Missed Dose

[Pusph]

Hi everyone, I must have missed a complete dose for 1 day last week! I am currently on 4mg Pred so a whole box of 28 tabs lasts me 1 week. I normally start each box on a Thursday but last week when I came to open a new box it was Friday! I'm normally SO meticulous with taking them I just can't believe what I've done and could kick myself. I'm already feeling more achey but don't know if that's just psychological knowing what I've done or what. My question is would the pain come back that quickly from 1 missed dose and if so I was thinking of going up to 5mg for a week, 4.5mg for a week and then back to 4mg if all seems well. Loathe to go way up as any change of dose up or down seems to play havoc with my palpitations. Thank you.

[SnazzyD]

It happens and it’s hard to know why looking back. How many days ago? Are they PMR aches that you recognise? Have you been doing anything extra since you missed it?

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Difficult to say as you don't know WHAT day you missed it! Usually you catch up in the next day or two but if you are on the borderline, maybe not. And at this dose that is a fair dollop out of the dose for adrenal considerations too and that can cause aches as well.

I'd suggest getting a weekly dosette box even though it is easy to check at the dose you are at - but a dosette box that is somewhere prominent can make it obvious sooner that you have missed a dose today. Mine is next to my phone - by the bed at night and on the dining table in the day and handled repeatedly through the day/

[piglette]

I am glad it is not just me who misses days!! When I forgot to take my pred the pain started about half a day after the missed dose in my case. So much so that a swore I would never forget again!!

[Pusph in reply to piglette]

Hi. It's the first time I've ever missed a dose in over 2 1/2 years! Did you end up having to up your dose for a bit or did ypu stay at the same dose it calmed down and sorted itself out over the following days?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Pusph]

Usually people find it settles with the next day's dose without adding anything more.

[piglette in reply to Pusph]

As PMRpro says I just took the dose immediately and then carried on as normal swearing I would never let it happen again!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to piglette]

Everyone does - until the next time!!!

[piglette in reply to PMRpro]

Exactly, I cannot believe there was a NEXT TIME!

[Cfmad298601]

I did that awhile back. I have one of those pill organisers that I usually sort out on a Sunday for the coming week. I was on about 5mg, then one day I’d gone into work and by the afternoon I was just feeling a bit “off” very sluggish, woozy etc. when I went to take my blood pressure meds at bedtime I’d realised I hadn’t had my morning pred that day, so instantly knew why I’d felt rough. I just carried on as usual the next day, no ongoing issues, luckily. Just chalked it up to that it’s going to happen sometime.

[CocoaChanel]

Easily done! I couldn’t do it without being super organised - something I’m finding easier with age? I bought a cardboard box for all my pills and supplements and stuck my overall schedule inside the lid and daily schedule on the outside (decorating it is optional 😉). I also bought a pretty little pill box and every morning I count out all my daily pills/supplements into it. That way if I forget anything I’m never more than a couple of hours out. Works for me 👍 but I realise being retired I do have the time to play around .

[KingWilf]

I have forgotten twice. The first time I didn’t realise til the aches started in the afternoon, so I took the dose as soon as I could and carried on. The second time I realised more quickly, and had learnt from this forum to carry spare pills with me so was able to take some straight away, just a couple of hours late. I used to struggle to remember the various other meds we have to take, to combat the Pred effects, esp Calci-D, but I now use the medical app on my phone to send me reminders to take my medication, and I have to log it in the app to stop the reminders. This has proved very effective for me, I guess it’s like a digital dosette box. I can still be late, but I take everything now.

Good luck finding a solution that works for you. If you haven’t suffered any significant consequences of the missed dose I’d be inclined to just carry on.

[Pippah45]

Yes I think it does happen that quickly. I am on 2mg and wondering why my shoulders were aching. Come my morning dose there were already 2 pills in the egg cup I keep for the purpose so clearly yesterdays! I took three that morning and it helped.

[Doraflora]

with travelling 12,000 miles, I decided to miss one day’s dose so that I could then revert to my usual morning dose when we got to Australia. But, having decided that, I’ve had increased aching ever since. Nothing painful as such, but lack of flexibility - and weariness.

However, living in a mad household the last 8 days, plus a teenager into the mix🙄, and a hectic agenda, guess it’s no wonder we’re weary. But it’s worth it!! And what fantastic shops! Oh my…

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Doraflora]

On that way I always took extra rather than less and think I advised that when you first asked!

Do pleased you’re there now and hopefully can relax for a few days…

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to DorsetLady]

What - fingers in a plug?

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to PMRpro]

🤦🏻‍♀️

[Doraflora in reply to DorsetLady]

Sorry DL. Brain fog at its best with me sometimes I think. Short-term memory 🤣

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Doraflora]

No - NEVER miss a dose - too much is always more comfortable and helps deal with the stress!!! But when you use the top-up dose for that change in time, you don't actually take more, just the right amount.

[Doraflora in reply to PMRpro]

Rightyho. I won’t do it then on the trip back and hopefully it’ll lessen the jet lag back home. 🤞