Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhen Prednisone Starts WorkingHow Long It LastsUsesDosagePrecautionsSide Effects & SafetySpecial Dietary GuidanceInteractionsFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
When Prednisone Starts Working
How Long It Lasts
Uses
Dosage
Precautions
Side Effects & Safety
Special Dietary Guidance
Interactions
Frequently Asked Questions
Prednisoneis a commonly prescribedcorticosteroid(steroid) medication. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved this drug to treat inflammation-related conditions.
These include, but are not limited to, the following:
If you are prescribedprednisone, you may wonder how long it will take for this medicine to work and what other important information you should know.
Continue reading to learn about prednisone’s uses, safety, and more.
How Quickly Does Prednisone Start to Work?
Prednisone is also available in a delayed-release formulation under the brand nameRayos. This formulation reaches its peak effect in about six hours.However, prednisone can be used for various conditions, and not all conditions will respond immediately.
Some people will take ahigh dose of prednisonefor a shorter time, while others will take a lower dose for a longer time.
While many medications have standard dosing guidelines, prednisone dosing will be individualized. This is based on the following, among other factors:
Therefore, how quickly prednisone will work will vary based on many factors. Talk to your healthcare provider about your condition(s) and ask how long it should take for prednisone to work for you.
How Long Does Prednisone Last?
Thehalf-lifeof a drug is the amount of time it takes for half of a drug to leave your body. After the last dose, prednisone takes about five half-lives to leave your body.
The half-life of immediate-release prednisone is about 2 to 4 hours.The half-life for delayed-release prednisone is about 2 or 3 hours, similar to immediate-release prednisone.
This means the drug would leave your body between 10 to 20 hours after you take your last dose.
Removing medication from a blister pack.Johner Images / Getty Images
Johner Images / Getty Images
What Is Prednisone Used For?
Prednisone can treat many conditions related to inflammation and the immune system, including the following examples as well as many more:
Some healthcare providers prescribe prednisone off-label (for a use not FDA-approved) for other conditions. This includes the following:
Prednisone Dosing
As mentioned above, prednisone dosing is based on a patient’s individual factors, like:
Sometimes, the healthcare professional will prescribe a higher dose to start. They may then instruct you to taper to a lower dose slowly before stopping the medication. This helps avoid adrenal gland problems.
Some individuals may be prescribed a high dose for several days without a taper. Yet others may take a low dose daily to keep symptoms of a chronic condition at bay.
General guidelines note that a common dose of immediate-release or delayed-release prednisone is anywhere from 5 to 60 milligrams (mg) daily.
Because Rayos (delayed-release prednisone) starts working several hours after taking it, healthcare providers may strategically dose the medicine.For example, someone who has stiffness in the morning due to rheumatoid arthritis may take Rayos at night to wake up feeling less stiff.
Rayos tablets should not be chewed, broken, or divided.
Due to the risk of side effects, especially with long-term use, healthcare providers prescribe prednisone at the lowest effective dose for the shortest time possible.
These are general guidelines, and your healthcare provider will discuss your dosing schedule with when prescribing prednisone.
What Precautions Are There for Prednisone?
Prednisone is not appropriate for everyone. Before taking prednisone, tell your healthcare provider about:
The following individuals should not take prednisone:
There are also individuals with certain medical conditions in which the healthcare provider would weigh the benefits and risks of prescribing prednisone. If you use prednisone, you will be closely monitored.
Prednisone has many potentialside effectsand complications associated with long-term use.Although healthcare professionals prescribe prednisone at the lowest effective dose for the shortest possible time, side effects can still occur. Before you take prednisone, discuss potential side effects with your healthcare provider.
Common side effects include:
Call your healthcare provider right away if you have serious side effects. Call911if your symptoms feel life-threatening, or you think you have a medical emergency.
Severe side effects and their symptoms can include the following:
Additionally, some side effects can occur due to long-term prednisone use, such as the following:
Prednisone may also affect growth in children, so children who take prednisone will be closely monitored.
Report Side Effects
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Take prednisone with food to help prevent stomach discomfort, and ask your healthcare provider if you need to make dietary changes while taking prednisone. For instance, some individuals may need to eat less salt, while other need more potassium and calcium.
Other dietary considerations include limiting the following:
Prednisone Drug Interactions
Tell your healthcare provider about all your medicines, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, 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 interactions. Consult your healthcare provider for more information about interactions and how they may affect you.
Summary
Prednisone is a corticosteroid, or steroid, medication prescribed for various conditions that cause inflammation. It has many potential side effects. Some can be very serious, especially with long-term use. Healthcare providers prescribe prednisone at the lowest effective dose for the shortest time to minimize complication risks.
