BEST TIME TO TAKE PRED

[WHL67]

first month taking Pred 12 x5 mg a day just wondering is there a best time to take them,should it be mornings, evenings or very late at night?

Any advice would be

[SheffieldJane]

It is recommended that your Pred dose should be taken altogether for a GCA diagnosis. In the early stages the unchecked inflammation can pose a danger to your eyesight. Early in the morning with food to coat the stomach ( Greek yoghurt is good) is probably your best bet for a good day and your best chance to sleep at night. I have woken deliberately at 2 am to take it, gone back to sleep and woken up feeling good. The inflammatory substance enters your system at around 4 am. This technique heads it off before it starts causing the pain and stiffness. This method can change during the progression of the disease. Having developed diverticulitis during Tocilizumab use, I cannot emphasise stomach protection enough. Have a browse through FAQs it contains invaluable advice on managing this condition. Good luck! 🍀

[WHL67 in reply to SheffieldJane]

Thanks for taking the time to answer my question, much appreciated

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Is your diagnosis PMR or GCA? Could you please provide a bit more info on your profile page in the bio bit - helps us help you.

Either way, to start with the entire dose should be taken all at once as early in the morning as reasonable. You may tinker with things a bit later on but to start with, keep it simple until you get to know your body and your PMR/GCA better.

PS, you will ALWAYS get an answer from someone here

[WHL67 in reply to PMRpro]

GCA diagnosis .. Thanks PMRPro

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

All in one go first thing in morning initially -guess you mean 60mg in total.

[WHL67 in reply to DorsetLady]

Thanks Dorset lady i did mean 60mg in total don't know why I did that, head was elsewhere! !!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to WHL67]

Pred-head ...

[Hankb in reply to PMRpro]

Nice one, I'm sure I'm suffering from that as well.🙂

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to WHL67]

No issue…..I knew what you meant…

[Bcol]

Hi WHL67. I've got PMR rather than GCA, but like SJ I take all mine very early in the morning to get it into my system before the nasties come out to play around 04:00ish.

[WHL67 in reply to Bcol]

Nasties out at 04.00 what’s that all about because that’s usually when I’ve given up trying to sleep

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to WHL67]

The inflammatory substances that cause the inflammation in PMR are shed in the body about 4-4.30am as part of a circadian rhythm - many of us feel it if we are awake and it can even wake us up

[Bcol in reply to PMRpro]

Ta.

[Bcol in reply to WHL67]

See reply from PMRpro

[Bcol in reply to Bcol]

Ta.

[piglette]

I normally take mine at 2am with hard cheese!

[WHL67 in reply to piglette]

Really ??

[piglette in reply to WHL67]

It was suggested when I first started that it was a good time to take the steroids. I was only taking 20mg though. Also I go to bed late anyway.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

2am is the optimal time to take pred so it is present in the system in force by the time the inflammatory substances are shed at 4am. This means the inflammation never gets going - reducing the morning sytoms.

[LemonZest11]

Hi WHL67, I am also one who takes my pred at 2am, roughly. I don’t set an alarm, just take it with half a small tub of yoghurt (easy to get down at that hour), when I get up for a pee. Taking it then has made all the difference because you will find, once you are sorted with correct dose for you, that you awaken with less stiffness/pain. Bliss.

[WHL67 in reply to LemonZest11]

Thanks Lemonzest

[Hidden]

I usually take my pred at 3 a.m. with Actimel low sugar probiotic. However looking at some of the replies I might take it a bit earlier.

Apart from the interruption I sleep well. When I took my pred at breakfast time I didn't sleep well at night.

[WHL67 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for your reply bluepuddy might give that a try

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Hidden]

2am is the ideal for prednisone (that's what the research was done with) as it takes about 2 hours to get to its peak in the blood as it must pass through the liver to be activated to the form of prednisolone. If you take prednisolone 3am is fine - once it is in the blood stream it is ready to go, no detour for the liver to do anything required

[Hidden in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you PMR that is very helpful. 😀

[Hidden]

👍 😀

[xdbx]

I also take mine at 2am with a small/100ml glass of kefir which I find even easier and quicker than yogurt at that time and also has anti-inflammatory benefits. I wake to an alarm, drink it with the tablets and go straight back to sleep. Easy peasy!