Some corticosteroids such as prednisone are generally given orally. Some physicians now believe that a brief course of high-dose intravenous steroids, lasting just a few days, is the treatment of choice for an acute MS attack. This treatment may require hospitalization, although it is possible to have IV treatment on an out-patient basis. There is, however, no definitive evidence that this treatment produces a more complete recovery than that which would have happened without treatment. Steroids Should Be Taken Under Physician s Supervision Possible side effects of corticosteroids include stomach irritation, water retention, restlessness, insomnia and mood swings.
Most patients tolerate the treatment well.
Sometimes the course of IV steroids is followed by a tapering dose of oral steroids given over a few weeks. Steroids should only be taken under a physician's supervision and should never be stopped abruptly because they suppress the body's own steroid production. The tapering doses allow the body time to step up its own production. There is no evidence to suggest that continuous steroid administration slows progression of MS or improves symptoms over a long period of time. From The MS Information Sourcebook produced by the Information Resource Center and Library of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.