Prednisone Vs. Prednisolone

[amykat]

Usually I take Prednisone and lately I was given Prednisolone. I've been feeling really sick and not like my normal sick self. From what I can tell, they are basically the same, and I tried to do a dose conversion thing ...seems to be equal too.Does anyone know for sure, and would you happen to know what color 5 mg Prednislone is? Maybe I got the wrong dose ...these are blue and blank tablets. I've also been trying to taper my dose down but the result isn't usually this drastic. I'm a bit too brain dead to research this much right now, so if anyone knows, please advise. Thanks.

Edited March 29, 2011 by amykat

[ableguy]

I can only talk on prednisone but feel I must after reading your post, I am sure you are aware the drug is a steroid, I take it whenever I have an attack of rheumatoid, however being a steroid this drug has be used sparingly and yes I am aware they can be bought at any pharmacy here in LOL, when you have been taking this drug you have to come off gradually or the side effects are pretty grim, let me give you an example and this is from a USA hospital in USA. When I have an attack of rheumatoid ie feet and hands swelling and extremely painful this is the dose I am allowede, 5 mg times 4 for 4 days, 5mg times 3 for five days, 5mg times 2 for five days and finally 5mm times 1 for five days, so you can see you must come off slowly even on the small doses I take. There can be horrific effects on your body if you take this drug over a long period, all I can add is if some Thai DR prescribed this drug go to a good hospital and talk with the pharmacist. good luck.

[Sheryl]

Prednisone and prednisolone are extremely similiar. In fact, prednisone is converted by the liver into prenisolone, and it is in the form of prednisolone that the drug is active.

Doses are equivalent, i.e. 5 mg prednisone = 5 mg prenisolone

Prednisolone is usually pink in color but there are many, many brands in Thailand, inlcuding at least one that is light blue in color (Neosolone).

Most brands come solely in a 5 mg dose. however, Neosolone does have both a 5 and a 2.5mg preparation.

Did this medication really come unlabelled? Is there no manufacturer's logo on intiital anywhere on the tablet?

What shape are the tabs?

[BuckarooBanzai]

Prednisone and prednisolone are extremely similiar. In fact, prednisone is converted by the liver into prenisolone, and it is in the form of prednisolone that the drug is active.

Doses are equivalent, i.e. 5 mg prednisone = 5 mg prenisolone

Prednisolone is usually pink in color but there are many, many brands in Thailand, inlcuding at least one that is light blue in color (Neosolone).

Most brands come solely in a 5 mg dose. however, Neosolone does have both a 5 and a 2.5mg preparation.

Did this medication really come unlabelled? Is there no manufacturer's logo on intiital anywhere on the tablet?

What shape are the tabs?

5 mg round pink middle divider

5 mg green/blue triangular

5 mg white (middle divider?)

Use this short term only for serious inflammation attacks. 1 pill 3 times a day after meals 5 to 7 days. Do not self prescribe unless you have a recurring condition that has been treated by a Doctor in the past and you know what you are doing. This is not aspirin! You are screwing with your immune system!

[Sheryl]

Prednisone and prednisolone are extremely similiar. In fact, prednisone is converted by the liver into prenisolone, and it is in the form of prednisolone that the drug is active.

Doses are equivalent, i.e. 5 mg prednisone = 5 mg prenisolone

Prednisolone is usually pink in color but there are many, many brands in Thailand, inlcuding at least one that is light blue in color (Neosolone).

Most brands come solely in a 5 mg dose. however, Neosolone does have both a 5 and a 2.5mg preparation.

Did this medication really come unlabelled? Is there no manufacturer's logo on intiital anywhere on the tablet?

What shape are the tabs?

5 mg round pink middle divider

5 mg green/blue triangular

5 mg white (middle divider?)

Use this short term only for serious inflammation attacks. 1 pill 3 times a day after meals 5 to 7 days. Do not self prescribe unless you have a recurring condition that has been treated by a Doctor in the past and you know what you are doing. This is not aspirin! You are screwing with your immune system!

Neosolone 2.5mg (Neosolone-C) is light blue and round (scored into quarters).

Neosolone 5 mg (Neosolone-G) is light blue with a sort of rectangular octagonal shape, scored in half.

The Op has SLE (lupus), a chronic condition and was Initially placed on this by a physician. She also probably got the current supply from a physician given that this is not legally sold OTC in Thailand. I think she knows what she is doing in that regard. She has voiced concern about an apparent change in response upon shifting to a slightly different formulation.

[amykat]

Hi ...Thanks everyone for your concern and warnings.

Okay, the pills are circles/round ...baby blue color, no writing at all, scored in half on one side.

Maybe it is just that I am not able to taper down at this point ...I keep wondering when that point will ever come? I decided last night, and today, to go ahead and take one more, ie. quit the taper program and feel slightly better today

I was scared because once they gave me the 5 mg pink pills, and told me they were 1mg, (because I was going to try cutting 1 mg at a time) and I asked about 4 different ways, and finally asked to see the bottle. That would have been quite a disaster if I thought I was taking 9 mg for example, and was really taking 25 mg.

It does seem that my pills are not matching any of the above descriptions. I take several other drugs as well, (some just as needed), so I never know what is causing what.

[Sheryl]

Amy,

the only round blue ones I am aware of is the Neosolone-C brand which is 2.5mg dose. Which is of concern since if this is what you've gotten you may unwittingly have cut your effective dose into half.

Given the seriousness of this I think you should go back to wherever you got the med and insist on seeing the bottle.

Don't know if you'll be able to open this unless you are a MIMS subscriber but here is a link with images of various brands of prednisolone available in Thailand

http://www.mims.com.tw/Page.aspx?menuid=identaresult&PageCnt=1&CTRY=TH

[amykat]

Hi Sheryl,

I forgot my password for that website ...but I can fix that. But thanks for telling me you think they are 2.5 mg ...that means I was taking 1/4 of my regular min. dose.

That would actually be good news if the pills are wrong, because I was feeling really depressed to be getting worse. I thought I had reached a decent program ..but every time I get better I think I found the magic answer, and then I start doing more things (go in the sun more, it is hard for me to believe I can't get any sun?) Then I get worse again. I must be the whitest person in Thailand.

Anyway, thanks for your help!