What is the best time to take prednisone for PMR

[Twitchi]

What is the best time to take prednisone for PMR?

[SheffieldJane]

A bit of background on you would help Twitchi. Like your diagnosis, how long and your current dose and drugs?Country is useful, because things vary, gender, perhaps?

Try early morning with breakfast initially.

Welcome to the site!

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Hi,

Recommendation is in the morning with/after food as per instructions…….unless advised otherwise by doctor….or you are having particular problems. Are you?

[PMRpro Ambassador]

As a single dose early in the morning is the usual approach. The inflammation is created each morning from about 4-4.30am so the sooner after that you take the pred, the less work it has to do and the sooner you get relief. A study found the ideal time was 2-3am - pred is then present when the inflammation starts and it never gets a hold.

[Sharitone in reply to PMRpro]

Does that mean that you can get away with a lower dose of pred?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Sharitone]

Depends I think - some people do. The main advantage is that you have a whole good day without the morning being wasted with pain and stiffness.

[Sharitone in reply to PMRpro]

Would there be any way round the blinding wakefulness that comes on an hour or so after pred, or is it just a case of finding a balance?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Sharitone]

One approach is to take the pred a couple of hours before you intend to get up for the day - then it is already starting to work by the time you need to get going.Or you split the dose, taking about 2/3 in the morning with breakfast and the rest late enough in the day to carry the antiinflammatory effect over the 24 hours to when the next dose is due. Often mid-afternoon is late enough - so you are wide awake early evening and it has worn off by bedtime. You often need to experiment a bit to get it just right for you.

[Sharitone in reply to PMRpro]

Thanks! will start experimenting!

[Twitchi in reply to PMRpro]

Thankyou everyone, that is all really helpful. Have only just started treatment so still feeling rubbish. I'll fill in my profile when I can sit for more than a few minutes.

[Ronzy in reply to PMRpro]

Chance to experiment would be great. 😢

[Ronzy in reply to PMRpro]

Yes I can relate to that , but tomorrow morning I am going to deliberately take my meagre dose of prednisone 15 mg now 10 days inn. quite late ,so that doctor I am om bestowed with can seeMe in a state 🤷🏽‍♂️ Other wise will thing everything is fine .

Does anyone think this a good idea ?

[Bcol in reply to Sharitone]

I take mine early with Greek Yogurt and a banana but not a reduced dose.

[Sharitone in reply to Bcol]

Is that 2am kind of early?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Sharitone]

It is the ideal time - so the blood level is at its peak at the same time as the inflammatory substances and that prevents the inflammation ever getting started.

[Sharitone in reply to PMRpro]

So that would mean taking the omeprazole at midnight, being as it has to be two hours before the pred?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Sharitone]

Not necessarily at all - the effect lasts a long time, it isn't just a short effect.

[Viv54 in reply to PMRpro]

I started taking mine around about 2,30 , as im usually awake with the pain from my other problems, i think it has helped tremendously ! Not as bad in the mornings now from my PMR. Thanks for the tip !🌷

[IslandRN in reply to Viv54]

Been taking my dose at 2:30 am for two years and was a game changer for me as wake up at 7am and feel great all day! Initially I took my dose on awakening as doctor prescribed but would be miserable for 3-4 hours and lose half my day. I have no issues falling back asleep straight away as I keep pills on my bedside table with some water- fortunately no stomach issues.

[Bcol in reply to Sharitone]

Fraid so

[Jane424 in reply to PMRpro]

I do that and it really works for me. I am on 8 mg now on my way down.,] I take 5 mg at around 3 am and the remaining 3 mg. with my lunch, which is early - 11.00 as we get up really early. Since doing this, I have really stabilized. Good Luck.

[Teekay2 in reply to PMRpro]

I take lansaprasole at least half hour before breakfast and my pred after breakfast which is a late one about 9-10am. If I take pred in the early hours when would I take the lansaprasole? I would like to try this as I get heat and aches in my legs around 5-6am.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Teekay2]

Probably before your evening meal? The effect lasts quite along time, a good 12 hours

[Teekay2 in reply to PMRpro]

Thanks PMRpro always helpfull.💐

[Meggsy]

I have taken mine at 4am with a banana for three and a half years with no problems. After, I roll over and drop back off to sleep. It just depends on what works for you. Presently slow tapering from 2.5 to 2mg.

[piglette]

I take it at 2am with a hard cheese

[sail26]

I tried to take my pred at breakfast time but spent the morning in pain. As the recommendations on this site now have been taking pred at 3am with plenty of yoghurt and fortunately don't have problem sleeping and no pain at all in the morning. Now on 6.5mg and reducing 0.5 every 2 weeks. All good so far.

[Pawscat11]

I take mine at 4am I am on 10mg. I run a guest house so can not be unable to work physically in a morning. I wake around then anyway so it works best for me. I do not set an alarm so if its slightly later or earlier when I wake I take it then. I take the omeprazole before bed with my Vit D, Tumeric and Calcium supplements.

[Pixix]

I take mine between 2 & 3am, with lansoprazole (similar to omeprazole). I used to eat a savoury biscuit, but now I never wake up sufficiently, my hand just reaches out, grabs clock, then pills, grabs water, & then doze again! I’m down to 5mg & 4mg on alternating days. It did make a difference to me being able to do something earlier in the day & feel more awake! Good luck!

[Anna135]

I used to just take mine all with breakfast (11mg), but about 6 weeks ago started splitting my dose to do 8mg late morning with breakfast and 3mg about 9pm.

I have been finding that I'm so much more stable now and it's reduced my stiff neck a lot, which was the main symptom that I haven't had under control. Achy hips and shoulders were much easier to knock out.

[Selfbuilder]

I am probably lucky but can take mine after breakfast. I do have some stiffness, notably when getting out of bed (nothing new there!) but manageable. On the plus side, I find the routine of breakfast and then pred an easy one to follow.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Selfbuilder]

Some of us are lucky in that the antiinflammatory effect of pred lasts more than 24 hours - it can be anything from 12 to 36 hours. I'm the same, a good 24 hour cover.

[Alebeau]

Since I started splitting my dose 1/2 @ 7am and second at 7pm I have managed to have a totally pain free day and night. Before that I took it all in the morning and suffered in the evenings and overnight. Took me a whole year before discovering this amazing advice on this forum

Luckily taking it at night gas no effect on my sleeping ability.