, similar to your prednisone) therapy started yesterday. It's a bit drastic treatment: 500-500 mg for 3 days, 250-250 mg for 3 days and 125-125 mg for 3 days in I.V. infusion. It's hungarian name is about 'impulse-therapy'.

I had only a KIP 3 last night. It was my best night for last two weeks. I hope so it will be long-lasting.
But instead of headache I've a stomachache (side-effect). It's the 'a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush' effect, if I'm right.

And a message to Sommelier: I wait for your answer.

PFDAN (at least as my last night)

Title: Re: Methyl-prednisolone treatment
Post by suzy617 on Jan 25^th, 2003, 4:47pm

Hi Totka,
Glad to hear the meds are helping you. I have not tried that yet but next cycle if my current meds dont help, the neuro is going to prescribe the prednisone. I've seen some people take that for other reasons then CH and they really blow up like balloons, I'm wondering if this happens to everyone who takes this cause I'd rather try something else instead. Just me, I dont want to gain weight, dont want pain either, geez...

suzy

Title: Re: Methyl-prednisolone treatment
Post by jonny on Jan 25^th, 2003, 9:08pm

Glad its working for you, I use to smoke that shit in the 80's and what a trip it was for me.

..........................jonny :D

Title: Re: Methyl-prednisolone treatment
Post by catlind on Jan 26^th, 2003, 2:00pm

Totka, glad you are finding some help!

Suzy, they put me on prednisone, I was on it for 8 weeks. I gained 10 pounds in 12 days without changing my eating habits, (eating once a day). You can imagine what I looked like after 8 weeks. I'm still battling the weight from the prednisone and surgery done less than 6 months later than that. A hysterectomy to cure my headaches. I gotta wonder what a guy would say if the doc told them they were gonna cut out their balls to fix their headaches >:(

Ah well, what can ya do. If you do go on prednisone, go with low dosage for as short a time as possible, I did 8 weeks starting at 60mg, then 40 mg, then 20mg.

Cat

Title: Re: Methyl-prednisolone treatment
Post by Svenn on Jan 26^th, 2003, 2:14pm

80mg for 10 days and then step down like 60-50-40-30-20-10-5 within 4 weeks for the startdate for the predcure should help.What you are talking about is insane as i see this.But thats just me.

Take care

Svenn

Title: Re: Methyl-prednisolone treatment
Post by suzy617 on Jan 26^th, 2003, 2:47pm

Cat,
Curious to know why your Dr. gave you a hysterectomy for headaches? I remember you mentioning this one time before but cant remember the reason.

I bet that Dr. NEVER mentioned snipping balls to his male patients!

I know menopause causes weight gain in itself so I guess you were given a double whammy with that and the pred.

Take care,

suzy

Title: Re: Methyl-prednisolone treatment
Post by catlind on Jan 26^th, 2003, 2:50pm

Svenn, I couldn't agree more about the insanity of it all. I just wish I didn't personally know 2 other people who have had the same surgery to 'cure' their migraines.

Us women seem to be the target of "it's your hormones" at every turn.

Cat

Title: Re: Methyl-prednisolone treatment
Post by ZAIRA on Jan 26^th, 2003, 3:29pm

Hello Totka,
I’m happy for you that Solumedrol works for you. :D :D
Let’s know about evolutions... ;)

Good Luck,

Zaira :-*

Title: Re: Methyl-prednisolone treatment
Post by catlind on Jan 26^th, 2003, 4:06pm

Suzy,

The reasoning behind the surgery was 2 fold. I started getting hit hard with the headaches about 4 months after my last was born. They did the CT scan and lo an behold it showed I had NO pituitary gland, not exactly possibly considering I'd just had a baby. So next came the MRI, and they told me they were looking for some sort of a tumor that had eaten away the gland (it was a great way to spend xmas...found out right before and couldn't get the MRI til after the new year). MRI showed that sella turcica (bony structure surrounding and protecting the pit. gland and the hypothalamus) was filled with cerebral spinal fluid and was squashing the pit. gland slightly.

