i have taken to many prednisolone

[Kay60]

i have accidentally taken too many Perdnisolne i should have taken 9mg 5+4 but have taken 5x5 = 25

I started taken 20mg Pred 10/03/15 and had managed to get down to 9mg.

(i have tried to make myself sick but it didn't work )i have just spoken the my pharmacist and he going to call me back. Just wondered if anyone else had done the same and what do i do about my dose tomorrow ?

[piglette]

I think a lot of us have taken too much pred at some point. Just carry on as usual again. The thing not to do is forget to take your pred, I did once and was in agony, I then did it again, which was incredibly stupid, but I think I have now learnt my lesson.

[Kay60 in reply to piglette]

Thanks for the reply do i take my normal 9mg tomorrow as usual ?

[Celtic PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Kay60]

Yes, as Piglette has said, just revert back to your 9mg dose tomorrow. Sometimes patients are given a higher dose for a day or two around surgery but then return quite successfully to their previous dose the next day.

However, if you have been diagnosed with PMR, reducing from your 20mg starting dose to 9mg in just 4 weeks is really much too fast and leaves you at much more risk of experiencing a relapse with returning symptoms. Most patients would still be on their starting dose or about to reduce after just 4 weeks.

[Annodomini]

I recommend one of those tablet containers in which you put each day's dose. I have one specifically for my preds and others for other meds. Very cheap at your local pharmacy.

[Kay60 in reply to Annodomini]

i agree now but didn't think I would be so stupid lol

[Annodomini]

Oh, we can all make mistakes, fortunately not fatal. Are you feeling specially frisky today with all that pred inside you?

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Don't worry about it at all - and go back to your normal dose tomorrow. You should have a very good and pain-free day today so don't overdo things!

I used to take my pred as a double dose every second day - it is a recognised technique to reduce side effects but doesn't work for everybody - which meant I took nearly 20mg at a time.

As has already been said - calm down a bit on that reduction. It is very fast and while it is a normal taper in many illnesses it won't work in PMR. You have to stay at any dose for a few weeks at least to be sure it is still enough: you are in this for the long haul - you are looking for the lowest dose that gives you the same result as the original 20mg achieved. All you will achieve going at that rate is a flare and probably having to return to 20mg to deal with it. In Bristol they use a reduction plan of 6 weeks at 15mg, 6 weeks at 12.5mg and then keep the patient at 10mg for a year. Doing this they get a flare rate of 1 in 5 instead of the much more common 3 in 5 found with faster tapers. You must get the inflammation well under control first - and then you look for the "maintenance" dose.

[Turra_Loon]

I am not surprised to hear that Kay60 has made a mistake with her prednisolone. The 5mg and 1mg tablets are very similar in size and identical in appearance. Even the outer cardboard packaging is too similar. I use a weekly pill box but I have to be very careful checking and double checking. I understand that these drugs are not expensive to produce. Surely the manufacturers could do better with clearly identifiable shapes and colours.

[369yds]

I'm a little confused by your colour comment as mine are all different colours white 1mg, brown 2.5 mg, and red 5mg Maybe it's different parts of the country?

[Celtic PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to 369yds]

369yds, it sounds as though you have been prescribed enteric coated pills which come in the colours you describe, whereas some GPs prescribe only uncoated pills which are all white.

[369yds in reply to Celtic]

That explains it then yes to protect the tummy, thanks for your reply .