Are 1mg or 1/2 mg prednisolone tablets prescribed in the ukt?

[Barnclown]

Am on a taper, started just over a week go. Been given 2.5mg gastro resistant coated prednisolone tabs by my rheumy/gp.

Started on 10mg for 7 days as instructed (heavenly results). Yesterday had been instructed to drop 2.5mg down onto 7.5mg for another 7 days. I know it'll take a day or 2 before I can tell how I react to the drop, but I'm feeling as if would like to slow down the drop to 5mg, which should be this coming Friday

My gp had told me to check in with her during the taper. My plan is to ring my gp on Tuesday after the BH, tell her that, the way i'm feeling, i'd like to do this taper more gradually and ask her for 1 or 1/2mg tabs so I can go down more like 1 or 1/2mg every 2 weeks . But first, I want to be sure 1mg prednisolone tabs exist and are prescribed in the uk (i ask cause my husband was on steroids for crohns for 30 yrs, but got off 10 or so years ago. He thinks he used to have to cut his tabs in half!)

Also, just to be clear: gp says she & my rheumy think most likely I will stay on a 5mg dose longer term. we are all hoping a low dose of prednisolone will reduce the chronic fatigue & brain fog which have only slightly responded to the past 2 yrs on plaquenil 400mg since my (re)diagnosis

[saranne]

I have had 1mg tabs so there will not be problem getting them in the UK.

I am on 5mg and went down from initial 20mg quickly in 2.5 drops but needed to be done more slowly from 7.5 to 5mg. You may find the same or it may be that I was on 7.5mg for too long to drop by 2.5mg in one go.Ii did get down to 3mg a couple of years ago but have 5mg as a longer term dose now. So go slowly and you may find you are ok on lower than 5mg. The lower the better with steroids. Good luck with it all.

[Barnclown in reply to saranne]

thanks so much: just what i need to know

[RichardE]

I also have 1mg pred tablets so definitely available in the UK.

I've been tapering very slowly since about 15mg I think. Just 1mg a month. When I got to 5mg we went even slower. A month of alternating 5mg and 4mg every other day. Then down to 4mg. Then 4mg and 3mg every other day etc.

I'm on 2mg now and hope to eventually come off them altogether. But I have Vascultiis (HUV) not Lupus, but very similar.

[Barnclown in reply to RichardE]

thanks: also very helpful info

my impression is that some form of vasculitis is looming over me, but not yet clear to my rheumatologist

just wondering: are you empowered to make these judgements about your rate of taper?

am guessing you're treated by the nhs: how often do you discuss what you're doing with your doctors, and do you talk as much to your gp as you do your rheumatologist?

[RichardE in reply to Barnclown]

No, I've not done anything off my own back. Always after consultation with the Rheumatologist. I see them roughly every three to six months. But I think my Rheumatologist and I are of the same opinion, that it'd be great to get off the Pred but not if it poses a risk to my health. So it's really a joint decision to taper and to do so slowly.

I did have one blip arounf the 15mg mark when it seemed as if some symptoms were starting to come back. But I saw my GP and she discussed it with the Rheumatologists over the phone. We temporarily increased the dose for a few weeks until things settled down and then started tapering again.

My GP is pretty good in terms of keeping in touch with everything that's going on although she doesn't really take any direct action in my treatment. But it's very useful to have a GP and surgery that can help keep lines of communication open.

I've also found it useful to have built a good relationship with my GP's surgery when it comes to dealing with infections due to the immunosuppression. They know me and my situation so I can always get a quick course of antibiotics if needed to sort out any infection before it becomes a real problem.

[Barnclown in reply to RichardE]

Very helpful! Thanks again

I've been working on getting a similar relationship going with my gp & rheumatologist.....feels as if this is evolving....certainly having a rheumatology clinic specialist lupus nurse helps communications greatly. Like you, I go to clinic every 3-6 months. And I see my gp more often for whatever

E.g. Infections have been one of my biggest issues, and now my gp gives me various antibiotics to keep at home for use 'as & when'. I'm hoping this is how we will handle prednisolone....

Hope things go well for you

[twist1]

Hi you can definitely get 1mg tabs but they do not do 0.5mg so you have to get a pill cutter they are very cheap got mine for a pound in Asda.

Also it's your body so use it as a guide they generally say it takes 2 weeks after you have reduced your dose to feel the new you. I listened to the doctors in tapering off and ended up with a pulmonary embolism !!!

A friend who advised me said if u get too much pain put your dose up till u feel better then try again with a smaller drop. I have been on predict for 10 years and just started a reducing dose I have give for the slow 0.5mg a month I was never able to get below 12 doing it at 1mg a month but now I have been able to get to 9.5mg a day

[Herb]

Yes, 1 mg tablets, yr GP can prescribe, then if you need you can cut them in half. But talk to the doc about it.

[Barnclown in reply to Herb]

Will do, twist...hoping to tomorrow. Thanks!

[Barnclown]

Good advice, twist: many thanks. Am off to find a pill cutter!

[Floridafan]

I realise that this is an old post but the original poster mentioned they were on Gastro restistant tablets. I think the replies might relate to the non coated tablets as you cannot cut the coated ones in half. My question is “ can you definitely get the 1 mg Prednisolone as Gastro resistant (coated)?” My doctor says she’s not sure, the pharmacist says not on the NHS as they are too expensive. I question this as you can definitely get two and a half and five mg as coated as I have had them. Any help appreciated

[Barnclown in reply to Floridafan]

Hi florida fan...yes my NHS GP surgery has been gett8ng me 1mg gastro res pred tabs ever since i posted this question. A few years ago rheumatology upped my daily therapeutic dose of pred to 10mg indef8nitely, though, so i’ve been mainly using 2.5mg gastro resistant tabs - also supplied by my NHS gp. I’m in england though - wales & scotland may have different policies? Also my GP & my GP dispensary are v helpful & cooperative...and i have 2 friendly pharmacists locally who are equally cooperative. wishing you the best of luck getting what you want

[Floridafan]

Thank you, that is very helpful. I’m in England so hopefully my GP will be able to prescribe them for me.

[Barnclown in reply to Floridafan]

Hope so...if you have a mo, i’d be v interested to know what happens next....

[Floridafan in reply to Barnclown]

I will let you know. It’s a couple of weeks until my next appointment

[Floridafan in reply to Barnclown]

Sorry for the delay in replying.......my GP was happy to prescribe the 1mg gastro resistant prednisolone when she found they were available on the NHS. Unfortunately, after taking the prescription to the chemist, I have found that they are not able to obtain them from their suppliers at the moment. I have tried a couple of other chemists and they are in the same situation.

[Barnclown in reply to Floridafan]

Thanks! Hope you get hold of them...so far i’m having no prob getting 2.5mg gastro coated here is East Anglia...but i haven’t needed to reoeat my 1mg coated prescriptiin cause haven’t been tapering doen for over a year