How long for steroids to work?

[bluecar15]

So I'm pretty new to going to the Dr before my flare is severe so excuse mey naivety 😂 but i took my 2nd dose of steroids for this flare today and I'm already beginning to feel kind of better??? Usually I don't really see any improvement until the end of the course.

I'm still not GOOD but. It's definitely easier to breathe and my peak flow is actually like 50 higher than yesterday and i haven't even taken my ventolin yet (i like taking a measurement before and after i take it sometimes lol so they're in my bedroom together) which I'm really surprised by as my peak flow doesn't tend to be very reliable and honestly it had hardly dropped. I'm on a once daily inhaler and took that last night so it's not that and they tend to be lower in the morning right?

Anyway I'm really surprised but I'm thinking if the pattern continues and my peak flow is higher than usual at the end of the course, that might mean that my inhalers do need to be a bit higher (asthma UK nurse mentioned this to me and i was a bit hesitant cause I don't like taking higher steroid doses but. I suppose if I wind up being better on the tablets that's a sign my daily control isn't quite there???) Anyway early days atm so we'll see but yeah I'm just surprised I'm already beginning to feel a bit better as I didn't think the tablets could do that so quickly??? I have really been focusing on the air in my house and trying to get rid of as much damp and humidity as possible so I suppose that could be helping too???

[Phoenix1992]

If my asthma is pretty calm before a flare up/infection, I can start to feel a little difference 24 hours after the first dose.

It varies otherwise, just make sure to go back if still not back to normal at the end of the course.

[bluecar15 in reply to Phoenix1992]

That tracks. I usually wait till I'm way way worse to go to drs and therefore be prescribed steroids lol. They usually take longer but I'm usually a lot more ill before I start them.

Thanks!

[Phoenix1992 in reply to bluecar15]

It's interesting hearing everyone's experience on here too. Very individual also. It's definitely worth catching it before it gets too bad. When an exacerbation start for me, it is quick to get worse and very slow to recover so, I know if I'm on my maximum meds at home for 3 or 4 days and no sign of improvement, I need steroids. (I'm on Symbicort 200/6 MART, so will have been increasing the dose before those days until I reach 12 puffs.)

It can also depend what's causing it and what time of year it is. Thankfully, less frequent than before.

[Bevvy]

Steroid tablets often make people feel like “superman” whilst on them. It’s a known side affect when on short courses. Worth discussing your regular medication with asthma nurse to see if you need an increase in medication but how you feel on steroid tablets isn’t necessarily a good indicator.

[Chip_y2kuk]

Prednisolone starts to work in a few hours and lasts about a day (8-12 hours) so depending on the dose you may well be noticing quite some improvement

[Paul77green]

I can tell you this for sure! Steroids , especially Prednisone works very fast! Usually between 6 and 12 hours you can feel the difference!! Hope you feel better! Best of luck!! 🤞

[runcyclexcski]

For me it's 3+ hrs before I feel an effect. It feels euphoric. However, after repeated use the euphoria goes away. :).

[bluecar15 in reply to runcyclexcski]

Yeah I definitely don't feel euphoric just... my breathing was noticeably coming a bit easier

[Patk1]

It takes much longer for me to notice the effect,bit I've a lot wrong with my lungs+ Airways.decades OK,I do remember 3days and I'd start to improve

[EJS87]

They effect the blood glucose levels 4-6 hours after taking them so they will definitely be in the blood stream and working on inflammation

[ilovesun]

I take Prednisolone for Polymyalgia. 6 years now. I had tapered down to 7mg. Now? I had a couple of major asthma exacerbations this past month and my GP told me to up my Pred dose to 40mg .... fine by me. The asthma got less and less bad over the next few days and I am just about to try to taper back to about 10mg. The taper is awful usually and I dread it. I have added 5 pounds in weight (due to Pred) and this will soon disappear