Most patients remain on alternate-day dose prednisone for at least 6 to 8 months. When beginning the taper, it is best to proceed slowly by reducing the dose no faster than 5 mg every 2 weeks. When the
patient's dose has been reduced to 20 mg every other day
, tapering at an even slower rate is advisable.
Can you take prednisone on and off?
It's
safer to taper off prednisone
. Your doctor will gradually lower your dose. Tapering helps prevent withdrawal and stop your inflammation from coming back. As you taper, you may notice subtle symptoms.
Can you take prednisone occasionally?
Prednisone has long-lasting effects and is usually prescribed once daily. Occasionally, people on higher dosages are instructed to take it
twice a day
for short periods of time before dropping down to just a single dose.
Can you take prednisone once a week?
You may only need a short course of prednisolone for up to a week
. You may need to take it for longer – even for many years or the rest of your life. Will I put on weight? If you have to take prednisolone for more than a few weeks, the chances are that you will put on weight.
Can you take prednisone short term?
When used short-term,
prednisone is generally well-tolerated
, and when side effects do occur in this scenario, they usually clear up quickly after treatment ends.
Should I drink more water while taking prednisone?
Fluid retention can cause weight gain but as steroids are reduced, fluids will usually reduce as well, along with some of the weight gain. Drinking
plenty of water and exercising
can help with fluid retention.
What vitamins should not be taken with prednisone?
Steroid medications such as prednisone can interfere with
vitamin D metabolism
. If you take steroid drugs regularly, discuss vitamin D with your doctor.
Can you eat bananas while taking prednisone?
You can control fluid retention by eating a diet low in sodium and eating more foods that contain potassium such as bananas, apricots, and dates.
Will I gain weight taking prednisone for 5 days?
Generally,
the higher the dose of the steroid
and the longer you're on it, the more likely you are to encounter weight gain. Short courses of a few days to a couple of weeks don't usually produce many side effects.
Is 10mg prednisone a lot?
Prednisone is the oral tablet form of steroid most often used. Less than 7.5 mg per day is generally considered a low dose; up to 40 mg daily is a moderate dose; and more than 40-mg daily is a
high dose
.
Can you eat eggs while taking prednisone?
My advice is to limit your food to
whole foods
: Vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, eggs, fish, meat and a limited amount of whole fresh fruits, healthy fats (such as avocado, olive oil), plain yogurt, kefir and cheeses and whole grains like oats (unsweetened oatmeal) and quinoa.
What are short term side effects of prednisone?
Common side effects of daily low dose prednisone include
elevated blood pressure, swelling
, changes in blood sugar, increased appetite, weight gain, insomnia, osteoporosis (thinning of bones), irregular menstrual periods, and mood changes.
Can you stop prednisone after 1 day?
A person should never need a prednisone detox as long as they communicate their needs with their doctor
. Forgetting to take prednisone for a day or two will not trigger withdrawal symptoms, but if a person waits any longer they might cause withdrawal symptoms to develop.
Does prednisone make you pee a lot?
Talk to your doctor right away if you have more than one of these symptoms while you are using prednisone: blurred vision, dizziness or fainting, a fast, irregular, or pounding heartbeat, increased thirst or urination, irritability, or unusual tiredness or weakness.
Does prednisone make you feel weird?
While prednisone is not a stimulant,
it can make you feel more alert or jittery
. “It doesn't really interrupt sleep, but some patients find it keeps them awake when they don't want to be,” Dr.
What should you not eat when taking prednisone?
Prednisone has a tendency to raise the level of glucose, or sugar, in the blood, which can cause increased body fat or diabetes in some people. It is important to avoid
“simple” carbohydrates and concentrated sweets
, such as cakes, pies, cookies, jams, honey, chips, breads, candy and other highly processed foods.
