Started Predisone and not sure is safe!!!

never heard of prednisone for bronchitis, unless this is due to allergic reaction or some autoimmune condition. 

Doctor should have told you for how many days and how to taper it off ? 

 

40mg/day is perfectly safe for 5 days - I have friends who have been on that dose for months. They do have the odd side effect, mainly weight gain, but the choice for them is a few side effects or possibly go blind. No contest.

If you are only taking pred for 5 days, whatever the dose, you don't need to taper. You take it, just like an antibiotic, and stop, just like an antibiotic.

It is used in bronchitis to reduce the inflammation that is making it difficult to breathe as quickly as possible, makes it easier to cough up any phlegm and so reduces the chances of you developing a bacterial infection as well which would be difficult to manage without alot of antibiotics.

The scare stories are from the early days of pred where they discovered that patients who they thought had rheumatoid arthritis and were stuck in wheelchairs were able to get up and walk after a few doses of pred (it was probably another rheumatic disease but just as disabling). Unfortunately they didn't realise what the long term consequences could be for some time - and then the horror stories started. But that was 60 years ago. Used carefully for short periods it is a very useful and powerful drug. Which is why it is still in use.

My sister takes prednisolone Every day & has been on them a long time. I'll check with her

When I get a cold it often develops into asthmatic bronchitis, and the only thing that makes it get better is taking prednisone with the antibiotic zithromax. I usually take 40mg of prednisone for 4 days, 20mg for 3 days, then 10mg for 1-2 days. No negative effects and it always works. It is better to taper off Prednisone rather than just stop taking it abruptly at a higher dose. While the medication does have many side effects and can harm your health if taken long term, it is the only thing that helps some conditions. A short term dose usually poses no risks, and can be very helpful for some conditions, but your doctor would be the best person to determine that for you.