Curious about Prednisone dosage. - Advanced Prostate...

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Curious about Prednisone dosage.

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37 Replies

Warriors

If you do not mind telling me, I am curious about how many of you on Zytiga/Abiraterone take a 5 mg dosage of Prednisone , and how many take some other dosage level.

I know most of your also getting Lupron injections and some are taking other medications along with the Zytiga/Abiraterone and the prednisone, but for the sake of this discussion lets stick to the Prednisone levels and how you are doing with those levels.

The MO I go to will not increase my prednisone level (I asked) as he says it will cause even higher blood pressure. Everything I read seems to tell me the opposite. Of course more prednisone is not a free lunch as it does most likely include other side effects or increases in side effects.

I do not plan (currently) on sharing any of this with the MO as the Cardiologist I go to has gotten my blood pressure to a reasonable level (notice I did not say good). I am just somewhat curious.

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37 Replies
fireandice123 profile image
fireandice123

I take 5 mg of prednisone. Thank you for reminding me that I need to keep a closer eye on my blood pressure now that I’m back Abiraterone/prednisone. I normally take a small dose of Lisinopril (5 mg/day) for minor hypertension. May need to up that while I’m on Abi.

Tall_Allen profile image
Tall_Allen

Men who are hormone-sensitive routinely get 5 mg prednisone with their abiraterone. Men who are castration-resistant routinely get 10 mg prednisone with their abiraterone.

daysbetween profile image
daysbetween in reply toTall_Allen

Is there an explanation of this somewhere ?

Tall_Allen profile image
Tall_Allen in reply todaysbetween

prostatecancer.news/2019/06...

Gimmishelter profile image
Gimmishelter

I have been on Zytiga and Lupron for 12 months now. I take 5mg of prednisone twice a day. My BP is pretty normal ( avarage 125/78 ) although I have been on Co-Exforge which is a diuretic for about 15 years. This probably keeps it in check.

ShipModeler profile image
ShipModeler in reply toGimmishelter

I just completed my second year of Zytiga and 5 mg of Prednisone. My BP remained normal, but my glucose rose dramatically necessitating an increase of my Insulin dosing.

westobutch123 profile image
westobutch123

I had been on 10mg (5mg twice daily) for about a year (Zytiga) and while my lab numbers stayed fine, the skin on my arms (and somewhat my legs) was like "parchment paper). If you even looked at my arms the wrong way, they would open up and start bleeding. My legs not as severe but annoying. Carried band-aids in my wallet as a necessity. About a year in, discussed with oncologist and we dropped to 5mg a day. Much much improved arms, no signs of inadequate coverage (dizziness, etc), and stayed on that dosage until my "drug holiday" started Jan 2024. No issues weaning off (2.5 mg daily) for 3 weeks.

Papa1 profile image
Papa1

was on 5mg. BP started to climb. Upped to 10 mg and BP under control. Only se is my shoulder arthritis is pretty much pain free.

Ian99 profile image
Ian99

Am on Zytiga for 2 years now, with 5mg of prednisolone. Have stayed on 5mg despite being castration resistant.

jmarsh profile image
jmarsh

10 mg helped my BP but I didn’t like the side effects. Eventually got back to 5 mg but had to increase BP med. I prefer my current 5 mg.

Grandpa4 profile image
Grandpa4

5 mg. I did not gave hypertension until I took abiraterone. Easily controlled with losartan.

michael00 profile image
michael00

I was on 10mg for 3 years. Then 5mg for the past 3 years. When we cut the dose down it helped lower my glucose and HbA1c. Blood pressure was slightly high on both doses.

vintage42 profile image
vintage42

I started Orgovyx last December and Abiraterone last February. Prednisone was prescribed at 10 mg (5 mg twice a day). I am going to ask why I started out with the high dose. I do have hypertension which has been controlled for three years with Losartan 100 mg and Hydrochlorothiazide 12.5 mg.

Woodstock82 profile image
Woodstock82

I too take 5mg prednisone twice a day.

Dlanghorne profile image
Dlanghorne

Been on Abi (500mg), Lupron (6 mon) and 5 mg Pred for 5 yrs with no issues other than the normal SE's.

Amadeus71 profile image
Amadeus71

Been on zytiga and 5mg twice daily since treatment started in January 2022. Still hormone sensitive.

Gatodd profile image
Gatodd

I started at 5 mg twice per day. After watching posts on this forum, I asked my MO why 10 mg. He said he was fine with me moving to 5 mg once per day.

Didn’t really notice much change from the switch in dosage, but was glad to reduce.

4tunate1 profile image
4tunate1

I am on Lupron, 1000mg abiraterone and 5mg prednisone. Seems to be fine but I am just starting. Interesting to hear everyone's input on SEs, etc. Was unaware of BP issue, so I'll pay attention to that more.

Q - what is the purpose of the prednisone? I had read it is to help with stomach damage from the abiraterone? Can anyone share more?

