time

[dillydally1]

What would be the best time to take my prednisolone to get best effect. I take my thyroxine about 30 mins before food

[ritter]

Hi dillydally They say we should take it early morning with food i take mine about 9am with food but a lot of the people on here take it very early like 5 or 6am I have always had a good breakfast with mine,i suppose its what suits you, if you take it late it messes with your sleep it can keep you awake most of the night,

good luck,

kind regards Anne

[dillydally1 in reply to ritter]

thank you x

[daveD]

LO dillydally. I am not the best of sleepers, so it is not a big deal for me to take my pred at around 5am ish with fruit+yogurt. I then go back to bed for a rest&sleep?? I then have my Thyroxine plus other medication when i am up & running, A, HO.All the best.Dave

[dillydally1 in reply to daveD]

my sleep is very poor, so will try to take it sooner, should it be taken at the same time each day x

[PMRpro Ambassador]

The entire dose should be taken once daily as early as possible in the morning. This is felt to produce the best effect and fewest side effects. The optimum time for ordinary white pred tablets was found in a study to be 2am - this allows the peak blood level to be reached at 4am, just before the substances that cause the inflammation are shed by the cells in the body. Noone wants to get up at that time do they though - that is definitely disturbing sleep!

The earlier you take the tablets the sooner the effect can be felt in PMR. If you leave it all until breakfast at 9am it will take until lunchtime to work.

[dillydally1 in reply to PMRpro]

I take mine at breakfast, about 9am, however it seems to take me ages to get going. will try to take it sooner, do I have to take it with food x

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to dillydally1]

Lots of people who don't want to get up early take a sandwich or yoghurt plus a glass of water with them to bed. They wake up - usually to go to the loo - and take the pred and the sandwich and then get back under the covers and have another couple of hours. By that time the pred is working and they get straight into the day.

The main problem is the early morning stiffness - the later you take the pred, the later in the day it will take effect.

[dillydally1 in reply to PMRpro]

think I will give it a try taking pred early morning, thanks x

[ignatz in reply to PMRpro]

Does anyone go to bed before 2am?

I am now experimenting with timing and found 2am vastly improved the control of my symptoms- ie aching and lacking concentration (like 'flu). In my case, definitely worth staying up for.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to ignatz]

Some people I knew doing it set an alarm, others were up at that sort of time for the bathroom, one or two didn't got to bed until well after midnight anyway and a few took the pred about midnight as they went to bed.

[Judemymum]

I was advised to take it about 10 am, so after breakfast....

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Judemymum]

10am is far too late - try an earlier breakfast and you'll get going in the day far better! The explanation is in my response to dillydally.

[dillydally1]

thank you x

[daveD]

LO.dillydally I would follow what the expert PmrPro recommends. As early as possible, with food. I have yogurt & banana.I have followed advice from those who have been on this journey for many moons, they have helped me to reduce from 15mg down to 6:5 with no major hic ups or flares..Take care Dave

[mickt]

7.30 am pred for me ,along with all other stuff!

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Hi dillydally1

Whilst I wouldn't disagree with others, I find I can't take Pred early in the morning as suggested. On the occasions that I have tried, because of advice from others, and at differing dosages, I felt lousy for the rest of the day. It may be the time Mother Nature produces cortisol naturally, but it doesn't work for me!

I take mine after breakfast with my other tablets, usually around 8.30, some days earlier if I have an early appointment. I don't have a problem with going to sleep at bedtime.

Although we all suffer with PMR or GCA or both, we are all different and have to find what suits us best (whilst optimising the effects of the drugs).

I've quoted my GP before, and I don't apologise for quoting him again - you know your body best, so take notice of what it is saying to you, and act accordingly. DorsetLady

[Trenny]

A subsidiary question - I take a mixture of gastric-coated 2.5mg and uncoated Prednisolone to make up 10.5mg. Should I take them at the same time in the morning? I take them in the middle of a bowl of cereal, which is all I eat for breakfast, together with a cup of tea.