How long for short burst prednisone to be fully effective?

[Paradigm]

Hi,

I was prescribed a 5 day course of 40mg prednisone on Thursday (it's now Saturday).

There was some effect within 24 hours - salbutamol gives me relief for a couple of hours, whereas before I felt symptomatic continuously but it was keeping up my PEF/oxygen levels (and my heart rate) for about an hour at a time, though I'd needed 4 puffs in the hour before I saw my GP.

I'm still taking 12+ puffs of reliever a day, plus 2x2 puffs of Fostair (which I was prescribed on Tuesday). Until recently, I wasn't needing my reliever at all.

[elanaoali]

Golden rule if symptoms haven't resolved by end of course it's back to the Drs. If you nee advice today then it's 111 today.

Wow this is a tough weekend for people here. Hang in guys .. Praying for you too for healing of your body.

[Paradigm in reply to elanaoali]

Thank you for your reply! I should have asked while I was at the appointment but I wasn't thinking straight.

I really hate calling 111, so I'm going to try hanging in there until after work tomorrow. Unfortunately, the gap and effect of my reliever seems to be reducing again - I ended up needing 20 puffs yesterday across the course of the day. By bed time my heart was hammering away.

[Paradigm]

I ended up feeling worse that day, so I called 111 - the Scottish 111 seemed nicer than the English one. They booked me an out of hours appointment, but by the time the appointment rolled around I was feeling better.

I told the doctor that and my oxygen and peak flow were both excellent. He couldn't hear a wheeze, though I told him I've never wheezed with asthma, and suggested that maybe I should distract myself instead of taking ventolin unless my peak flow is low (whereas my GP said not to wait for my peak flow to drop if I have symptoms). He also says that prednisone should work for the full 24 hours and therefore I shouldn't have drops in PEF across the day.

I showed him that I'd tried this already and that my peak flow drops. So he said I should take it and wasn't very clear about at what point I should be taken it.

I've only taken my inhaler twice today (4 puffs) but the only time I've felt relief from symptoms is after taking it. I've tested it several times at 20% of best today, too.

[PPxwoods]

It may take the full course before you feel better

If you see I change

You may need more steroids after consultation

with your doctor