Suggest Dosage Of Prednisone

Posted on Thu, 19 Feb 2015

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Thu, 19 Feb 2015 Answered on

Mon, 9 Mar 2015 Last reviewed on

Question : can you split 1 mg prednisone
pills

Answered by Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha (6 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Verify with your doctor. Prednisone does not come as 1 mg.

Detailed Answer:
Hello

Thanks for the query

Prednisone does not come as 1 mg as far as I know.
0.5mg prednisone is an extremely small dose given only to infants weighing less than a kg, it usually given as a syrup

Please verify with your doctor as to how much is required. Maybe it is 1mg per kg

I hope I was of help, if you have any further queries please get back to me

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Ashwin Bhandari

Follow up: Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha (57 minutes later)

I started with a 10mg tablet. after that 9 1mg tabs a day then 8 1mg a day. the prescription says 1mg. tablet a day. I cannot ask my doctor as she is mad and finished with me and has not returned my call. She had mentioned a half of a pill as she eased me off the prednisone. so not sure what to do why I asked the question. Sorry

Answered by Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha (3 hours later)

Brief Answer:
I can help

Detailed Answer:
Hello

Thanks for getting back

I can certainly help you with this. This is what I need from you

1. Please mention why it was started in the first place. What was the diagnosis
2. what is the name of the tablet ( the pharmaceutical name )
3. How long have you been taking 1mg tablet

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Ashwin Bhandari

Follow up: Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha (13 hours later)

I am taking prednisone for polymyalgia rheumatic. my hands and fingers were swollen and I could not raise my arms up. I have been taking it for a year and she was weaning me off it. I have cut the few I have left I only have 3
that I cut in half. She wrote the prescription for .33 refills.but the pharmacy says it was denied so now I don't know if I should take half of a pill so as not to stop suddenly or just stop.
the bottle says prednisone. 1MG tablet 0.33 of 90 until 12/16/2015
Mfg Qual I Test

Answered by Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha (14 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Need to assess disease activity

Detailed Answer:
Hello

Thanks for getting back, I am sorry for the short delay in my reply. It was a bus day at the hospital

In Polymyalgia rheumatica we prefer keeping a small dose of steroid as baseline. Here is what I suggest
1. WE should know the disease activity before stopping steroids as you stand a high risk of recurrence
2. ESR and CRP values will tell us if the disease is quiet or still active
3. If the ESR and CRP are within normal limits then I usually stop steroids and follow up the patient regularly

1mg is the smallest dose, you do not require tapering below this, you can stop without further tapering. However I recommend that it is supervised by a GP before doing so. Another alternative doctor for this would be internal medicine specialist.

I hope I was of help, I am once again sorry for the delay

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar