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PMR, Prednisone, Timing of Dosage

Posted , 12 users are following.

kathy67492
kathy67492

Since the onset of PMR 2-1/2 years ago I have always (with a week or so exception) taken my dose of prednisone @8:00 a.m. Even tho I do not wake up stiff or in pain...that starts later in the day and peaks at bedtime.

This morning I almost forgot!!...but took my 9m at 11:30 a.m.

I felt so much better today and even now at bedtime have less niggles. I plan on trying this again tomorrow. Isn't this a bit strange?

 

0 likes, 19 replies

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  • tpaggs
    tpaggs kathy67492

    Posted

    I always split my dosage. Half in the morning, half in the evening.  Seemed to work for me.  Whatever works, stick with it.
  • Mrs_CJ
    Mrs_CJ kathy67492

    Posted

    I've tried taking my single dose of pred at various times.....about 8:00 with breakfast, at 2:00 am., at 4:00 am.  And the best time for me is to take my entire dose at bedtime which is usually about 10:30 pm.  I'm currently on 4 mgs.  

    One thing I read on this forum is that if you split your dose there is more pred circulating in your body and that may increase your side effects.  If you take a single dose the pred clears out of your body a bit more during the 24 hours before your next dose.

    I think you just have to experiment to see what works for your body!

  • hindags
    hindags kathy67492

    Posted

    I was just diagnosed 2 weeks ago and am on my 6th day now of prednisone 15 mg in the morning.  My PMR is much better at 15 mg. and by the second night I began sleeping through the night without the aching night pains.  I experience most discomfort in the mornings and get progressivley better during the day unless I over do.  My husband said something brilliant to me the other day:  Just because you can do it (now that I'm being treated) doesn't mean you should.

    My rheumatologist told me that splitting the dose is harder on your bones, maybe because, as you stated, the Prednisone is always in your body.  

    Has anyone here tried the delayed release prednisone that you take at ten PM so that it is on board when the cytokine dumping occurs?  I'm pretty sure that it's the cytokines, not the inactivity of sleep that causes my morning pain. Since starting the Prednisone, my mobility is almost normal, the pain inmy hips is all but gone, but the shoulders/arms are still painful. I can move them.  It just hurts.  I wonder if anyone with my pattern has had a trial on the delayed release prednisone?

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