What is the highest dosage of Prednisone you have been on? 375mg/ day too high?

I just got released from the hospital. I thought I was having a horrible UC flare. It turned out to be C Diff. I was the hospital for four days, my first time ever being hospitalized. When I first arrived the doctors were giving me three dosages of 125mg of Prednisone every eight hours for a total of 375mg per day for the first two days. I kept telling the nurses that was too high of a dosage, my doc usually starts a taper at 60mg or 40mg. It didn't make sense for me to be taking 9 times the dose usually prescribed. Unfortunately for me, my GI doc was in surgery all day the first two days I was in the hospital so he couldn't come see me. He sent another doctor and PA from his office. They said the dosage of 375mg was too much and got the nurses to bring down to 40mg twice a day, then 40mg once per day, now I'm on a normal taper.
What is the highest dose you have been prescribed of Prednisone? For what time? What are your opinions on 375mg per day?

By the way, I was getting pumped with fluids and I gained over 10 pounds in water retention while in the hospital. My ankles, knees, fingers, toes, etc are swollen and filled with water. It hurt to move/walk at first.

Would love your opinions and feedback about the dosage. Thank you!

375mg !!! why not make it 400mg while they're at it

i think this dose could kill an elephant, i believe the top dose is 2 mg/kg/day unless your weight is 187.5Kg / 413.367 pounds i find this hard to believe as a suitable dose for you.

[i am not a doctor]

my highest dose was 60mg + 3x IV Fortecortin 8mg (Dexamethasone)

Was it IV hydrocortisone?

Prednisolone 5mg is approximately equivalent to hydrocortisone 20mg. If it was IV, then it is about right for an acute flare (equiv to short burst of 100mg pred.)

ambling said...
Was it IV hydrocortisone?

Prednisolone 5mg is approximately equivalent to hydrocortisone 20mg. If it was IV, then it is about right for an acute flare (equiv to short burst of 100mg pred.)

ambling sounds wise. I think this is the answer.

your treatment sounds just fine. it sounds like you do not know a lot about the different kinds of steroids and that they vary from the same receptor affinity as cortisol to many many times more affinity. it is not mg it is receptor affinity that counts.

IV is also usually much stronger because the threat is usually so serious when patient is in hospital.

it is very possible the dose of "pred" was much more equivalent to the dose of whatever IV steroid you were getting. I wonder if your doc just changed the type of steroid to stop you freaking out.

even this thread and the title is kind of histrionic. it is like walking into a room and tossing a handgranade It is good to get informed, but I think you need to take a deep breath and focus on understanding more and reacting less.

i dont think that dose sounds right. that would kill any person- like really- and is considered an overdose.

as for the water retention, it will go away when you start tapering. i had a very severe reaction to iv prednisone back in 2011 (only 40 mg). i arrived at the hospital weighing 90 lbs and 2 days later, i weighed 130 lbs. obviously, i couldn't move at all. i had to be pushed in a wheel chair and eventually used a walker to get around for a month or so. when my doc gave me the go ahead to taper to 35 mg (oral) after 4 weeks, i dropped weight FAST. for three days, i was sweated and peeing uncontrollably all day and night. i literally looked like a skeleton again once i dropped all the water weight. i was also able to start walking on my own again and lifting my arms- such a relief!