Reducing Preds

Posted , 16 users are following.

I want to reduce my dosage from12mg to 11.5 is anyone successful in cutting that little 1mg pill, also i am quite stiff first thing in the morning so want to take my pills much earlier but dont like yoghurt, any other suggestions please.

0 likes, 25 replies

25 Replies

Prev
  • Posted

    If you are still stiff in the morning maybe hold off reducing for a bit. Seriously I bit those 1 mg in half. smile

    You can get a pill cutter too. I've done both!

    • Posted

      Brilliant idea, using your teeth, I love it. 
  • Posted

    Sounds like you need to stay at 12mg for a few weeks longer to get the inflammation under control. When you do decide to come down use the dead slow nearly stop method and you will gradually over a few weeks reach your target dose but fool your body into thinking it is getting more Prednisolone than it is. So preventing a flare. It works for lots of us.
  • Posted

    I've been reducing by 0.5 mg and I don't cut the 1 mg as I have found it very unreliable.  I cut the 5 mg and add 1 mg's to this. Taking the 12 to 11.5 this wound be 1 x 5, half of a 5 plus 4 x 1 mg.QED
    • Posted

      What a great idea!  Can't believe I never thought of that!!!   Blame it on 'steroid brain'.
  • Posted

    I have experienced no difficulty breaking the 1 mg with my fingers. Just snapping them along the line. It is not always super precise but I figure a little more one day, a little less another is good. Agree with consensus to go slow on taper.
    • Posted

      Gail - What line on the 1 mg?   I've had at least 6 different manufactures of preds and none have a cut line on them - the 5 mg do!
    • Posted

      In the USA PREDNISONE has a score on one side to allow for breaking the tablet whatever dose is supplied (1,5, 20mg) except for Rayos which has a special coating for delayed release of the prednisone and must not be cut. Prednisone is rarely used in the UK.

      In the UK PREDNISOLONE  has a score on one side for 5mg tablets but NOT for 1mg tablets. It is presumably expected that 1mg dosage is the smallest anyone would require and breaking a 5mg tablet provides 2.5mg doses. Liquid pred can be obtained for children - and that is easy to measure.

      They are to all intents and purposes the same drug - prednisone is metabolised in the liver to make prednisolone which is the active form of the substance. Prednisolone therefore works a bit faster, puts less of a strain on the liver and is more reliable if the patient has any liver problems.

      Claims have been made that any tablet that does not have a score line should not be broken as the substance is not evenly distributed - manufacturers say this is rubbish as the same technique is used to produce the tablets whatever the dosage. Certainly, here in Italy they tell you to halve tablets rather than them dispense a wide variety of posologies. I can't say I have noticed a problem.

    • Posted

      Sorry Gail - Eileen post below has answered the query.  I use Prednisolone not prednisone.  I live in the UK.

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.