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Nov 11, 2023

Is My Prednisone Dose Too High?

Corticosteroids, or steroids, are prescribed to treat many conditions involving

Corticosteroids, or steroids, are prescribed to treat many conditions involving inflammation. Inflammation is the immune system's reaction against injury or infection. Steroids work by affecting the immune system and decreasing inflammation.

Steroids treat conditions such as asthma, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), lupus, multiple sclerosis (MS), eczema, different types of cancer, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis (UC), and others. Prednisone is a popularly prescribed steroid medication.

Steroids are potent (strong) medicines. As such, they can have serious side effects, mainly when used at high doses and for extended periods.

Because of these risks, healthcare providers prescribe prednisone at the lowest effective dose and for the shortest possible time.

One such popular steroid medication is prednisone, a drug used to lower symptoms of low corticosteroid levels.

However, a high-risk dosing schedule of prednisone varies based on the condition treated and individual factors. Continue reading to learn more about prednisone dosing and safety.

Healthcare providers prescribe prednisone at the lowest effective dose and for the shortest possible time. This will help lower the risk of severe side effects.

Prednisone is available in multiple forms of administration alongside varying strengths of prescription.

Moreover, it should be noted that while brand-name forms of prednisone exist, it is most commonly prescribed as generic prednisone.

For example, prednisone oral (taken by mouth) tablets are available in 1 milligram (mg), 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg, 20 mg, and 50 mg tablets.

Prednisone is also available as a delayed-release (DR) tablet (a form of medicine that delays the release of active ingredients after taking it, which can help control where it's released in the body) under the name Rayos.

Brand-name Rayos is available in 1 mg, 2 mg, and 5 mg DR tablets.

Prednisone is also available as an oral solution (a liquid form of administration).

Your prednisone dosage will vary based on your condition and your response to treatment. It's recommended that prednisone be taken with food to minimize stomach discomfort and side effects.

Generally, the starting dose is between 5 and 60 mg daily, although higher doses are sometimes required.

A lower dose may be appropriate for less severe symptoms, while others with more severe symptoms or conditions may require higher starting doses.

Depending on the length of treatment, the healthcare professional may provide a tapering schedule, where the amount is decreased over some time rather than stopping abruptly.

Doing so reduces the risk of severe side effects. People taking prednisone will be closely monitored for safety and side effects.

Additionally, prednisone should be stopped if a person does not respond to treatment after a reasonable period.

Some examples of higher prednisone dosing include:

Take prednisone exactly as prescribed. Do not take more prednisone than prescribed, and do not take it for longer than prescribed.

Follow your healthcare provider's instructions for tapering prednisone, and do not stop taking it abruptly unless directed by your healthcare provider.

Like other medications, prednisone can cause side effects. Tell your healthcare provider about any side effects you experience while taking this medication.

Below is a partial list of side effects, and others may occur. A healthcare provider can advise you on side effects.

If you experience other effects, please contact your pharmacist or a medical professional. You may report side effects to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) at fda.gov/medwatch or 1-800-FDA-1088.

Common side effects of prednisone may include:

Side effects associated with long-term use of prednisone can be severe and can include, but are not limited to:

More serious side effects of prednisone may include but are not limited to:

Call your healthcare provider right away if you have serious side effects. Conversely, call 911 if your symptoms feel life-threatening or if you think you have a medical emergency.

Prednisone may cause other side effects. Call your healthcare provider if you have unusual problems while taking this medication.

If you experience a severe side effect, you or your provider may send a report to the FDA's MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting Program or by phone (800-332-1088).

Prednisone can be used to treat many conditions that involve inflammation.

Your healthcare provider will determine if prednisone is appropriate based on your symptoms, medical condition(s), medical history, and other factors.

Prednisone is not appropriate for everyone. Before taking prednisone, tell your healthcare provider about your medical conditions, medical history, and family history.

You should not take this medication if you are allergic to prednisone or any of the inactive ingredients in prednisone.

Other people who should not take prednisone include:

Prednisone may be prescribed with caution in some people only if the healthcare provider determines it is safe. This includes:

If you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding, consult your healthcare provider for medical advice.

Tell your healthcare provider about all your medicines, including prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs and vitamins or supplements.

While taking prednisone, do not start any new medications without approval from your healthcare provider.

Some drug interactions include:

This is not a complete list of drug interactions. Other drug interactions may occur with prednisone.

Consult your healthcare provider for more information about drug interactions and how they may affect you.

Prednisone is a steroid used to treat various conditions that involve inflammation. The dose that is prescribed is individualized based on many patient factors.

Because of the risk of side effects from long-term use, which can be severe, healthcare professionals are careful to prescribe the lowest effective dose of prednisone for the shortest time.

Consult your healthcare provider if you have questions or concerns about your prednisone dose and length of treatment.

A dose of prednisone reaches its highest effect in one or two hours. Prednisone has a half-life (the time it takes for half the drug to be cleared from the body) of two or three hours, and it takes four to five half-lives for a drug to remove the body.

Therefore, a prednisone dose will take about eight to 15 hours to clear the body. However, if you continue to take prednisone, you will keep building up levels of the medication in your body, so it will not clear the body until about 8 to 15 hours after your last dose.

Your healthcare professional will provide you with a personalized taper schedule. An example of a tapering program is decreasing the prednisone dose by 2.5 to 5 mg every three to seven days.

However, everyone is different, so follow the plan given by your healthcare provider.

Methylprednisolone, like prednisone, is a corticosteroid. Methylprednisolone is available as a tablet as well as various injectable formulations. The injectable formulation may be used when someone cannot take oral prednisone.

They treat many of the same conditions and have similar side effects and warnings. Depending on the situation, your healthcare provider may recommend one.

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By Karen Berger, PharmDKaren Berger, PharmD, is a community pharmacist and medical writer/reviewer.