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Prednisone questions... yay!

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Posted 12/1/2009 3:46 PM (GMT 0)
I need some advice...

I just had a flare up and was placed on Prednisone (boo). I have been started on 60mg, 5mg tablets. The last time I took it was in January 2008 after I was diagnosed with UC and came home from several days in the hospital. I only vaguely remember how I took my doses, but I tapered off 5 mg for a month or two.

Anyway, my question is... the directions on the bottle say "Take 4 tablets by mouth three times daily and taber by 1 tablet every 4 days as directed by md" The pharmacist said that she believed it meant taking it 444 for 4 days then 333, 222, etc. so I'm tapering by 15 mg every four days. I can hardly recall, but I remember the last time I took Prednisone I tapered by 5 mg, so it was 444, then 443, 433, etc. etc. After waiting on the phone for a while, I got a hold of the doctor's nurse and she said that it was 444, 333 like the way the pharmacist described it. I just don't think that's right... am I crazy? Are the side effects of the medication already taking place...? How have you guys tapered off Prednisone? I would really appreciate the advice!

Also, I'm on birth control, how does that interact with the Prednisone? I got so distracted by the dosage I forgot to ask the nurse!

Thanks so much! :)

Posted 12/1/2009 3:58 PM (GMT 0)
First off ,sorry you're on prednisone again. It works beautifully for most people but it's a nasty drug when it comes to side effects. Good thing you're tapering off it pretty quickly tho. Anyway, I think the pharmacist/nurse has got it wrong. 15mg ever 4 days seems pretty fast. Not really outrageously fast but that seems like a lot. Usually doctors like to taper a lot slower. I'm actually tapering right now from 60mg. I'm going down by 5mg every 2 days until I'm down to 35mg/day and then I'll taper by 5mg every 5 days and that's the fastest I've ever tapered. They way I see it, he means one single tablet every 4 days just like you did last time (so 444, 443, 433 like you said). But, I'm not an expert and like I said, I don't think 15mg ever 4 days is dangerously fast but that's just my opinion. But it's decent difference between the two so I would definitely try to actually get hold of the your doctor asap. If you don't manage to get in touch with him today I'd just go the safe route and go for the 444, 443, 433 like last time until you can talk to your doctor and really clear up that confusion. You can't taper too slow. Good luck!
Posted 12/1/2009 4:15 PM (GMT 0)
Everyone is different but slower is better for your UC and faster is better to get off the drug, obviously. So you go as fast as you can. I can taper by 10 mg's every few days until I get to 10, then I go every other day with 10 for a week.
Posted 12/1/2009 4:15 PM (GMT 0)
Call your doctor's office and ask what he intended you do. When I was on pred, I started at 40mg, then dropped to 30, 20, 15, 10, then 10 every other day, but each doc seems to have a different philosophy!
Posted 12/1/2009 4:15 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the advice. I really appreciate it. I'm going to call again and hopefully get in contact with the doctor this time.

He prescribed me 300 tablets, and I did the math with both ways of tapering off. I'm short 12 tablets if I taper 5 mg every four days, but if I taper 15mg then I'm only using 120 of the tablets. It just doesn't add up...
Posted 12/1/2009 4:19 PM (GMT 0)
Hope you can get it figured out. The first time I read your post, I totally missed the BC question. (partly b/c I mentally stuck the "u" in your username inbetween the "g" and the "y" and therefore thought your name was jorguy, and therefore thought you to be male) Anyway, I was on BC when I was on pred, and didn't notice any difference in terms of my cycle. DH and I used backup for a while, though, because I'd been so sick and wasn't sure if my BC was absorbing properly.
Posted 12/1/2009 5:12 PM (GMT 0)
@Fruitgirl - Oh, lol. Yeah, I'm on BC, and thanks for your advice. Backup might be necessary. I'll play it by ear next week, but it is always better to be safe than sorry.
Posted 12/1/2009 7:16 PM (GMT 0)
     My doctor has me on the exact same taper as fruitgal.
Posted 12/2/2009 12:32 AM (GMT 0)
My doctors have always given me more prednisone than I need; they estimate the amount in their head and add a little. Call the office, get the taper and make sure you're prescribed enough.
Posted 12/2/2009 8:52 AM (GMT 0)
My doc had me tapering by 5 every seven days, but I'm going a bit faster than that and he doesn't seem to mind. I'm on 10 as of today (need to update the profile). Two more weeks, if all goes well.
Posted 12/2/2009 9:03 AM (GMT 0)
Hello Jourgy :)

How fast you taper depends on a lot on how long you've been taking it. If you are only on it for a short time, like a couple of weeks or a month.. you can taper much quicker than if you are on it longer than 2 or 3 months.. I've been on Prednisone since last June, and have to taper off REALLLLY slowly.. I tapered down from 50mg at 5mg a week until I hit 20mg, then slowed it to 2.5 a week until I'm off. So I've still got.. hmm let me see.... 5 more weeks (after careful counting.. lol) Then I'll be rid of this wonderful but horrid drug!! hehehe.... Good luck to you and double checking with your doctor is a great idea :)
Posted 12/2/2009 10:01 AM (GMT 0)
Susie... yeah I asked my doc today about why I'm tapering so fast and he said if you were on it for a short time, it doesn't matter as much and you can go faster, but what if it is the taper itself that increases the time to 3 months? I've been tapering longer than I was on the full dose at this point (about 4-5 weeks each). Does the taper time count towards your total steriod use time for the 2/3 month cutoff?

Just curious.
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