• Effectiveness

  Slight (for relapse MS (exacerbation))
• Side effects

  Moderate (for Overall) (swelling, bad taste in mouth)
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  Somewhat hard to take

Dosage: 1 hr Daily

• Effectiveness

  None (for multiple sclerosis)
• Side effects

  Mild (for Overall) (weight gain)
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  A little hard to take

Dosage: 60 mg Daily

• Effectiveness

  Slight (for multiple sclerosis)
• Side effects

  Severe (for Overall) (migraine headaches, chest and face flushing, brain fog, slow speech (bradyarthria), increased energy, skin sensitive to touch, muscle soreness, irregular menstrual periods, fatigue)
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  Not at all hard to take

Dosage: 960 mg Monthly

Advice & Tips: New neurologist said this is no longer recommended as a one day once a month treatment. Side effects outnumber the benefits. I would be out of commission for the entire week when taking this treatment. The main benefit I received from doing this is a day of lots of energy while on the steroid but 4-5 days of feeling like crap coming off of it. However, it did help with my cognition for about 2 weeks especially when having conversations. I'm actually glad I won't be doing it anymore. The one full day of migraine really wasn't worth it when sometimes I was already feeling good plus having to plan my life around being unavailable for one week out of every month. Real pain in the....well you know.

Cost: < $25 monthly

• Effectiveness

  Slight (for multiple sclerosis)
• Side effects

  Severe (for Overall) (red and swollen rash on face, excessive anger)
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  Not at all hard to take

Dosage: 1 mg Monthly

• Effectiveness

  Slight (for multiple sclerosis)
• Side effects

  Mild (for Overall) (red and swollen rash on face, excessive anger)
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  Not at all hard to take

Dosage: 1 mg Monthly

• Effectiveness

  None (for optic neuritis)
• Effectiveness

  None (for neuromyelitis optica)
• Side effects

  Moderate (for Overall) (swelling, mood swings, irritability)
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  Somewhat hard to take

Dosage: 1 g Daily

Advice & Tips: Administration: I received 1g of Solu-Medrol administered via a "piggyback" system IV drip daily during an approximate week-long hospitalization. *Note:* A nurse who was in a great hurry injected an undiluted 1 gram dose of Solu-Medrol directly into my hand vein. It was EXCRUCIATING and caused my arm to instantly swell up nearly to the shoulder and become bright red and hot. I was left with permanent Phlebitis (a very painful inflammation of the vein) from the experience. The moral? NEVER allow anyone to inject that large a dose of Solu-Medrol directly into a vein. Effects: My doctor and I did not notice any positive effects from the treatment. I experienced a burning sensation in my arm from the treatment and a massive amount of swelling that encompassed my entire body - especially hands, feet, and face. It did not seem to slow the progression of my NMO whatsoever. Cost: I was covered by Medicaid at the time, and the treatment was fully covered.

Cost: < $25 monthly

• Effectiveness

  Major (for relapse MS (exacerbation))
• Side effects

  Moderate (for Overall) (insomnia)
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  Somewhat hard to take

Dosage: 1 g Daily

• Effectiveness

  Slight (for degenerative neurological disorder)
• Side effects

  None (for Overall)
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  A little hard to take

Dosage: 16 mg Daily

• Effectiveness

  None (for multiple sclerosis)
• Side effects

  Moderate (for Overall) (brain fog, fatigue, right leg dragging)
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  Very hard to take

Dosage: 1 g Daily

• Effectiveness

  Can't tell (for stiffness/spasticity)
• Effectiveness

  Can't tell (for pain)
• Effectiveness

  Can't tell (for fatigue)
• Effectiveness

  Can't tell (for bladder problems)
• Effectiveness

  Can't tell (for balance problems)
• Effectiveness

  Can't tell (for optic nerve inflammation (optic neuritis))
• Effectiveness

  Can't tell (for Improve mobility)
• Effectiveness

  Can't tell (for multiple sclerosis)
• Side effects

  Severe (for Overall) (hives (urticaria), chest pain, change in taste, eye problems, metallic taste in mouth, jumpiness (startling easily))
• Adherence

  Sometimes
• Burden

  A little hard to take

Dosage: 1000 mg Daily

Cost: < $25 monthly

Side effects: metallic taste in mouth, jumpiness (startling easily), eye problems, change in taste

• Effectiveness

  Slight (for Improve mobility)
• Effectiveness

  Slight (for multiple sclerosis)
• Effectiveness

  Moderate (for stiffness/spasticity)
• Effectiveness

  Moderate (for pain)
• Effectiveness

  Slight (for fatigue)
• Effectiveness

  Moderate (for bladder problems)
• Effectiveness

  None (for balance problems)
• Effectiveness

  None (for optic nerve inflammation (optic neuritis))
• Side effects

  Moderate (for Overall) (change in taste, eye problems, metallic taste in mouth, jumpiness (startling easily))
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  A little hard to take

Dosage: 1000 mg Daily

Advice & Tips: The true side effects...and things you can drink or take to make them subside a little faster!

Cost: < $25 monthly

Side effects: metallic taste in mouth, jumpiness (startling easily), eye problems, change in taste

• Effectiveness

  None (for multiple sclerosis)
• Side effects

  None (for Overall)
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  Not at all hard to take

Dosage: 1 g Daily

Cost: < $25 monthly