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Quick question - running out of PRED

Posted , 10 users are following.

elizabeth40672
elizabeth40672

Just wondered what you would do. I have to see my Dr again before she will prescribe more  Pred but can only see her in 11 days time. My 1mg tablets run out in 10 days. I am on 12mg/13mg reduction and can get to 10 days if I do not take my next 13mg in 5 days time. What do I do? Take 12mg every day forgetting the next 13mg day and on the day of the DR appointment take 10mg and the other 2 later in the day. Will this make that much difference or do I need to phone and ask if she will prescribe it before my appointment. 

Sorry for the long winded story! I hope you are all well!

0 likes, 16 replies

16 Replies

  • lazyslug
    lazyslug elizabeth40672

    Posted

    That happened to me once. I just cut a 5mg tab in half for a couple of days without any problems. 
  • pauline36422
    pauline36422 elizabeth40672

    Posted

    because I always go to my  local    chemist  she will    loan  me a few, then take them  back  when my script  comes in.  hope this helps
  • celia14153
    celia14153 elizabeth40672

    Posted

    You make me realise how lucky I am! Over here I have all my Pred on repeat prescription which I order on line when needed, and is picked by the pharmacy for me to collect. Running out is not good but easily done. I always carry some in my bag too in case of unforeseen events!  OCD perhaps 😄

    • elizabeth40672
      elizabeth40672 celia14153

      Posted

      I have to phone and ask for a repeat prescription which they will allow for up to 3months and then I have to have a doctor appointment. It makes them to run blood tests so as much as it is a pain I do feel they are keeping a check on me. I knew I was running low but it has just taken time to organise an appointment. I have had few days when I have had to phone home to get husband to bring some down. That is usually the days that I am feeling good so It does not happen too often smile 
  • RD_Swede
    RD_Swede elizabeth40672

    Posted

    When I am close to running out of a medicine I can go to a website for my region in Sweden and can ask for renewal of the prescription. I tell who is my main doctor in the clinic and it seems as If in most cases another doctor is in charge of ("easy"wink renewals. Very nice to have the answer within half a day and as we have e-prescriptions I can go to any pharmacy in Sweden. I can also read most journals and do many other things on that website.

  • EileenH
    EileenH elizabeth40672

    Posted

    Try 2 days 12, 1 day 13, 3 days 12, 1 day 13 etc which will stretch your 1mg tablets further and isn't quite as big a drop - it's part of the slow reduction I bang on about.

    But by now you can cut the 5s in half and use them all the time until you feel ready to go to 12.

    • EileenH
      EileenH

      Posted

      Or have misunderstood and you are already at 5 days 12 - in which case going to every day 12 is fine and you could start on the odd day of 11.
    • elizabeth40672
      elizabeth40672 EileenH

      Posted

      Thanks Eileen, I'm on 1 day old and 4 days new this week and 1 old and 5 new next week. i have just 10 days worth of 1mg tablets left if I stay on 12mg and forget about the increase to 13mg in 5 days time. Even doing this I am one day short and would have to do 10mg on the last day. Lazyslug suggested cutting the 5mg so I could use 12.5mg on the days I am supposed to have 13mg and then they would stretch. This sounds like a good suggestion. 

       

    • Bethune
      Bethune EileenH

      Posted

      Hi Eileen, can you send the protocol for the rsds (?) or very slow method you and so many others  are talking about?  I'd like to give it a try.

      Thanks!

      Bethune

  • brenda69464
    brenda69464 elizabeth40672

    Posted

    I think I would call the Dr and explain the situation. Surely a Dr who has any understanding would give you sufficient meds to get through to the time of appointment!

    The other option is going to a walk in clinic or emergency room and explaining the situation. To mess with the drugs could potentially cause adverse and unneccessary  reactions.

    Good luck!

  • Bethune
    Bethune elizabeth40672

    Posted

    Definitely see if she can prescribe a few extra.  If not your plan sounds good or maybe split a pill and have 2-3 days at 12.5??
  • Bethune
    Bethune elizabeth40672

    Posted

    Also, next time you go yo the doc ask her for 1 extra prescription for a one time only situation.  I always have one whole bottle of extra 1mgs, to carry me through, or if I have a flare, I can up my meds with a with or without a phone call, to save me from super pain until I can get to the doc.  My doc trusts me with this... thank goodness. 
    • elizabeth40672
      elizabeth40672 Bethune

      Posted

      Thanks for the advice Bethune, I will phone tomorrow and see if she will give me some to tide me over until my appointment. I won't know unless I ask...

  • snapperblue
    snapperblue elizabeth40672

    Posted

    I don't completely understand.  Do you have 5 mg tablets?  With a pill splitter, you can cut these into rough quarters of 1 1/4 mg. and use them for the 1 mg pills for this short time.

    Otherwise, the schedule for decrease should not be so iron-clad that a single skipped higher day should disrupt things unless you are having only marginal success at your current schedule.  

    On the other hand, it seems crazy that your doctor won't prescribe until she sees you.  I wonder why this is?  Perhaps she fears you will skip appointments and wants to be sure you come in. (Various motives are possible!)  

    Or maybe she is among the prednisone-phobic doctors who feel the need to tightly monitor patient use of pred.  What are they afraid of? What motive would we have for taking more than prescribed except to limit inflammation and reduce pain? In the US, the medical culture seems to hand out dangerously addictive painkillers at the drop of a hat, but freaks out at moderate doses of prednisone.

    Perhaps you could ask her about this!

    • elizabeth40672
      elizabeth40672 snapperblue

      Posted

      I am going to phone tomorrow and see if she will prescribe some until I see her. I will also run out of ADCal which not being quite so urgent is still needed. Will see what she says. I will cut the 5mg if all else fails. I bought a cutter yesterday so can do it now. 

      I think she just feels that it is time to see me again. She has been very good with me so far so maybe I am mis-judging her and after a phone call tomorrow all will be well again. I have a plan if not smile 

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