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Split dose??

Posted , 6 users are following.

linda17563
linda17563

Just thought I`d post that I felt so ill this week, and dreaded taking the Pred, felling desperate like I was being poisoned!  thought I would split the dose 7mg with breakfast, 7mg with evening meal....this being 3rd day, don`t feel  as bad, blurred vison/balance has improved some....I know it may change in a few days, but is anyone else doing this?  i`m not sure, but I think Eileen or someone else said the USA splits the dose....will be asking Rheumy next Tuesday what she thinks.  Any comments welcome....thank you.

2 likes, 25 replies

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  • tavidu
    tavidu linda17563

    Posted

    hi linda,

    I have just reverted back from 7mg in am and 7mg in pm to 14mg with breakfast but not sure if that was wise, am now having more aches than usual in legs and shoulders but its only been 6 days (I live in UK) so will give it another week. If still problems will go back to split preds. Am waiting to see what Eileen has to say.

  • jennissw
    jennissw linda17563

    Posted

    I have thought of doing that and would like to know the answer too.

    I feel fine around 3 once the pred kicks in but as evening arrives I feel like it actually wears off. I dont feel ill on it though. Have you spoken to your doctor about those side effects?

    • linda17563
      linda17563 jennissw

      Posted

      Yes, and what with other things going on (bone test results) GP thought Rheumy may have the answers......we live in hope!
    • jennissw
      jennissw linda17563

      Posted

      Oh I hope so. Although I find none of them seem to know much other than statistics which seem to prove time and time again to be different than reality
  • steve_1
    steve_1 linda17563

    Posted

    I've never realy got on top of PMR, always aching especially in the evening, I've not been able to get below 7 mg.

    I talked it over with my GP and decided to split the dose so that I might get some respite in the evenings.

    31/2 at 4 pm and 31/2 at 4 am. Within 2 days things got better, so much that I have now dropped to 6 mg overall, in 2 doses of 3.

    I am not suffering at all now. However I've done some soft tissue dammage to my knee, I only stood up and it happened, nothing strenuous. My GP informs me that having PMR and taking preds can leave one a bit more susceptible to this sort of

    injury. So now I'm walking with a stick and finally getting the sympathy we PMR sufferers deserve but don't get.

    • jennissw
      jennissw steve_1

      Posted

      Thanks for that steve. As I take the coated type id have to do a different dose in the morning to that of the one in the evening, I wonder if it would work for me.

      It all seems to be experimentation for us all. Wish I had the time release meds...Im sure that would help

    • steve_1
      steve_1 jennissw

      Posted

      I would never suggest that one goes against proper practice BUT I went from 121/2 mg to 111/4 mg and I only had 5mg tablets to do it with.

      I was bollocked by my doctor and was told off by several posters to this forum, but, it worked and I'm still hear to tell the tale.

    • steve_1
      steve_1

      Posted

      Sorry. I meamnt to say I only had 21/2 mg tablets .....the coate4d ones.
    • EileenH
      EileenH steve_1

      Posted

      Who told you off? I hope I didn't - unless you were cutting the enteric coated tablets. If you weren't doing that and if I did it was by mistake since the reduction scheme described in the replies here

      https://patient.info/forums/discuss/pmr-gca-website-addresses-and-resources-35316

      can well be used to reduce 2.5mg at a time and I've suggested it to several people who can only take enteric coated tablets which you can't cut. You might need to repeat each stage if doing a 2.5mg drop rather than a 1mg drop but it does work I'm told.

    • linda17563
      linda17563 steve_1

      Posted

      Proper practice, what is it I ask myself!  I think we sufferers know more than the Rheumy at times....if it works for you than keep it up  say, it`s our pain after all! I wouuld agree that muscles/tendons ect feel far more vunerable.... Thanks for your reply....
    • EileenH
      EileenH linda17563

      Posted

      I was reading a submission for a study recently which said that "there is no proper evidence for any reducing scheme" or words to that effect. The group has already accepted the idea of slow reduction and is hoping to include it in an upcoming study.
    • linda17563
      linda17563 EileenH

      Posted

      Thanks for that...hope the sun is shing for you like here!biggrin
    • linda17563
      linda17563 EileenH

      Posted

      Went there for my 50th, it was magical, stayed at malchesni(?) the twin towers happened while we were there....can`t forget that in a hurry!  Went up to the Dolomies...fantastic...wish I was well enough to go again...but I have lovely memories, especially the twinkling lights at night across the lake!cool
    • EileenH
      EileenH linda17563

      Posted

      Malchesine.

      I was just down the road at Lasize that week - we camp and were there with our caravan. We had just walked into the town and back and a neighbour came over and told me I must put the TV on, quickly. They had heard on the radio. Do you think we will ever forget where we were that day?

      I live on the edge of the Dolomites - one side of the road is Alps, the south side the Dolomites. We're at the north end, you will have had a trip into the south and middle probably - where we nip over for lunch on occasions wink  They are my substitute garden  lol

    • linda17563
      linda17563 EileenH

      Posted

      No, I don`t think we`ll ever forget where we were,  I was in the pool at the hotel, and my husband had gone into our room, when I returned, I said what silly film is that on TV, as if two planes would do that......he then told me it was real......having said that, we had a wonderful week with trips etc, we did stop half way up to the dolomites, it remimded me of Austria. We wre lucky with  the weather, I had been warned it could be rainy near the lake.....I think it would too expensive now though.  When I have enough energy, I would like to go to the Norwegian fjords....just hope I can get some answers from Rheumy next Tuesday...I am practically housebound feeling so ill, but I feel a bit more lifted with the sun out anyway.....and sitting in my garden!....small pleasures...smile.
    • EileenH
      EileenH linda17563

      Posted

      Well of course, until 1921 it WAS Austria! It is still German-speaking where we live and only about 10% of people are Italian-speaking as their mother tongue. Suits us - we can eat and drink and do the shopping in Italian...
    • margaret22251
      margaret22251 EileenH

      Posted

      that sounds divine, now in England its trying to snow here sleet. 
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