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Is it better not to split prednisone dose?

M

mare

New member
I have a question for those who have been on or do take Prednisone.
My Dr said I could split my dose and take half in the am and half in the pm if I feel that I am waiting for it to take effect in the morning. Now I am wondering if that is right. When I was just in the hospital ( a different dr) I took the whole dose at once. I have been feeling short of breath again and wonder if I really would get better effects if I took all 20mg at the same time. I take 10mg am /10mg pm now.
which isnt a lot at all compared to what I have taken in the past.

Help me think here.





52 f w/cf/cfrd
 
M

mare

New member
I have a question for those who have been on or do take Prednisone.
My Dr said I could split my dose and take half in the am and half in the pm if I feel that I am waiting for it to take effect in the morning. Now I am wondering if that is right. When I was just in the hospital ( a different dr) I took the whole dose at once. I have been feeling short of breath again and wonder if I really would get better effects if I took all 20mg at the same time. I take 10mg am /10mg pm now.
which isnt a lot at all compared to what I have taken in the past.

Help me think here.





52 f w/cf/cfrd
 
M

mare

New member
I have a question for those who have been on or do take Prednisone.
My Dr said I could split my dose and take half in the am and half in the pm if I feel that I am waiting for it to take effect in the morning. Now I am wondering if that is right. When I was just in the hospital ( a different dr) I took the whole dose at once. I have been feeling short of breath again and wonder if I really would get better effects if I took all 20mg at the same time. I take 10mg am /10mg pm now.
which isnt a lot at all compared to what I have taken in the past.

Help me think here.





52 f w/cf/cfrd
 
L

lightNlife

New member
It depends on how it makes you feel. Sometimes splitting the dose is easier on the stomach, and also, by letting less of the medication into your system at once, some of the side effects aren't as pronounced (at least not immediately anyway.) Personally, I've found that splitting the dose, has a VERY unpleasant side effect of causing extreme sensitivity and pain to the touch. It makes my whole body, especially my chest, shoulders, face and scalp, feel as though they are healing from a bruise. I've learned that this is related to how the drug works through the body, and also why it's not a good idea to stop the dose, but rather, taper off. I've noticed that this pain happens also if I fail to take the dosage at the exact same time of day. For that reason alone, I take the entire dosage at once, that way I don't have to keep track of 2 sets of 24 hour time tables.

Since you have CFRD, the doc may have suggested splitting the dose so that it interferes as minimally as possible with your blood sugars. How you decide to go about it is up to you though. Both ways are acceptable, it just depends on how you feel and what is more important to manage right now--the blood sugars or the shortness of breath. Personally, I'd go for the bigger dose all and once and adjust my insulin accordingly.

It was probably not split up for you in the hospital, because nurses aren't as familiar with a patient's individual med schedules. Also, their instructions in the computer might only say "20mg daily" instead of "10mg Q12."

I hope you find a good solution that works for you.
 
L

lightNlife

New member
It depends on how it makes you feel. Sometimes splitting the dose is easier on the stomach, and also, by letting less of the medication into your system at once, some of the side effects aren't as pronounced (at least not immediately anyway.) Personally, I've found that splitting the dose, has a VERY unpleasant side effect of causing extreme sensitivity and pain to the touch. It makes my whole body, especially my chest, shoulders, face and scalp, feel as though they are healing from a bruise. I've learned that this is related to how the drug works through the body, and also why it's not a good idea to stop the dose, but rather, taper off. I've noticed that this pain happens also if I fail to take the dosage at the exact same time of day. For that reason alone, I take the entire dosage at once, that way I don't have to keep track of 2 sets of 24 hour time tables.

Since you have CFRD, the doc may have suggested splitting the dose so that it interferes as minimally as possible with your blood sugars. How you decide to go about it is up to you though. Both ways are acceptable, it just depends on how you feel and what is more important to manage right now--the blood sugars or the shortness of breath. Personally, I'd go for the bigger dose all and once and adjust my insulin accordingly.

It was probably not split up for you in the hospital, because nurses aren't as familiar with a patient's individual med schedules. Also, their instructions in the computer might only say "20mg daily" instead of "10mg Q12."

I hope you find a good solution that works for you.
 
L

lightNlife

New member
It depends on how it makes you feel. Sometimes splitting the dose is easier on the stomach, and also, by letting less of the medication into your system at once, some of the side effects aren't as pronounced (at least not immediately anyway.) Personally, I've found that splitting the dose, has a VERY unpleasant side effect of causing extreme sensitivity and pain to the touch. It makes my whole body, especially my chest, shoulders, face and scalp, feel as though they are healing from a bruise. I've learned that this is related to how the drug works through the body, and also why it's not a good idea to stop the dose, but rather, taper off. I've noticed that this pain happens also if I fail to take the dosage at the exact same time of day. For that reason alone, I take the entire dosage at once, that way I don't have to keep track of 2 sets of 24 hour time tables.

