Has anyone taken 1000mg of prednisone for 3 days with no taper? I cannot have the IV steroids right now(long story) so the doctor has prescribed this. Did you have a lot of side effects? Was it effective? Sorry about all the questions,but this pill dosage seems high to me. Thanking you all in advance for the info!
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Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass... it's about learning to dance in the rain! Diagnosed '99. And still learning about this disease! -
I had 1000 mg./day for 3 days via IV with no taper, not the pills, but I know others have been prescribed the pills in this dosage.
Seems like a good option if you take something to protect your stomach from upset (which you often need with the IV method as well....)
I know a few here have done this, hope they see your question and respond with their personal experience doing high dose steroids this way. -
Originally posted by BDOBBINS View Post
The dosage is high, but not different than what you'd get by IV, less sometimes. You could take a 5 day course of 1000 mg day. The high dosage is what's critical in the treatment of a relapse.
I haven't taken the oral steroids for a relapse, but I have taken the IV sveral times and haven't ever had a taper.
As Justsayyes mentioned, tummy issues could be an issue, more so with oral than IV steroids. Ask you doctor about preventative measures. Other than that, I don't know that your side effects would be much different than IVSM. Efficacy should be the same as IVSM, which varies. May help tons during one relapse and do absolutely nothing the next.
Good luck, feel better soon!Comment
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After picking up this prescription it is 1250mg a day. Even higher than I thought!
Help!! I'm worried!
Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass... it's about learning to dance in the rain! Diagnosed '99. And still learning about this disease!Comment
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I have taken the pills on three or four occasions. 1200mg a day for for 3 days, then 200mg a day for 3 days, then 60mg tapering down by 5mg a day (i.e. 12 more days).
I took Losec (or a generic form) to protect my stomach and didn't have any problems.
Compared to the IVSM I had once, the side effects were no better, no worse. I got very jittery and talkative for a couple of days, then felt really bad for a day or so before I started feeling better. No different from the IVSM.
My neuro thinks the pills are equally effective, and it was so much easier for me not to have to go to the hospital each day for the IV.
Hope you feel better soon.
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Your prescription is the correct oral equivalent of 1000 mg of IV Solu-Medrol (IVSM). They're virtually the same thing and, at equivalent dose, the two are equally as effective. (Sometimes steroids don't work for someone, but it isn't the form if the med that's responsible for that.)Originally posted by BDOBBINS View PostAfter picking up this prescription it is 1250mg a day. Even higher than I thought! Help!! I'm worried!
There's no reason for you to doubt oral steroids. If you were willing to have the IV form, there isn't any reason to be afraid of the oral form. If you weren't bothered by the prospect of 1000 mg of IV, there isn't any reason to be bothered by the idea 1250 mg of oral.
One reason orals might not be used is because a person has an ulcer or other digestive condition that could be aggravated by prednisone. IVSM is irritating to the stomach even though it never comes into direct contact with it. Oral prednisone does contact the stomach, and in some people it can be very irritating. Usually a person takes one of the anti-acid meds while on steroids -- even the IV form -- and that prevents any serious problems. If you don't have any pre-existing stomach problems, you should do just as well on the oral form as the IV form.
You didn't say whether you've had IVSM before. If you have, you have a good idea of what to expect. The side effects of the oral and IV forms are the same because they're virtually the same med. One thing that some people do notice is that the bloating from the oral form seems to hang around longer. But not everyone experiences that.
Research has shown that there is no medical benefit to a taper, so tapers are becoming less and less common. I've had literally dozens of IVSM 3-days and haven't done a taper in years. I've also done high-dose oral prednisone a couple of times without a taper.If your doc didn't prescribe a taper, it isn't cause for concern.
The time to be worried is when your neurologist tries to get by with prescribing some tiny, weeny little dose of oral prednisone when a good high-dose whack of oral or IV is indicated. If a relapse is considered serious enough to be treated with steroids, it needs to be treated appropriately or not at all. Since the decision was made to treat you, the 3 days of high-dose orals sounds right.Comment
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Thank you for the replies to my questions! You all have been very helpful! Yes, I have had the IV solumedrol 1x and I don't have any side effects that stick out in my mind so I'm glad to hear that I can most likely expect the same from the oral steroids. I guess that I am overthinking things sometimes.Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass... it's about learning to dance in the rain! Diagnosed '99. And still learning about this disease!Comment
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My neurologist said there is no difference between the IVSM and oral prednisone at the same high dose. I was prescribed ranitidine for my stomach and lorazepam to take at bedtime if needed. Keep us posted!Comment
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I did. I took a large does of oral prednisone for my 2nd relapse after I was diagnosed. My diagnosing relapse was a multisymptom relapse. I was treated with IV steroids for 5 days. They made me so emotional that I refused to do them again when the other side of my body was affected a few months later. The doc said if I wasn't willing to do IV steroids again, I could do oral prednisone instead but he warned me he was gonna hit me hard with them.Originally posted by BDOBBINS View Post
He prescribed (33) 20 MG tablets taken over 10 days.
I saved the prescription and am now typing it in so it is not confusion on my part. It is 20 MG
20 MG = 20,000mg or 20 * 1,000 mg.
It was:
(4) 20 MG tablets for 3 days==80MG=80,000mg
(3) 20 MG tablets for 3 days==60MG= 60,000mg
(2) 20 MG tablets for 3 dayS == 40MG = 40,000mg
(1) 20MG tablet for 3 days every other day==20MG=20,000mg
The last day I used 20,000 mg ---20 times your dose.
So although I kind of tapered from the high dose, my last dose was larger than your dose without a taper.
The next relapse I had that required steroids came with PAIN. So I agreed to do IV steroids to stop the PAIN and this time they put a tranquilizer in the IV, did it in a darkened room, so I slept. I took an OTC sleep aide to help me sleep, so insomnia didn't contribute to that strong emotional reaction. They had me take Zantac during the infusion too, in case problems with my stomach helped cause that strong emotional reaction to IV steroids. A part of it was I was in shock having just been diagnosed the morning before with no warning that I had a serious diagnosis coming. I felt out of control & then those IV steroids made me emotional--not what I needed at the time.
Now I'm not so afraid of IV steroids, probably won't ever need to do them again, now that I have them worked out.
The prednisone was nicer for that emotional reaction and the insomnia in that it takes a while to build so I could see it coming and take steps to mitigate them. With IV steroids those reactions hit in a minute there is no time to prepare for them if you don't know they are coming
I actually preferred the prednisone, but it does take longer to work.xxxxxxxxxxxComment
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