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preds

Posted , 9 users are following.

mary82976
mary82976

Noticed patients mentioning .05 mg preds.  Are the tablets actually prescribed or are they cutting the 1.00mg in half - my GP only prescribes 5.0 mg and 2.5 mg which makes reducing slowly very difficult.

0 likes, 13 replies

13 Replies

  • constance.de
    constance.de mary82976

    Posted

    It depends where you live.  Even in which country you live in!  You can get pill cutters, but they are fiddly. 
  • Oregonjohn-UK
    Oregonjohn-UK mary82976

    Posted

    Are your preds red or white?   If red then don't cut. 

    You can get to 0.5 mg by using a combo of 1 and 5 mgs - thats cutting the 5 mg which should have a grove in it - you can use a pill cutter or a sharp thin knife.

    E.g. 6.5 would be half of 5 mg = 2.5 plus 4 x 1 mg.

    Hope this makes sense.

  • tina-uk_cwall
    tina-uk_cwall mary82976

    Posted

    Hello Mary, I live in England, and here we have 5 and 1 mgs of the ordinary prednisolone. The 5mgs come with a central indented line so that they can be cut in half with either a pill cutter (always ensure the blade of the cutter is in line with the indent otherwise the cut will not be a true half). Or you can use a very sharp knife.

    if I ever get down to .5 then I will attempt to cut the 1mg tablet. But until then it's mixing and matching the 5, the 2.5 (cut tablet), and the 1mgs to make the doses required.

    are your 2.5 tablets coated? If they are you cannot cut them. Next time you see your GP, primary Dr ask for a 1mg prescription, you never know, they may be available where you live and it's simply that your Dr hasn't prescribed them to you. All the best, christina 

    • mary82976
      mary82976 tina-uk_cwall

      Posted

      Thank you for your speedy response - my 5 mg and 2.5 tabs. are coated and cutting them is not an option, unfortunately. Will approach my GP again - maybe he is not aware that there are uncoated tabs. to be had.
    • tina-uk_cwall
      tina-uk_cwall mary82976

      Posted

      Mary, uncoated pred tablets are half the amount to purchase as the coated ones. However, although they both do the same job they are absorbed into the system differently. The uncoated ones are absorbed via the stomach whilst the coated ones are absorbed via the gut. The coated ones are normally given to patients that have stomach problems. Regards, christina 
    • mrsmop
      mrsmop mary82976

      Posted

      This is how Drugs dot com describes enteric coating

      Definition: an oral dosage form in which a tablet is coated with a material to prevent or minimize dissolution in the stomach but allow dissolution in the small intestine. This type of formulation either protects the stomach from a potentially irritating drug (aspirin) or protects the drug (erythromycin) from partial degradation in the acidic environment of the stomach.

      Prednisolone irritates the stomach, which is why your GP has given you the enteric coated tablets and why we are told to eat something prior to taking the Pred.

      Your GP will give you the 1mg tabs if you ask him and show that you understand why he gave you the other

      Good luck

       

  • Kassie_beetle
    Kassie_beetle mary82976

    Posted

    Hello Mary

    Tablets in Aussie are 1mgm, 5 mgm and 25 mgm prednisone.  You can cut them in half or quarter ( is a bit fiddly) to get the dose prescribed or the reducing dose. Can you ask your GP to prescribe a 1 mgm tablet?

    all the best

    Kathy

    • EileenH
      EileenH Oregonjohn-UK

      Posted

      Hitting your fingers you mean ;-) ?

      Pill-cutters are available from pharmacies or on-line - some are better than others. They hold the pill in place and have a guillotine-like action.

    • Oregonjohn-UK
      Oregonjohn-UK EileenH

      Posted

      Could be Eileen - I really meant the dosage.  I tried to cut a 1 mg and both times make a mess of itrolleyes - ended up with lots of bits and crumbs!!  I'm going to use 0.5 mg (using the cut 5 mg with the 1 mg) but also use the 'method' to make it even slower.  You know my mantra 'Slow but sure' or slowly, slowly catche monkey!
    • Oregonjohn-UK
      Oregonjohn-UK Kassie_beetle

      Posted

      I did think of getting my hammer and chisel out but thought it would make even more mess!!
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