Split dose at 5 mg. pred

Posted , 11 users are following.

i seem to recall on another forum a discussion about split dose at 5 mg pred--some were saying their rheumies told them when they got to 5 mg, they should not do split dose because 5 mg is where the dose starts to kick in the adrenals--so if you do a split dose at that level, you are thwarting the natural adrenals activity. poorly worded on my part but im not adept at forum searches.

i am at 5 mg, struggling with soreness in the mornings--it takes forever for the pred to kick in for me. so i thought maybe i would try a 3-2 split but then i recalled that discussion about not splitting the dose at 5 mg, what do you all think? thank you.

0 likes, 13 replies

13 Replies

  • Posted

    Does it really matter? If it works better then a split must be preferable to a higher dose surely.

    • Posted

      thanks, eileen; kinda hoping i would hear this. will start tonight, let the good times roll! hope you are feeling better.

  • Posted

    I'm doing through slow reduction from 4.5 mg to 4 and I can't function without splitting it.

  • Posted

    I also split my dose and I am at 4.5 total which currently I do by taking 2.5 in the morning when I wake up and 2 at night when I go to bed (prednisone). I am holding off reducing for now as it is too stressful when I am teaching so I'll wait till summer. Good luck.

  • Posted

    Since I'm trying the slow reduction, I take 2 mg in the morning and 2.5 at night. I tried it the other way around but was waking up stiff. During the days that I'm supposed to reduce, I take 2 mg in the morning and 2 mg at night. I also take 200 mg Ibuprofen at night, I find it helps with the stiffness. But, Ibuprofen doesn't touch any stiffness or pain during the day. I don't get it and neither does my doctor but it works.

    • Posted

      Im always amazed at what a difference 1/2 mg. can make--almost scary when you think about it. Im just starting with a 3-2 split, sure hoping it will make a difference. you are doing good to be at 4; im staying on 5 all summer, my second time around to do 5.

    • Posted

      It makes a big difference as I try to go from 2 to 1.5. This is my 3rd try!

    • Posted

      I wrote a whole post in the difference 1/2mg can make. And that was 1/2mg in two days!!!!

  • Posted

    Yes, you are so right what a difference 1/2 mg does. My doctor doesn't believe me. Even though I'm doing the slow reduction, I still feel tired at night and have some aches and pains. Every day is different. I felt much better at 5 mg but my blood work came back showing no inflammation and my doctor wants me to reduce. He's also talking about Methotraxate if I can't reduce any further but I refuse to start another medication that has just as many side effects as the Pred.

    • Posted

      You would have to hold me down and forcibly administer mtx if I was at 5mg, never mind any lower. It is less than the body makes so causing few adverse effects. It is utter stupidity to combine mtx and all its potential risks with such a low pred dose - and immunologists are very concerned about the long term potential increase in risk of cancers by doing so. Which is a very real one.

    • Posted

      I agree with you 100%. I have one of the best doctors but at this point I don't think he's not listening to me. Actually, I never thought he listened to me and I always relied on my knowledge from this forum and others to guide me. He's pretty much there to write my prescriptions and do my blood work. I find that doctors are not creative at all, they feel that one size fits all and they just don't listen to anything we say. He also wanted me to take bisphosphonates saying the Pred will damage my bones. I refused that too with its own side effects and my bones haven't changes at all in the last 2 years. Sometimes. I feel that all they want to do is get us on meds and with all the side effects, never coming off of them.

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