Since you have CFRD, the doc may have suggested splitting the dose so that it interferes as minimally as possible with your blood sugars. How you decide to go about it is up to you though. Both ways are acceptable, it just depends on how you feel and what is more important to manage right now--the blood sugars or the shortness of breath. Personally, I'd go for the bigger dose all and once and adjust my insulin accordingly.

It was probably not split up for you in the hospital, because nurses aren't as familiar with a patient's individual med schedules. Also, their instructions in the computer might only say "20mg daily" instead of "10mg Q12."

I hope you find a good solution that works for you.
 
S

Scarlett81

New member
Pred makes my body itchy, and the first few hours after taking it, it makes my lungs and the muscles around them ache and feel almost like I am hyperventilating. it makes me very anxious.
just love it...
i take the 4 mg pills and the doc has me take one pill every few hours, 4 or 5 x a day (to get 20 mgs a day). this seems to take the edge off of it for me. if i take the whole 20mgs at once i just want to jump out of my skin.
 
S

Scarlett81

New member
Pred makes my body itchy, and the first few hours after taking it, it makes my lungs and the muscles around them ache and feel almost like I am hyperventilating. it makes me very anxious.
just love it...
i take the 4 mg pills and the doc has me take one pill every few hours, 4 or 5 x a day (to get 20 mgs a day). this seems to take the edge off of it for me. if i take the whole 20mgs at once i just want to jump out of my skin.
 
S

Scarlett81

New member
Pred makes my body itchy, and the first few hours after taking it, it makes my lungs and the muscles around them ache and feel almost like I am hyperventilating. it makes me very anxious.
just love it...
i take the 4 mg pills and the doc has me take one pill every few hours, 4 or 5 x a day (to get 20 mgs a day). this seems to take the edge off of it for me. if i take the whole 20mgs at once i just want to jump out of my skin.
 
K

kybert

New member
splitting the dose actually causes more side effects. when you take it all at once in the morning it mimics the bodies own production of cortisol.
 
K

kybert

New member
splitting the dose actually causes more side effects. when you take it all at once in the morning it mimics the bodies own production of cortisol.
 
K

kybert

New member
splitting the dose actually causes more side effects. when you take it all at once in the morning it mimics the bodies own production of cortisol.
 
T

TheJake

New member
I have been on it for about a year now, and my doctor likes me to take it all at once because of the side affects, 20mg every other day, I like to take it half every day (10mg a day) it works better that way for me.. I also use Advair 500/50 that works great for me..
 
T

TheJake

New member
I have been on it for about a year now, and my doctor likes me to take it all at once because of the side affects, 20mg every other day, I like to take it half every day (10mg a day) it works better that way for me.. I also use Advair 500/50 that works great for me..
 
T

TheJake

New member
I have been on it for about a year now, and my doctor likes me to take it all at once because of the side affects, 20mg every other day, I like to take it half every day (10mg a day) it works better that way for me.. I also use Advair 500/50 that works great for me..
 
C

Cath

New member
I'm new here, I'm in California. I'm trying to learn how to use this site, photos, blog & so forth & making slow progress so if my pic is too big, I apologize.

My Lung specialist has me do a 10 to 15 day regemin when I'm having Asthma episodes or fighting one of the infections of CF. Each pill is 10mg. It starts with 4 @ am, 2 @ pm (with meals) for 2 or 3 days, than 3 @ am & 1 @ pm for 2 or 3 days, & keeps tapering off from there. I find that by the time I am almost to the halfway point I have to deal with indigestion & increased hunger signals even though I feel full.

One thing I like about Prednisone is the energy I get only because I am always struggling with fatigue & having to force myself to do anything. The energy from it makes doing what I need to do bearable.

I was dx in 2003 at age 47. At this age with CF I don't look like what people think you should. I don't have that "failure to thrive" look when under weight! (wish I was thin though)

My siter died of CF in 1970 at age 13 at 57 pounds. Back then they didn't know a lot about CF so after my sister died, officials investigated my parents for child abuse because she was so underwieght. They finally dropped their persuit & allowed my family to get on with the grieving process.

Cath...
 
C

Cath

New member
I'm new here, I'm in California. I'm trying to learn how to use this site, photos, blog & so forth & making slow progress so if my pic is too big, I apologize.

My Lung specialist has me do a 10 to 15 day regemin when I'm having Asthma episodes or fighting one of the infections of CF. Each pill is 10mg. It starts with 4 @ am, 2 @ pm (with meals) for 2 or 3 days, than 3 @ am & 1 @ pm for 2 or 3 days, & keeps tapering off from there. I find that by the time I am almost to the halfway point I have to deal with indigestion & increased hunger signals even though I feel full.

One thing I like about Prednisone is the energy I get only because I am always struggling with fatigue & having to force myself to do anything. The energy from it makes doing what I need to do bearable.

I was dx in 2003 at age 47. At this age with CF I don't look like what people think you should. I don't have that "failure to thrive" look when under weight! (wish I was thin though)

My siter died of CF in 1970 at age 13 at 57 pounds. Back then they didn't know a lot about CF so after my sister died, officials investigated my parents for child abuse because she was so underwieght. They finally dropped their persuit & allowed my family to get on with the grieving process.

Cath...
 
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