dose pack of 4mg pred.

[Linny3]

Recently I injured my ribs and surrounding muscles. Went to emergency and after blood test and X-rays, they gave me a muscle relaxer and a dose pack of 4mg tablets of prednisone to be taken for 6 days. I started with 6 tablets, then Decreasing the dose by one 4mg each day. This is for inflammation in the ribs.

Currently my regular dose is 10.5 of prednisone. The first day on the pack equaled 24 mgs plus my 10.5. I stay on my reg. dose and keep decreasing the dose pack each day until it is done and I am only taking my 10.5mg dose.

My question is; do you think I will be able to stay on the 10.5 mg dose that I am currently on, or should I expect to have to raise that for a few days and then start decreasing again.?Never had to do this before.

Thanks for the response.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Don't see why - someone NOT on pred would be given that pack and would simply stop at the end. Your baseline isn't zero, it is 10.5mg - and once you are back there that is the job done.

[Linny3 in reply to PMRpro]

Thanks for the reply. I am afraid my body will like the higher amount and want higher than the 10.5. I am incredibly sensitive to changing the amount I can decrease. I have not been having much luck going below the 10.5. Tried for about 5 months. After all this is finished I am going to try decreasing by 1/4 instead of 1/2.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Linny3]

Maybe it will - just say no!! It'll get the idea after a day or two,

[Thomas45]

I have had asthma attacks about twice a year for over 40 years. I continued with these attacks when I had PMR. The usual treatment for the lung infections which cause those attacks are an antibiotic and 40mg of pred for 5 or more days. That dose was on top of my maintenance dose of pred for PMR. I had no problems going back to the msintenance dose of pred at the level I was on prior to each asthma attack.

[Linny3 in reply to Thomas45]

Thank you for your reply. Sure is a balancing act.