What Is the Best Time of Day to Take Prednisone

Prednisone is a steroid used to treat and forbid a variety of conditions that involve inflammation. Discover out how to take it safely and possible side furnishings.

Type of medicine	Likewise called
Belongs to a group of medicines known equally corticosteroids	Apo-Prednisone® Prednisone®

What is prednisone?

Prednisone is used to treat many illnesses associated with inflammation, such equally asthma, COPD, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease and other autoimmune conditions.

Prednisone works by calming or suppressing your body'south immune organization and is especially effective for treating flare-ups of these conditions. Prednisone helps to reduce the symptoms associated with these weather condition – it does not cure them.

Prednisone is in a class of medicines known equally corticosteroids, which is similar to the steroid hormones your body naturally makes.

Dose

In New Zealand prednisone is available as tablets in 4 unlike strengths: ane mg, 2.5 mg, 5 mg and xx mg.

• The dose of prednisone is different for dissimilar people, depending on your status.
• Doses unremarkably range from five mg to threescore mg daily.
• Some people may demand a curt course of prednisone (such as v days), while others may demand to accept it for longer (weeks to months).
• Prednisone tablets come in different strengths. Check the strength of your tablets and the dose you are prescribed. You may need to take more than than ane tablet. If you are unsure about your dose or the number of tablets to take, enquire your pharmacist.
• Ever take your prednisone exactly as your doctor has told you lot. The pharmacy label on your medicine will tell you how much prednisone to have, how frequently to have it and whatsoever special instructions.

How to have prednisone

• Timing: Accept your prednisone tablets with food and with a full glass of water. If you take it in one case a day or every second day, it is all-time taken at breakfast time. If it needs to be taken more than in one case a solar day, space your doses out during the twenty-four hours. Try non to take it besides close to bedtime because information technology may keep you awake.
• Missed dose: If you forget to accept your dose, have it as presently every bit yous remember. But if it is almost time for your next dose, but take the adjacent dose at the right time. Practice not take double the dose.
• Stopping prednisone: If you lot take been taking prednisone regularly for more than 3 weeks, or taking high doses of prednisone (twoscore mg or more) for longer than 1 calendar week, do not end it suddenly. Stopping of a sudden can cause withdrawal symptoms, which can be serious or even life-threatening. Instead, yous will exist given a tapering dose. This means your dose of prednisone will be gradually reduced over a few days or weeks. Read more than about a steroid withdrawal program.

My prednisone dose
I am taking prednisone for : _________________________________________________________________________
My dose is: ___________________________ ___________________________	For how long: ___________________ ___________________
How to reduce my prednisone dose graduallyover a few weeks
Date:	Dose:
Appointment:	Dose:
Appointment:	Dose:
Date:	Dose:
Date:	Dose:
Notes:

While taking prednisone

• Tell all your healthcare providers: Information technology'southimportant to tell all your healthcare providers that you are taking prednisone.
• Increased hazard of infections: Taking prednisone for a long time can increase your risk of all types of infections. Tell your doctor if yous come into contact with someone who has a contagious illness such as chickenpox or measles, or if you feel unwell.
• Vaccines: It is condom to have most vaccines, including the flu vaccine, while yous are taking prednisone. Protecting yourself against infection is important considering prednisone suppresses your immune system. However, vaccination with 'live vaccines', such MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) or shingles vaccine, should be postponed. Enquire your md for advice before you have any vaccines while you are taking prednisone.

What are the side effects of prednisone?

Like all medicines, prednisone tin can cause side effects, although non everyone gets them. Almost side effects are related to the dose yous are taking and how long you are taking prednisone for. Read more about taking steroids long term.

Changes in behaviour and mood

Prednisone, particularly in high doses, can crusade changes in personality, behaviour and mood, such as:

• irritability, agitation and restlessness
• sleep problems (insomnia) and nightmares
• mood swings and aggression
• low mood, depression and even suicidal thoughts.

These symptoms typically develop within a few days of starting prednisone, but they can occur at any time, including after stopping treatment.

While these symptoms often go away when your dose is reduced or prednisone is stopped, stopping prednisone must be done under the guidance of your doctor. Stopping besides quickly can make these symptoms worse. Yous are at higher adventure of mood and behaviour changes if you lot have previously had similar reactions to steroids (corticosteroid-induced psychosis), or if you have a personal or family history of psychiatric disorders.

If y'all accept changes in mood and behaviour, peculiarly low and suicidal thoughts, tell your doctor immediately or telephone Healthline 0800 611 116.

Other side effects

Side effects	What should I do?
Difficulty sleeping	Take prednisone in the morning or at least 3 hours before bedtime.
Headache Musculus weakness, feeling tired	These are quite mutual when yous first start taking prednisone and commonly go away with time. Tell your doctor if troublesome.
Increased appetite	Prednisone increases your appetite. Follow a salubrious, balanced diet to maintain your weight. Develop an eating schedule and stick to information technology.
Fluid retention causing swollen ankles and anxiety	Whenever possible, sit with your anxiety raised. Avoid foods with high salt content. Tell your doctor if this happens.
Raised claret glucose	Prednisone can cause an increase in blood glucose. If you have diabetes, you may demand to increase the dose of your diabetes medicine to control your blood glucose. Talk to your doc about this. Prednisone tin can likewise crusade the onset of diabetes in people who are at take chances of diabetes. Your doctor will monitor your claret glucose levels regularly.
Eye pain and changes to your vision	Tell your doctor immediately or phone Healthline0800 611 116.
Problems with your stomach such as hurting, blood in your stool (poo) or night coloured stool (poo)	Tell your dr. immediately or phone Healthline0800 611 116.
Did you know that you lot tin can written report a side effect to a medicine to CARM (Centre for Adverse Reactions Monitoring)? Report a side effect to a production

Interactions

Prednisone interacts with a number of medications and herbal supplements so check with your doctor or chemist earlier starting prednisone or before starting any new medicines.

Learn more

The post-obit links have more data on prednisone.

Prednisone RheumInfo
Prednisone (Māori) NZ Formulary Patient Information

References

1. Prednisone NZ Formulary
2. Glucocorticoid therapyNZ Formulary
3. Prednisone treatment – follow dosing recommendations Medsafe, NZ, 2021

Resource

Te reo resource

The Māori Pharmacists' Clan Ngā Kaitiaki o Te Puna Rongoāhas a complimentary telephone line to respond questions whānau accept about their medicines. Telephone call0800 664 688.

Annotation: This is a non-urgent service and they volition become back to you inside 24 hours.
For urgent health communication freephone Healthline 0800 611 116.

Brochures

Related topics

Gout | Mate waikawa kai kōiwi

Asthma in adults

Rheumatoid arthritis | Mate rumatiki

Taking steroids long term

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Source: https://www.healthnavigator.org.nz/medicines/p/prednisone/