yeah corticosteroids are the only treatment for this condition as well. i see my opthamologist again on monday and i think he has to write me the prescription for that treatment. did you have any side effects from the treatment?
Yes, I had a bunch. Avoid it if you can. It wasn't so fun the first time around (I think because I was so weak and was dealing with a lot of other meds and things). I felt pretty miserable everyday for over 2 yrs. Hot body flashes, appetite changes, sleeping issues, the moon face (water rentention), I felt like there was some kind of hormonal imbalance. When you get off it, you have to go slowly because you get dependent on it. I was a pretty high dose though. At the worst of it, I was getting 10x the regular amount via IV and it made me go crazy (literally - I thought I was twilight zone). That was just 1 bad night though. They gave me something to counter-act it.
Had a relapse about 3 yrs later, and went back on it for a year or so, but that time, I was able to tolerate it better (my body was physically stronger this time) and didn't affect everyday life for the most part.
Some doctor told me that if you inject a higher dose, every month or so, you can minimize the side-effects. Also realize I was taking as much as one can possibly take for a long-term period. Short-term use at low levels should not be so bad .. You may not even feel it. I would still avoid it though unless absolutely necessary.
There are other immuno-suppresents that helped like immunoglobulin & immuran. Immuran works like a very mild chemo-therapy (prevents cells from dividing). It has no noticeable side-effects (except for long term ones like liver damage & getting a tumour - yikes). Another problem with it is it takes like 2-3 months for it to take effect in your system, so what you do is start to take it with the corticosteroid & ween off the steroid while staying on the immuran. My memory is fuzzy on the immunoglobulin, but I think it's an injection you take for 1 week and that's it.
