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What Is The Prednisone Dose For Severe Poison Oak?

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Posted on Mon, 20 Apr 2015
Question: What's a good 3 week prednisone taper for severe poison oak?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Shoaib Khan (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
Need a few more clarifications before I can help ma'am

Detailed Answer:
Hello ma'am and welcome.

Thank you for writing to us.

I have gone through your query with diligence and would like you to know that I am here to help. Before I can answer your question, I need to know a bit more about your current situation. So if you do not mind, then please do write back with your kind response to my below listed questions, thank you.

+Are you currently on prednisone?
+If yes, when was it initiated?
+What is the current dosage you are on?
+If I am not wrong you want to get off prednisone over a duration of 3 weeks or you wish to start and discontinue prednisone over a duration of 3 weeks?

I look forward to hearing from you in order to help you further.

Best wishes.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Shoaib Khan (58 minutes later)
I am not currently on prednisone. I would like the taper to last at least 3 weeks so poison oak does not rebound. I will be hiking on a trail covered with poison oak for a three week period and will not be able to get off trail or really avoid it so that's the reason for the long taper. This is to self medicate in the event I get contact dermatitis ( as I most assuredly will- I am very sensitive and have had it multiple times).,.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Shoaib Khan (9 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Dosage for 3 weeks fixed; tapering to be initiated after exposure discontd

Detailed Answer:
Hello once again ma'am.

Thank you for much for that information.

If you are going to be in contact/or going to be exposed to poison oak for 3 weeks, then you will have to be on the usual/regular dose of oral prednisone for the duration of 3 weeks, after which we can start tapering it off.

Dosage for first 3 weeks: 20 mg tablet to be taken twice a day

Tapering off should be after the exposure to poison oak is discontinued:

+First three days: Take 20 mg in the morning, and 10 mg in the evening
+Next 3 days: Take 10 mg in the morning, and 10 mg in the evening
+Next 5 days: Take 10 mg in the morning without change, and 10 mg in the evening on alternate days (and at the end of 5 days, discontinue it completely)
+Over the next week: Start taking the morning 10 mg prednisone on alternate days during the first 4 days, and then once every 3 days; and stop

I hope my instructions are clear. We need to initially reduce the dose by 50 % over the first 7 days, and then discontinue completely over 2 weeks time (approximately). Do not worry about the tapering lasting this long, it has to be done in a safe way to avoid any side effects.

I hope you find my response both helpful and informative. Please feel free to write back to me for any further clarifications, I would be more than happy to help you.

Best wishes.
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..

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

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2009

Answered : 9409 Questions

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What Is The Prednisone Dose For Severe Poison Oak?

Brief Answer: Need a few more clarifications before I can help ma'am Detailed Answer: Hello ma'am and welcome. Thank you for writing to us. I have gone through your query with diligence and would like you to know that I am here to help. Before I can answer your question, I need to know a bit more about your current situation. So if you do not mind, then please do write back with your kind response to my below listed questions, thank you. +Are you currently on prednisone? +If yes, when was it initiated? +What is the current dosage you are on? +If I am not wrong you want to get off prednisone over a duration of 3 weeks or you wish to start and discontinue prednisone over a duration of 3 weeks? I look forward to hearing from you in order to help you further. Best wishes.