How long will this last?
Hi. I've been off Gilenya since April due to low lymphocytes. I'm going back on it on Friday which I'm happy about. I started with a relapse in late August and although it has been annoying, I haven't had any pain so decided against taking steroids which always make me feel really ill. This relapse has mainly just been numbness - starting in both feet and spreading up both legs to my waist and further up, to just under my bust. I thought my feet felt like they were getting better the last week or so but they're bad again today. I know this is probably like asking how long is a piece of string, but anyone got any idea how long this is likely to last? I've had numbness in relapses before, before I was diagnosed, but I don't remember it hanging around this long. I'm getting bored of it now!
I have moved more into SPMS so am not having active flares so am not being prescribed the steroids which have quickly resolved issues in the past. For several of my attacks I had a device like https://infuserveamerica.com/104/elastomeric-pumps/ delivering 1 gram per day for 5 days and then a tail off pack of pills https://www.webmd.com/multiple-sclerosis/treating-iv-steroids#1 Search using the magnifying glass. This worked great for me but not for others! and it has to be done as soon as symptoms are detected...if you wait a week the active lesion may have cooled off and it wouldn't be effective. I would report symptoms, have an appt ASAP with the MS nurse and have an MRI and be on it within days, then it would be resolved within 48 hours typically...although I would be on the treatment for 10 days total I think.
@niccis , You're right about that bit of string! You might recover from this numbness or you might not. It depends whether this latest relapse has left any residual damage. Steroids can bring a relapse to a quicker conclusion, but the recovery itself would be the same whether taking them or not.