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how long does prednisone take to work?

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Posted 4/1/2013 5:43 PM (GMT 0)
Started at 40 mg for 5/days. At first (like day 2) I thought I saw improvement but that quickly subsided. Now i am on my 3rd day of 20 and definitely think I am seeing improvement. Is that due to the pred? Does it take typically take so long to work?

 

Posted 4/1/2013 5:46 PM (GMT 0)
Why are you taking 20 mg of pred for 3 days when you started at 40?
Posted 4/1/2013 5:58 PM (GMT 0)
My body reacted very slow to pred. It took about 1.5 weeks until I saw any noticeable improvement. Some report a noticeable improvement within days. I think it varies a lot person-to-person, and also depending on how bad your flareup is.
Posted 4/1/2013 6:04 PM (GMT 0)
40/5 days 30/5 days 20/5 days 10/5 days. I am on the 3rd day at 20. I noticed a quick improvement around day 2 at 40, but it was gone by the time I made it to day 5 and my symptoms were getting worse each day at 30. Now, finally I am starting to notice improvement. Not sure if this is due to the prednisone or the fact that I cut out gluten about 3 days ago. I have never had any gluten intolerance/sensitivity issues that I know of, but I was desparate for something that would work as my GI was mentioning should the pred not produce results he wanted me to consider remicade/humira and I am not sure I am ready to go there yet.
Posted 4/1/2013 6:53 PM (GMT 0)
Is that schedule something your GI suggested?

As iPoop noted, everyone's response is different. My personal experience with asthma flares is that a 1 week burst regimen clears it up, but when I had all-over joint pain it took a month at 60 mg/day to feel better.

Most people here will start pred at 40 mg/day and then stay at that level until they feel better, then start tapering. You should be able to modify the schedule your GI has given you so that it works FOR YOU. Stay at 20 mg until you are really and truly feeling better.

And 3 days gluten free is not very much, although perhaps avoiding processed foods has helped you too.
Posted 4/1/2013 7:52 PM (GMT 0)
I hate it when doctors have you start tapering before you even reach remission but, if pred is all you are doing, it is very highly unlikely to keep you in remission all by itself if you have tapered low or completely off. It's just not going to happen. I believe it is the pred or the combination of the pred and going gluten free which is showing your current results but unless going gluten free will keep you in remission once the pred is tapered off, you will get worse, at which time your doc will start talking Remicade and Humira once again. Didn't he put you on any mesalamines, either oral or rectal or both? He should have put you on them in addition to the pred and then hopefully after taking you off the pred the mesalamines will keep you in remission. The doctor knows pred has no chance to keep you in remission all by itself unless he has you contine taking it and not tapering completely off, which is a bad option.
Posted 4/1/2013 11:37 PM (GMT 0)
Your tapering is too fast.

I concur that everyone responds differently, even same person would respond differently over the period of time. I used to respond very well to 30mg by 3rd day. Now I need almost 2 weeks of 40mg.

I would taper by 5mg each week after I reach 20mg/day. Who suggested you this schedule? In general, folks are ignorant about havoc that Pred can create. If not tapered correctly, this drug can get you to ER.
Posted 4/1/2013 11:40 PM (GMT 0)
I typically show improvement within the first 2 weeks of my pred tapers (I've done them 3 times now). My last taper started at 60mg and I think I tapered for 8-12 weeks, but had significant symptom improvement in about 10 days. Of course that's with continuing my oral meds as well, and at that time I was also doing the Rowasa enemas (once I was able to retain them).
Posted 4/2/2013 1:37 AM (GMT 0)
My doc always keeps me at 40 mg until I am in remission (usually a little over 2 weeks), only then do I start to taper.

Tapering before you are in remission seems pointless. If Pred doesn't get you in remission, then you need to consider something else. Same if pred gets you in remission but you reflare when doing a reasonable taper.
Posted 4/2/2013 1:42 AM (GMT 0)
I think it varies. I took pred once and had improvement almost over night. The 2nd time, it took at least 10 days to get to the point where I could consider decreasing the dose.
Posted 4/2/2013 2:28 AM (GMT 0)
I had improvement within a few days.
Posted 4/2/2013 12:53 PM (GMT 0)
I have been taking lialda (6/day) for several years. Last October I was reduced to 4. Currently I increased back to the 6/day and have also been using Canasa. I have never had Pred before. And yes, my doctor was the one that prescribed the Pred and the dosage/taper. He had indicated to me that many people feel better rather quickly which I initially did, however as I said... as quickly as I started to improve, I saw the symptoms returning. I don't think the gluten thing has anything to do with it really, just looking for some sort of explanation as to what may/may not be going on.
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