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Prednisone and mercaptopurine dose?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 8/27/2014 3:57 AM (GMT 0)
I was wondering if anyone has been in flare and been on both at the same time and what their doses were. I am bleeding now and am on day 26 of mercaptopurine 50 and 20mg of pred....thinking I need the doc to kick up the pred?
Posted 8/27/2014 5:14 AM (GMT 0)
20 mg of pred probably isint going to do anything for your flare. The standard dose of oral prednisone is 40 mg/day.

As for mercaptopurine (6-mp) the standard dose is 1-1.5 mg/kg/day. Your doctor may play around with this but it will be around that range. Though 26 days probably isint enough time for it to take effect. You can usually start to see improvement around the 2-3 month mark.

Hope that helps!
Posted 8/27/2014 12:05 PM (GMT 0)
50mgs of 6mp isn't much, I'd ask your gi for an increase. 20mgs pf pred might be enough for now, it's to hold you where you are until 6mp reaches its therapeutic range which can take a couple months. How bad are your bm consistency and frequently? If it is unbearable then ask for an up on pred, however, pred is a terrible drug so I'd be hesitant to be on too high a dose for too long.
Posted 8/27/2014 4:24 PM (GMT 0)
I agree...my knees and muscle myalgias are in flare too....wondering if I should have advocated for remicade, but I don't want to be on remicade and 6mp at the same time....hoping that when the blood goes away the joint pain and muscle pain does too...having to start Norco to get relief...tramadol doesn't cut the mustard
Posted 8/28/2014 12:04 AM (GMT 0)
6mp can take several months to kick in. 50mg is the typical starting dose. I was on prednisone when I started 6mp. Because the 6mp takes so long to kick in, I did a pred cycle starting at 40mg and then transitioned to Uceris to bridge the remaining gap until the 6mp kicked in. It was after the 6mp was fully in my system that I went off the roids and my dosage was upped to 75mg.
The good news is it really has done the trick for me.
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