How long do the coated tablets take to get into your system?

[suzieh]

I am currently reducing from 5 mg to 4.5 mg and this week have been using the 2.5 coated tabs. + 1mg x2 of non coated I am in the habit of taking my dose at about 7.30am then staying in bed for about 40 mins before getting up. If I do this I feel ok. If I try and get straight up after taking my dose I feel giddy and quite odd / unwell. I guess this is because my body needs the dose to be in my system for a while. The days I have taken the coated tabs I have not felt well when I have got up. My conclusion is that i am able to absorb the non coated tabs much more quickly. I have decided not to continue with the coated ones because of this. Will have to cut tabs instead ..... which is fiddly but ok! This info may be useful for others ? I always feel at my worst first thing am and now generally feel ok later in the day.

[polkadotcom]

Yes, the coated tabs are coated for just that reason, to prevent absorption in the stomach, they are absorbed much lower down in the gut. Steroids can lead to gastric problems so the advice has always been to take them with food whether uncoated or not and of course, there are those patients who already have gastric conditions and they do need the coated tabs. The 2.5mg tabs are available only as coated, so when on the lower doses patients have the choice whether to take it all in 1mg tabs or use a combination.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Uncoated tablets are absorbed in 1-2 hours to the peak blood level whereas coated tablets need about 4-5 hours minimum depending on the state of your gut (when and how much you last ate) and in some people it can take up to 7 or 8 hours. They can't have any effect until after the pred is present in your blood to get to the tissues.