Forgot to take Prednisone

[Kathrynt18]

Well, I'm never going to forget to take my prednisone again!! In in agony tonight.

Should I leave it until tomorrow morning to have my medication as it is 8.30 pm now?

[SnazzyD]

I don’t know what dose you’re on, but you could take half now and then your full dose tomorrow morning, assuming that’s when you normally take it.

[Boss302Fan in reply to SnazzyD]

Interesting.... maybe I’d I be wrong but I’d take the full dose immediately and shift the time I was taking it everyday to 8:30 pm!

When i went into the ER at noon it wasn’t until 4-5 pm before they put me on 80 mg. The next morning at 10 am before releasing me they administered another 80 mg and sent me home for a prescription for 60 mg/d. Seems to me if they can give me that much 6 hrs early considering she’s probably 12 hrs late with a sudden drop, she’d needs to get it back up ASAP.

As to possibility of getting to sleep it may not affect her in that way, I slept fine. Regardless, each subsequent day she could move when she takes by a hour, or call her doctor the next day to see how best to get it back to the morning...if that is even an issue for her.

[Kathrynt18]

I'm on 60 mg. Because the GP increased my dose last Monday I had an odd 15mg, so I've taken those x

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Kathrynt18]

Good move ... but please don’t do it again! Certainly not at those doses

[Kathrynt18 in reply to DorsetLady]

Trust me, I wont! Never forgotten before. I've learnt my lesson, thank you for your help x

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Kathrynt18]

So you have a suspected GCA diagnosis? Have you a phone with an alarm? Set it for the time you need to take your pred- it is much more important with GCA than with PMR - and get a dosette box and set it up once a week so you can see if you have taken it.

[Kathrynt18 in reply to PMRpro]

I 've got them all sorted in my boxes, just completely forgot. Yes, I've got suspected GCA. Couldn't work out why my headache was so bad today and my body hurting so much. I will NEVER forget again!

My excuse is its mothers day and my routine was all over the place.

Thanks for your help xxx

[Kathrynt18 in reply to PMRpro]

Alarm set x

[Rosbud in reply to PMRpro]

I didn’t realise it was more important to take our Pred at A regular Time for GCa than for PMR , I try to take mine between 8-9am is this ok ?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Rosbud]

It doesn't matter what time but by forgetting it in GCA, especially in the early days at high doses, puts you at risk of the inflammation increasing. In PMR that is only going to result in an increase of pain and stiffness and be very uncomfortable but in the case of GCA and in the early days it may reduce the blood level far enough for long enough for the inflammation to increase again. It is the inflammation that may reduce the blood supply to the optic nerve so much that it affects vision - and threaten your sight. Further down the road it will matter less but it is never a good idea to risk that.

[Rosbud in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you for explaining so clearly x

[piglette]

I said exactly the same thing the first time I did it, until the second time!!

[Yellowbluebell in reply to piglette]

Me too!! YBB

[Hidden in reply to piglette]

Me too...but 60mg is a whacking dose to miss!

[Kathrynt18 in reply to Hidden]

It was x

[Kathrynt18]

Fingers crossed I don't have to learn this lesson again x

[Hidden in reply to Kathrynt18]

We hope so....especially now you have an alarm...at13mg I double dosed and I have missed a 10ish dose at least twice. So don't feel too bad!

[Kathrynt18 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you x

[Rodders007]

I am on 15mg and split my dose with 10mg in the morning and 5mg in the evening, if I forget to take a dose (which I have done twice) I take it and then simply bring my few next doses a couple of hours forward until I am back on track. It doesn't take that long to realise that I have forgotten, I start going downhill pretty quickly.

[Kathrynt18 in reply to Rodders007]

Thank you x

[Telian]

I did the same yesterday - I took half the dose in the evening, once I’d realised why I’d got the dreaded headache, and it helped - and took my normal dose this morning.

Easy done and not often for me but the body knows.........

[Kathrynt18 in reply to Telian]

Thank you x

[AdoptMeow]

A few people mentioned routinely splitting doses for morning and evening. It has always worked better for me also to take 1/4 to 1/3 of the dose in the evening. I stopped waking up with pain at 3 AM.

Standard directions for prednisone are to take when you wake up because it is a stimulant. With PMR fatigue this is not an issue. I can fall asleep anytime and anywhere I sit still!

[Hidden in reply to AdoptMeow]

Some GCA patients find they sleep more on high doses....probably running round all day. 😉

[Kathrynt18 in reply to AdoptMeow]

Thank you x

[Boss302Fan]

As to the alarm. I’m also on supplements including Calcium which I take in 500 mg increments. Because of the supplements I’m taking and other meds I have to do the +/-2 hr bracket. I’m taking supplements and/or meds at 8am, 8:30am, Noon, 2 pm, 4 pm, 7pm & 11pm

How do I manage? I use the Outlook Calendar on my iphone. Set each time with two alarms, 10 mins before & at time of event. Make them recurring daily with no expiration. If I going somewhere I take a small pill bottle with me. I have a 2 sided 7-day pill tray for am/pm. Each morning I also prepare / use an empty 1oz prescription bottle that I place my calciums, extra D3 tablet, & probiotic. That covers my noon, 2pm, and 4pm doses.

Haven’t missed one yet.

[Kathrynt18 in reply to Boss302Fan]

Thank you x

[Noosat]

Got home from hospital almost 2 weeks ago. I had pneumonia. The first morning there I was not given my prednisone (not scheduled). I talked to the nurse and thought I could maybe get through until next day. At 4p.m both hands were shaking with pain. The doctor authorized 2mg., my usual for past month has been 3.5mg in early morning. He said it wouldn't upset regular dose next day. It certainly , and then next day I started on my regular routine. Hope this helps.

[Kathrynt18 in reply to Noosat]

Thank you x

[Dubler]

I have forgotten mine before and wondered why I felt So Bad. I’ve been told there is a 6 hr window that your preds can go before you “run out” but I’m not so sure about that. I would take at least half the dose. No point in suffering the rest of the night.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Dubler]

Varies from person to person - the antiinflammatory effect can last from 12 to 36 hours.

[Kathrynt18 in reply to Dubler]

Thank you x