Tablets

[Pusph]

Hi, just thinking about trying to taper from 8mg to 7.5mg. I take my pred about 6.15am just after breakfast (non-coated). I have 5mg & 1mg non-coated and 2.5mg coated. I have been taking non-coated up till now. My question is - to save me cutting tablets will it be OK to take 1 x 5mg coated and 1 x 2.5mg coated to make up the 7.5mg or is that likely to cause me problems as part of it taking longer to get into my system. Sorry if this is a daft question but I don't want to muck things up!Thanks.

[SnazzyD]

I used to take my uncoated about 2-3 hours after the coated to try to account for their different action times so they peaked more or less together. Even then I’m sure it was a bit haphazard. This was when, after being on coated for ages, I got to the pill cutting stage and had to mix them. Why have you started to add in coated now?

[Pusph in reply to SnazzyD]

Hi, thanks for your reply. I was prescribed them at the outset at 15mg - 5mg and 1mg non-coated and 2.5mg coated - no idea why! and used them to come down to 12.5mg and quite honestly didn't notice any problems! But that was at a relatively higher dosage. Now I'm on lower doses I don't want any problems, so I may ask doctor's for non-coated I think. Thanks.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Only one way to find out! One answer would be to take the 2,5 coated before bed - they won't get into the system until about 4am and then the non-coated are a top up. It might make mornings good ...

I assume the 2.5 coated are from a helpful doctor? Trouble is, doesn't really help. You could ask the pharmacist to get you non-coated 2,5s if the doctor just wrote 2,5, maybe the pharmacist just dished out the coated ones on that basis - they do exist but are relatively pricy.

[Pusph in reply to PMRpro]

Thanks PMRPro I think I am going to ask for non-coated 2.5mgs and if I can't get them I'll just have to halve a 5mg (easier than halving a 1mg I'm assuming)! I just wanted to avoid the faff and uneven tablets really, but I don't want to tempt any further problems after my last flare so would prefer to stick with all non-coated really.Thanks.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Pusph]

The minimal unevenness is really not a problem if you take the 2 halves on consecutive days. Lots cheaper for the NHS - the doses that aren't commonly used are much higher in price.