I have noticed an increase in reflux, in general, but mostly at night. Is this abiraterone related? I had 10 rounds of external radiation for some bone mets in my back and completed that. I did get some esophagitis as a result, but that has subsided. Reflux was definitely part of the esophagitis, but I am wondering why reflux has persisted. TIA.

pe43 profile image
pe43

Here is an article on prednisone and its effects. It can cause high blood pressure at high doses or over a long period. The authors claim a high dose is 40 mg/day or more.

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK5...

bean1008 profile image
bean1008

I was on 5mg for three years along with my Lupron and abiraterone. Recent pylarify PSMA CT scan show no evidence of cancer, so I have stopped all my meds. So I guess now you consider me cancer-free and on active surveillance! <3

j-o-h-n profile image
j-o-h-n in reply tobean1008

Cancer-free is really "in remission". It is my belief that the whole world's population would be cancer-free if every person on Earth were dead. ☠

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n

bean1008 profile image
bean1008 in reply toj-o-h-n

lol good point! I have to mind my words. I believe my oncologist said that there was ‘no detectable cancer’. Doesn’t mean it’s not there or is so tiny as to be undetectable. So I’m still doing the PSA every three months for now.

j-o-h-n profile image
j-o-h-n in reply tobean1008

Now that's using the ole bean.......... 😉

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n

Velohomme profile image
Velohomme

+1 for 5mg daily. My BP went up about 6 months after starting abi/pred. On Losartan since. I’m 3 years plus on prednizone now. Like westobutch123 described I have “prednizone skin”. Getting a bleeding cut is a regular occurrence. I discussed with MO who said we could try lowering prednisone dose but risked dropping my energy. I chose energy. The bleeding is just a little embarrassing.

LongTimeRunning profile image
LongTimeRunning

Been on pred for about 13 months. 10 mg daily was dropped to 5 mg about 5 months in because I was complaining about sleep affects. My blood pressure crept over the past year from excellent to borderline worrisome. I dropped my cardio a bit, which may have been part of the cause, but I think the meds, including pred (maybe just pred) is the main culprit.

Jewelrylady profile image
Jewelrylady

For those of you on 5mg a day, do you split it in half to 2.5mg, so one half in the morning and other half in the evening or just 5mg once a day?

85236442968 profile image
85236442968 in reply toJewelrylady

Jewelrylady

I take it once a day at the same time as the Zytiga.

LongTimeRunning profile image
LongTimeRunning in reply toJewelrylady

once a day in the am.

Mbnm profile image
Mbnm

Interesting, I take the abi very early in the morning so i can have breakfast one hour later

Then take 5 mg pred with breakfast

My instructions are to takeAbi 2 hrs after and 1 hr b4 eating and to take the pred with food

I was shocked a year ago my first visit to oncologist he said I had lymph node cancer and would be on abi/ pred/ lupron the rest of my life as long as it worked

So far quarterly tests show PSA and T at .002

Last test showed potassium level below range so added a small amount of K vitamin

garyjp9 profile image
garyjp9

I also took the Prednisone with the Zytiga. There is no problem with that. They say to take the Prednisone with food later because for a lot of people, it will upset an empty stomach.

jfoesq profile image
jfoesq

I have been on 5mg along with Lupron and Zytiga for most of 11+ years. I started taking BP meds about 3 months ago for high BP. I will ask my MO about moving it up to 10mg and see what she says

Mormon1 profile image
Mormon1

i have been on 5 for more than 6 years. BP has consistently been normal but normal on the low side. Good luck

Gearhead profile image
Gearhead

On Abi for 5+ years. Initially took 5 mg/day prednisone. BP running high after ~2 years so increased prednisone to 10 mg/day, which lowered BP slightly. MO and I not fond of long-term 10 mg/day prednisone, so started 5 mg/day prednisone + 50 mg/day eplerenone. This initially lowered BP a bit, but BP increased (to about 150/70) after about a year. So I stopped all prednisone and started 0.5 mg/day dexamethasone (and continued 50 mg/day eplerenone). BP has been averaging about 135/65 for 10 months with this combo.

Even though this is complicated, and my BP is still high, the good news is that Lupron + Abi has worked (starting from 111 PSA, 8 Gleason, and spine met) for over 5 years.

Professorgary profile image
Professorgary

5mg of prednisone with 250 mg of Abi and a low fat breakfast. Bp normal after adding curcumin and magnesium to the mix.

TuffNuttoCrack profile image
TuffNuttoCrack

i gradually dosed down to 0,5 mg without affect for18 months

Chewiemo profile image
Chewiemo

My Prednizone is 10 mgs

Jazzman2023 profile image
Jazzman2023

I take 750mg Abi when I first wake up, then an hour later the 5 mg Prednisone with breakfast. I've only been on this regimen for 3 months. BP seems unaffected so far, but for the first time in my life (age 71) I now have some insomnia.

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