how long does pred last?

I just wondered how long pred had an effect on your lungs, I know literature suggests it starts to have an effect in a few hours, but just wondered how long that effect lasts for?

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Hey Butterfly,

It's been a long time since I had a short course and was able to come straight off it, so it may be different. When I'm tapering I tend to drop it in the morning then if I'm going to be effected by it, it seems to be in the evening the day after, like 36 hours (ish) later.

How you feeling now? Xx

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Thanks for your reply laurs. That's intresting you don't notice for 36hours.

I was feeling a bit better, but now not so good hence my question! It's strange, after the night I had with a pf of 42% , I managed all day after taking my dose of pred on only 8 puffs, no wheeze and pf had been up at 60/70%, but now my chest had got tight, I'm wheezing again and I'm back at the blue. I just wondered if it's effects peak after an hour or two, but then wear off after 12 hours? Maybe it's just the seretide that's wearing off then? Or just the effect of evenings being a worse time?

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Hey,

I think pred takes 6-8 hours to kick in so not sure!! I'd agree that it's probably a combo of the seretide wearing off and the evenings. I'm on flutiform and take 2 puffs 4 times a day, my team aren't really bothered about when I take it, but I find that I have better coverage and therefore overall better control when I take it throughout the day rather than 4 puffs am and pm.

If suggest it may be worth going back to ooh and staying on the pred, sounds like your lungs are still super grouchy and it's be a shame to be really poorly again!! Mine seem to hopefully be on an upward trend finally so hoping I can taper next week to a sensible dose so that I can put it up to a not too horrendous dose at next flare. Admissions are boring!! Lol xxx

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I've taken tonight's seretide and still no better so maybe it's just the diurnal variation? Who knows? It's not like my lungs follow rules anyway lol!

If suggest it may be worth going back to ooh and staying on the pred, sounds like your lungs are still super grouchy and it's be a shame to be really poorly again!! Mine seem to hopefully be on an upward trend finally so hoping I can taper next week to a sensible dose so that I can put it up to a not too horrendous dose at next flare. Admissions are boring!! Lol xxx

I've still got pred to take, was on lower dose for a few days but when no better went back to Gp for higher dose and got antibiotics too. There's 3 days left then a taper. I just wondered between doses if the effects wore off. Sorry i wasn't clear!

I'm glad you're on an upward trend, I've managed to escape admission but have had a few a&e visits that aren't much fun! Fingers crossed for a taper next week xxx

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Ah ok that makes sense, was worried that you had come to the end of the course and were still struggling!! If still say be sensible though even if it is the diurnal variation!! I'm not text book as I'm very brittle, but even when I'm well I tend to have a huge variation, but when unwell my morning and night time peak flows can be very low and even if I'm not varying by more than normal it's still a warning sign to me when I'm getting very low ones. It's all about being sensible and not taking unnecessary risks I guess!!

Keep puffing at the ventolin, follow your plan, I'd suggest getting help if you're needing to use lots of vento still and it doesn't seem to be getting better!!

My lungs have been pretty good today, think they like the lack of pollution today but now veerrryyy gunky (have a chest infection and lung function has been too rubbish to be able to bring yuk up before now- how lovely), so making a heck of a lot of noise and being very inconsiderately kept awake by the buggers!!

Are you seeing gp before taper? Be careful hun xxx

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Yeah I guess I'll just keep an eye on it, things have settled a bit now just can't sleep!

Don't have a plan to follow but will just see how I go. I'm sure things will start to get better soon now I've got antibiotics too.I'm starting to actually get stuff off my chest now, I was struggling to actually get much up before too so I know what you mean! It really is gross though, tastes disgusting! Lol

Been told to go back to Gp in a month to make sure I've recovered, or sooner if still not better, so won't see Gp before taper unless I'm not happy with how I am.

Thanks for your advice and support laurs, these asthma flares are lonely when noone around you understands!

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Hope you feel better soon!

I also find if reducing the first couple of days will usually be similar to the higher dose I was on; it anything is going to kick off it will be on about day 3 though it's not infallible I deliberately changed a GP appt though because she wanted to see how I was on 25 and I didn't want to see her on the 2nd day of it because I was pretty sure it wouldn't really show how I was actually doing on 25.

I was once given pred in the middle of the day and told to take it right away. It worked well for the rest of the day but I was back to square 1 the next day and ended up back at OOH (and he sent me up to hospital, I think mainly because he was confused lol - I saw the same amazing dr both times, had a wheeze the first time but not the second!). However this may have been related to the fact that after my first OOH appt I rushed around like a madman and went to a choir rehearsal and then a concert... A medic friend told me the next day that no, I should be better on the steroids and if I was no better than the previous day while on them I needed to call OOH again.

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Ah so the effects are definitely supposed to last more than 12 hours then? It must be that generally things are worse in the evening night then.

I'm seeing improvement now, the infection is clearing fortunately, no Green gunk, aches pains or fever, yay! Nights are still worse point of the day, with a lower pf and more symptoms but much better than it has been. Ventolin usage is loads better, only 6 puffs today so far. The best peak flow I've had so far is only 70% which I'd have hoped for better, but still another day before starting taper.