Prednisone is an anti-inflammatory that is used for all sorts of medical treatment programs involving a wide range of diseases, chronic pain afflictions, and other various disorders. Consequently, the dosages will vary and are often increased and decreased incrementally over the course of the treatment program. The common practice of prescribing physicians is to gradually lessen the dosage as the patient becomes no longer in need of the prednisone so as not to shock the body's system and cause further medical conditions to arise.
The initial dosages for prednisone will vary from prednisone 5 mg to prednisone 60 mg, depending on the ailment or affliction for which it is prescribed. Some of the usual conditions include arthritis, Crohn's Disease, lupus, and severe allergic reactions of the skin. But because prednisone is a form of steroid, its uses are wide ranging, and therefore, its dosages follow suit accordingly.
For example, prednisone is used as a maintenance therapy drug for Addison's Disease where adults might be required to ingest a very small amount of prednisone 5mg in the morning as well as in the evening before bed. This dosage also works well in the treatment of congenital adrenal hyperplasia.
It is not uncommon to begin with this prednisone 5 mg dosage for patients recovering from kidney transplant surgeries. Gradually, over the course of the treatment program, the patient's dosage will be increased incrementally by the physician to prednisone 10 mg on to prednisone 20 mg and perhaps as high as prednisone 60mg at the highest state. Again, as the need for the drug decreases, the dosage will decrease incrementally again as well.
For some diseases and disorders, the physician may begin the dosage at a higher rate other than prednisone 5 mg. For treatment of multiple myeloma, the standard beginning dosage is prednisone 20 mg again increasing to prednisone 60 mg.
The prescribing physician will always warn the patient to pay strict adherence to the administering of the medication. Timely and scheduled intake of the drug is highly important, and if a patient happens to miss a dosage, they are not to double dose on the next scheduled time. This could cause severe reactions or harmful side effects, perhaps derailing the treatment program off course altogether.
The ultimate level of dosage for the treatment program will be decided by the prescribing physician based on the patient's medical history and specific individual disorder. Should the patient begin to exhibit any possible side effects, he or she is instructed to inform the prescribing medical professional immediately. Dosages may then be altered based upon this new information and at the discretion of the attending physician.