Generally, prednisone starts working quickly. However, the expected results may vary based on the type and severity of the condition. Consult with your healthcare provider regarding how prednisone can affect you.
Prednisone is a prescription steroid medicine used to treat various conditions due to inflammation, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, and others.Learn MorePrednisone Frequently Asked Questions
Prednisone is a prescription steroid medicine used to treat various conditions due to inflammation, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, and others.
Learn MorePrednisone Frequently Asked Questions
Prednisone can be used for many conditions, such as severe allergic reactions, lupus, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, gout, and many other conditions related to the lungs, skin, eyes, blood, thyroid, stomach, and intestines.
9 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Library of Medicine.Prednisone.Prescribers’ Digital Reference.Prednisone: Drug summary.National Library of Medicine.Rayos - prednisone tablet, delayed release.National Library of Medicine.Steroids.National Library of Medicine.Prednisone tablet.Arthritis Foundation.Corticosteroids.Dalal AA, Duh MS, Gozalo L, et al.Dose-response relationship between long-term systemic corticosteroid use and related complications in patients with severe asthma.J Manag Care Spec Pharm. 2016 Jul;22(7):833-47. doi: 10.18553/jmcp.2016.22.7.833.Pereira RM, Freire de Carvalho J.Glucocorticoid-induced myopathy.Joint Bone Spine. 2011;78(1):41-44. doi:10.1016/j.jbspin.2010.02.025Liu D, Ahmet A, Ward L, et al.A practical guide to the monitoring and management of the complications of systemic corticosteroid therapy.Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol. 2013;9(1):30. doi:10.1186/1710-1492-9-30
9 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Library of Medicine.Prednisone.Prescribers’ Digital Reference.Prednisone: Drug summary.National Library of Medicine.Rayos - prednisone tablet, delayed release.National Library of Medicine.Steroids.National Library of Medicine.Prednisone tablet.Arthritis Foundation.Corticosteroids.Dalal AA, Duh MS, Gozalo L, et al.Dose-response relationship between long-term systemic corticosteroid use and related complications in patients with severe asthma.J Manag Care Spec Pharm. 2016 Jul;22(7):833-47. doi: 10.18553/jmcp.2016.22.7.833.Pereira RM, Freire de Carvalho J.Glucocorticoid-induced myopathy.Joint Bone Spine. 2011;78(1):41-44. doi:10.1016/j.jbspin.2010.02.025Liu D, Ahmet A, Ward L, et al.A practical guide to the monitoring and management of the complications of systemic corticosteroid therapy.Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol. 2013;9(1):30. doi:10.1186/1710-1492-9-30
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Library of Medicine.Prednisone.Prescribers’ Digital Reference.Prednisone: Drug summary.National Library of Medicine.Rayos - prednisone tablet, delayed release.National Library of Medicine.Steroids.National Library of Medicine.Prednisone tablet.Arthritis Foundation.Corticosteroids.Dalal AA, Duh MS, Gozalo L, et al.Dose-response relationship between long-term systemic corticosteroid use and related complications in patients with severe asthma.J Manag Care Spec Pharm. 2016 Jul;22(7):833-47. doi: 10.18553/jmcp.2016.22.7.833.Pereira RM, Freire de Carvalho J.Glucocorticoid-induced myopathy.Joint Bone Spine. 2011;78(1):41-44. doi:10.1016/j.jbspin.2010.02.025Liu D, Ahmet A, Ward L, et al.A practical guide to the monitoring and management of the complications of systemic corticosteroid therapy.Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol. 2013;9(1):30. doi:10.1186/1710-1492-9-30
National Library of Medicine.Prednisone.
Prescribers’ Digital Reference.Prednisone: Drug summary.
National Library of Medicine.Rayos - prednisone tablet, delayed release.
National Library of Medicine.Steroids.
National Library of Medicine.Prednisone tablet.
Arthritis Foundation.Corticosteroids.
Dalal AA, Duh MS, Gozalo L, et al.Dose-response relationship between long-term systemic corticosteroid use and related complications in patients with severe asthma.J Manag Care Spec Pharm. 2016 Jul;22(7):833-47. doi: 10.18553/jmcp.2016.22.7.833.
Pereira RM, Freire de Carvalho J.Glucocorticoid-induced myopathy.Joint Bone Spine. 2011;78(1):41-44. doi:10.1016/j.jbspin.2010.02.025
Liu D, Ahmet A, Ward L, et al.A practical guide to the monitoring and management of the complications of systemic corticosteroid therapy.Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol. 2013;9(1):30. doi:10.1186/1710-1492-9-30
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