Can one take more Pred during the day?

[Motida]

I am not sure if this question has come up before, apologies if so.

I am on 6.5mg and been there for 32 days so far. I have noticed that I cannot function physically as I did on 10mg and down to 6.5.

If this happens is it safe to take more pred at lunch time and treat it as a flare for the usual 2 weeks and then try dropping down to 6.5 again?

I may have told you that I was thrown on my back in a bus 5 weeks ago and still have some pains around the sternum. This also brought on oedema in my ankles and feet which went away but left dermatitis. This is being treated but I suspect has added to PMR symptoms perhaps.

Thanks for any advice

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Why not just treat it as a flare for your single dose and drop back to 7mg? It also sounds as if you reduced the dose soon after the fall? Not a good idea - wait until you are recovered, even if it takes quite a while. Pred is patient - it will wait!

And yes, you could take more pred anytime - but really only within the flare approach. Pred doesn't have to all be taken at once, some people split their dose all the time to extend the effect to the full 24 hours. But if you can manage on a single dose a day, that is more convenient and less likely to interfere with sleep.

[Motida in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you very much for your advice. I had forgotten that people split their doses, of course they do! I will treat this as a flare and go to 10mg till the dermatitis and pains round the sternum fade completely. Hopefully that will be in two weeks and then drop to 7 mg as you suggest.

I am in my third year of PMR so keeping hopeful it will burn itself up in 2025.

Thank you again.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Motida]

Hope springs eternal - but don't get too set on a specific date.

[random901 in reply to Motida]

Thanks for asking that question, Motida. I'm still recovering from v painful back & hip injury. Had just gone from 13 to 12 pred but will boost this to 17 for a week. All the best for hoped 2025 burning up!