Prednisone dosing

[Thesassyginger37]

I Was just perscribed 10mg of prednisone 4 pills one time a day. Its almost to much to take it all at once. I was just wondering how or if you could split up dosing. If so how long in between?

[PMRpro Ambassador]

The entire dose of pred is meant to be taken at once in the morning.

[Robinsnest72 in reply to PMRpro]

This blog sure gives mixed messages. You are saying the entire dose needs to be taken in the morning. If this is so then why are so many people splitting the dose as I had to do in order to not ache so bad in the morning.

[Hidden in reply to Robinsnest72]

I think we just need more info as people have requested. When diagnosed, PMR only or gca/both. GCA doses need to be taken at once, PMR pred doses can be split but it can take a while to know that. The more info you give the clearer the info can be.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Robinsnest72]

I said it is MEANT to be taken as one dose in the morning. Not the same thing at all.

You start with that and then work from there. If it works taken 1x daily then that is what you should do - it works fine for me and many others. We only suggest splitting the dose when people complain the pain and symptoms return long before the next dose is due. Without details all we can tell anyone is the standard approach.

[Soraya_PMR]

10mg? 4 x 2.5mg pills? Slightly odd.

Do you have PMR?

Do you mean 4 x 5mg = 20mg?

[Mary63]

So are you on 10mg x4 = 40mg? Do you have GCA? (Giant cell arteritis). If so it must be taken all at once to deal well enough with the dangerous inflammation which can lead to blindness.

If you have PMR that is a very high dose. So have you maybe been given 5mg x 4 = 20mg? A normal starting dose for PMR.

[Soraya_PMR in reply to Mary63]

Good point Mary, re 4 x 10mg. I’ve re-read the OP and can’t work it out.

[PMRnewbie2017]

Whatever dose you are on they "must" be taken as a single dose early in the morning. There are many reasons why you should do this and there are also additional reasons why it can be advantageous to take them very early (around 2 or 3am!!).

Now as always with medicine, because it is not an exact science, there are individuals for whom exceptions and compromises will have to be reached, but since from your post I assume you are new to the PMR/GCA club you will get the best outcomes if initially you follow this guidance which is based on prescribing guidelines, experience of patients and also medical research.

Please ask as many questions as you need to, that's why this forum exists.

[Pippah45]

I was started on 12 pills 60g and yes they have to be taken together but maybe your prednisone is larger than our prednisolone? I take with food - sort of towards the end of my breakfast.

[Celestee]

Take one every hour until all are taken.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Celestee]

I hope that is a joke?

[Hidden]

I was on 60 and was so wired, you’d have thought I was high. I wondered if I was...lol. I eventually split the dose, 12 hrs apart. I felt better, but I slept less and sometimes not all night, or the next day. I kept at that until I dropped down from 60 to 50. Needed sleep. Back to a morning dose, all taken at once.