Official answer. Prednisone does not usually cause sleepiness but may make you feel dizzy, irritable with mood swings, or cause you to have trouble sleeping (insomnia). If your dose is stopped too quickly or if you take prednisone for a long period of time you may feel severely fatigued.
Prednisone is used to treat conditions such as arthritis, blood disorders, breathing problems, severe allergies, skin diseases, cancer, eye problems, and immune system disorders.
Prednisone oral tablet doesn't cause drowsiness but can cause other side effects.
In general: Low dose: less than 7.5 mg per day. Moderate dose: between 7.5 mg and 40 mg per day. High dose: 40 mg to 60 mg per day.
The effects are dose related– higher the dose, the worse the side effects. Prednisone use should be minimized. A dose of 5 mg daily use to be considered acceptable, but current thoughts are to try to eliminate completely, particularly if you are prone to develop the conditions I mentioned above.
Official answer. There is no set limit on how long you can safely take prednisone.
Weight gain is a common side effect of prednisone. Prednisone can also cause a redistribution of fat to the face, back of the neck and the abdomen, although these changes vary from person to person.
It is known and has been repeatedly demonstrated that low doses of prednisone or prednisolone (10 mg daily or 5 mg bid) will control most of the inflammatory features of early polyarticular rheumatoid arthritis (Table 2).
Because prednisone may also increase blood sugar levels, you should avoid foods with simple carbohydrates and concentrated sweets, such as cakes, pies, cookies, jams, honey, and candy.
It depends of course on how long you have had prednisolone, but many authors suggest cutting by half a milligram per month. Patients with no adrenal glands need approximately 3mg (varies from 2-5mg) prednisolone as there is no hope of the adrenal gland waking up.
Talk to your doctor right away if you have more than one of these symptoms while you are using this medicine: blurred vision, dizziness or fainting, a fast, irregular, or pounding heartbeat, increased thirst or urination, irritability, or unusual tiredness or weakness.
Take prednisolone with breakfast so it does not upset your stomach. Taking prednisolone in the morning also means it's less likely to affect your sleep. If your prednisolone tablets are labelled as "enteric coated" or "gastro resistant", you can take these with or without food but make sure to swallow them whole.
Prednisone should start to work within a couple hours, but it may be a couple days before you see its full effects. The most common side effects of prednisone include elevated blood sugar, upset stomach, and trouble sleeping. Weight gain is also possible.
Even if you have side effects from the medication, don't stop cold turkey or cut back the dose on your own if you've been on it more than a few weeks. You could go into steroid withdrawal, which can have severe symptoms. It's safer to taper off prednisone. Your doctor will gradually lower your dose.
Prednisolone 5mg orally is equivalent to hydrocortisone 20mg intravenously (equivalent anti-inflammatory dose).
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.
Getting plenty of rest is also essential. This can be difficult because prednisone can interfere with sleep. One way to cope is to improve your sleep hygiene. This includes avoiding food and electronics before bedtime and sleeping in a cool, dark room.
Things to avoid (or cut back on) while taking prednisone include: Caffeine: Caffeine can add to the unwanted stimulant effects of prednisone. Combining caffeine with steroids can keep you awake at night or make you feel jittery and anxious.
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.
If you are starting a course of steroids, then you should complete the full reducing course, which is generally prescribed for eight weeks. You should NOT stop on your own accord even if you are feeling better.
Official answer. Prednisone usually works very quickly, within a few hours to days of taking the first dose depending on the condition you are treating. If the prescribed dose of prednisone is effective at reducing your inflammation, then you may notice an effect within hours.
The morning is best as it mimics the timing of your body's own production of cortisone. Taking your dose of prednisone too late in the evening may cause difficulty sleeping.
It's best to avoid drinking alcohol while taking prednisone or other corticosteroids (“steroids”). Alcohol can make some steroid side effects worse. It can also sometimes worsen the underlying condition being treated. On their own, steroids, like prednisone, and alcohol can suppress your immune system.