Prednisone to Solumedrol – HELP!

Hi Alice and everyone,

I really need some advice. I was diagnosed with CIDP several years ago.
I tried IVIG for well over a year and it did nothing! No luck at all with it.
I have tried Embrel, Orencia and a host of other pills without much
success.

Then I too was put on the miracle drug Prednisone. It’s the first thing
that made any difference! But, my doctor won’t use it long term. He
won’t budge on that. So, we cut down my dosage to where I am on
5 mg/day and miserable. I probably would be even worse without the
5 mg!

About 4 months ago, I started getting a Solumedrol IV drip every other
week. It has helped with the pain. My inflammation factors (Sed rate,
CRP, etc. have all gone down). The problem is the side effects. I am
going out of my mind! The insomnia is terrible and I am a bundle of
nerves! My panic disorder is out of control! I am dying of the heat all
the time. My face is flushed. I have a metallic taste in my mouth and
sometimes I am so itchy that I can’t stand it. Last Thursday we cut
the dosage to see if it would make a difference. It hasn’t. I came home
Thursday and have not gone out since.

Have any of you had any experience with Solumedrol? If I need to
stop it, do you have any thoughts on what I could try next? I really
don’t know what to do. I feel so stuck. Any advice would be greatly
appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
Sandila