Of course the pit. gland governs all the hormonal stuff, and as I have psoriasis, an autoimmune disorder, and had also had endometriosis (which apparently had reappeared and was severe) that they contributed it to autoimmune as well since there was no possible way for it to be back flow bleeding from the tubes, (they were clipped) I had surgery in 98 to fix scarring from the endo and they removed or slipped off one of the clips. Hence the arrival of Ayden ;)

Soooooooo they decided that my headaches were temporal arteritis, a form of autoimmune disorder that is vasculitis, except one problem, I am 34, and it's unheard of in folks under age 40, and mostly in patients over 50. So they did surgery to remove a chunk of my temporal artery on the right side (CH side) to biopsy it. Negative of course. Then they figured it had to be the hormones causing it, so they did the hysterectomy (had some other probs as well that they were supposed to fix and didn't - that whole surgery was a nightmare I'd like to forget) then put me on HRT. Headaches didn't go away, HRT made them worse, went off HRT and back on my preventative (celexa) but at that point it was too late I was already too far into the cycle. That was July 02, and we have been battling ever since to get a neuro to listen to us (my gp and I) and treat this for what it is, CH's and Migraines. My gp's hubby is neuro surgeon and has been saying this all along, but the 3 different neuros I've been to either discount it, or tell me it's just another form of migraine and add more narcotics to the list of treatments. Had I not found this board, I doubt I'd be around to post this today. After 3 years of this back and forth, I finally have a firm diagnosis backed up by 3 different physicians and now an appointment at Walter Reed Army Medical Center to try to get a reasonable treatment plan that won't kill me (because of heart issues...I am very very jealous of all of you who can use triptans) and that won't involve narcotics that don't do anything except get you addicted, depressed and barely touch the pain.

Okay, there, that's why, geeez, should have made this it's own post LOL.

Needless to say, 4 years ago when I got married I was a size 6, between a pregnancy, prednisone, and 2 abdominal surgeries, I don't know if I'll ever see that size again LOL.

I'm thinkin plastic surgeons are about all that can help me now! The hardest thing about the pred is the weight around the face, the chipmunk face, and the rubber tire around the waist. Those are very noticeable very fast. Then there's the overall weight gain, I gained 30 lbs in 8 weeks. Do your research before you go down that road, pred is a very NASTY drug, and I won't EVER go on it again, I'd rather suffer the pain, CH can't kill me, Pred can - one of the drugs SIDE EFFECTS is diabetes.

Okay I'm done ranting now LOL

Cat

Title: Re: Methyl-prednisolone treatment
Post by suzy617 on Jan 26^th, 2003, 4:18pm

Wow Cat, what a mess that has been for you! No, I think next time down the road I'll try something other then the pred. Diabetes runs very high in my family, didnt know that was a side effect of pred. I have been on HRT for 8 years now but it has never caused any difference in my CH, thank God cause I would KILL if I had to go off it, LOL. My father had a tumor on his pituatary gland and had to have his adrenal glands removed because of this. Wierd stuff but guess it is all to do with hormonal crap.
Hope you get a treatment plan that works for you!

suzy

Title: Re: Methyl-prednisolone treatment
Post by totka on Jan 27^th, 2003, 6:44am

Hi,
I'm totally pain free for two days! Now I should be in the middle phase of my bout.
My doc prescribes me Losec (if I'm right it's Prilosec in the USA) against my stomach-problem. So I'm fine now.
If you would I ask my doctor to write the details of the methyl-prednisolone treatment and I'll send you that. It's a bit 'drastic' but it isn't generate weight-problem.
PFDAN
Totka

Title: Re: Methyl-prednisolone treatment
Post by catlind on Jan 27^th, 2003, 2:01pm

Awesome news totka!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

I was going to suggest prilosec for your stomach (that's what saved mine) but didn't know if you had an equivalent there or what it would be called.

So glad you are pain free!!!! Love to hear of success!!

:D :D

Cat