I'am on 5mg-10mg a day. I was wondering how many hours is the pred suppose to last? It seems like the more active I'am the faster it wears off. Or somedays I works for half the day and others it feels like it doesn't work at all. So sometimes, I end up taking 15mg in 24 hour period.
Prednisone is a steroid and this steroid (and most of them) are strong anti-inflammatories. Since the disease is a disease of inflammation/immune system, this medication will reduce the inflammation, thickening and pain of the disease. Hopefully, inducing a remission which will last for a while-depending on the severity of the condition. However, there is a price- steroids speed up the aging process. That is, cause cataracts, hardening of the arteries, thinning of the bones, muscle weakness, etc. Unfortunately, there is no drug alternative that reduces the inflammation without these side effects. We try to use the least steroid to achieve the needed result. She should be taking Fosamax or something equivalent while she is on the steroid to reduce the bone loss. They are not addicting, but will suppress her own ability to produce steroids by her adrenal glands. Therefore, one must very gradually wean themselves from prednisone--commonly at the rate of -5mg/two weeks--to ensure that the adrenal greands have become functional again. Excellent posting Sara. Some people new to taking prednisone don't realize you have to be very careful when you take it, follow Drs orders to the letter. When I try to reduce below 5mg, I have to drop 1mg at a time. I can tell every single mg less. Wouldn't it be fantastic if they could "tweek" prednisone, so you could get all the benefits and no sideaffects.
Barb
Thanks for the reply & info. My doctor did have me on what I am doing. He told me to take 10mg when I had real bad stiffness & pain and then go back down to 5mg when it got better. When I went back to him the last time he didn't write my prescription out like that, because I had called in complaining and he had me on just 10mg a day. Then he put me back down to 5mg. And I Didn't catch that he didn't write it for 10mg to take 1/2 to 1 tablet daily, until I got home. Prednisone is something that you take daily, but the dosage should not change rapidly. For example if you are on 10 mg, take ONLY 10 mg for a week, if the pain is still bad, then ask the doc to up the amount, never decide yourself to take more or less as you need it. When you decrease, you need to slowly decrease over a week or 2, by .5 or 1 mg at a time. Don't take whatever you feel you need, whenever it is needed, it is very dangerous to do so!
Until I reached the 10mg. dose level my dose was in two, with the largest amount being taken in the morning. Example of 30mg. dose: 20mg in the morning and 10mg. in the evening. Now that I'm at 10mg. I take it all in the morning. The reason for the larger dose in the morning is because this is when the adrenal glands normally secrete the largest amount of hormone and this is also why doctors want people to eat breakfast for the prednisone is most effective when taken with food.
If you feel the prednisone is wearing off too quickly I suggest you take Tylenol or the pain-reliever of your choice to get you through it. NEVER increase or decrease your dose without first consulting your doctor!
Copyright ArthritisInsight.com