Steroids - new NICE guidance?
I am currently taking steroid tablets over 5 days at home. Those were prescribed by GP (it wasn't easy to get prescription) for very serious relapse - I wasn't able to walk. What is concerning, that my MS nurse advised me not to take them, only wait and see, maybe it will improve by itself! And that is apparently a new NICE guidance. I don't think it is, but anyway I was too terrified to wait. From what I understand taking steroids should help to limit any more damage to my nerves during inflammation and should be taken ASAP if relapse is severe? I am very confused :-(
I saw the MS nurse last week and she said that steroids only shorten the length of the attack. They don’t limit and damage or decease the severity of the flare up. She said that her advice during a flareup, is just complete rest for a couple of days or a week. Steroids come with a lot of negative side effects so they don’t advise that you take them too often.
Looked up the 2022 Nice guidelines and they still support what your GP recommended, if they talked to a neurologist Swings and roundabouts with steroids for sure, especially regarding bone health long term, but Nice guidelines say this with regard to acute relapses ‘1.7.6 Non‑specialists should discuss a person's diagnosis of relapse and whether to offer steroids with a healthcare professional with expertise in MS because not all relapses need treating with steroids. [2014] 1.7.7 Offer treatment for relapse of MS with oral methylprednisolone 0.5 g daily for 5 days. [2014]’