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Enteric coated prednisolone

Posted , 13 users are following.

MhairiP
MhairiP

I had a phone appointment with a GP today (just finished my first month of 15mg pred) and I asked him about enteric coated pred. He said that it's no longer prescribed; apparently research has shown that it offers no further protection to the stomach and it was a 'ruse' by the drug companies to charge more for the drug. Perhaps it's only in Scotland that it's no longer prescribed? Has anyone heard of this? 

I feel a bit confused after today's appointment! In a previous phone appointment with the same GP he tried to push the alendronic acid, omeprazole and something else (can't remember!) but I was reluctant to take any of them without looking into it further. Today he didn't try to push any of these. Why the change of heart?!  (I'm pleased, but confused!)

The good news is my pred is now down from 15mg to 12.5mg! Heading in the right direction...

0 likes, 66 replies

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  • BettyE
    BettyE MhairiP

    Posted

    Not everyone needs coated Pred. It was never suggested to me but I was lucky and found that taking it with a tablespoon of organic natural unsweetened yoghurt did the trick The yoghurt had been recommended to me by a hospital nurse following an endoscopy long before PMR which showed no specific stomach problem. I have never had a recurrence.  I wish I had shares in Yeo Valley!   I've eaten quarts of it over the years. Worth a try. Cannot do any harm which is more than can be said for some of the stuff Big Pharma tries to push.

  • lbh
    lbh MhairiP

    Posted

    You're not too far behind me MhairiP. I did one month on 15mg in May, going into June. My silly GP then put me down to 10mg - I stuck with it for 3 wks before accepting that it wasn't doing the job so I more or less insisted that I go up to 12.5mg. That was fine so hopefully it will also be for you - best of luck. I'm just tapering from 12.5 to 10mg using DSNS, think it's going to be ok this time. I wasn't as sensible as you and accepted the alendronic acid and omeprazole.

    • MhairiP
      MhairiP lbh

      Posted

      Oh dear - it sounds as though your GP didn't do his homework! My GP wants me to stay on 12.5mg for a month then go down to 10mg, and after that drop by 1mg each month. (I think he's been reading the "How to Get Off Pred in 2 Years" handbook! biggrin wink 

      I'm not sure that not taking alendronic acid & omeprazole are sensible - some may disagree, but time will tell! (I did get omeprazole from the chemist but when I read the side effects, I decided not to take it.) I have an appointment with a nutritional therapist soon to make sure I'm doing everything I can with my diet (calcium, low carb, etc); I'm vegan which is an extra challenge in this PMR journey! 

    • lbh
      lbh MhairiP

      Posted

      I agree - even the NICE guidelines don't suggest going straight from 15 to 10mg. The nutritional therapist sounds very interesting. You'll have to post the advice when you get it.

    • EileenH
      EileenH MhairiP

      Posted

      I have never taken either a PPI or AA (well, I lie, 4 weeks worth). Then I dropped it with the agreement of a different GP to wait for the dexascan result. Which was fine, perfectly normal bone density, so we decided to wait. 4 years later the t-scores were near enough the same (different machine) and a further 3 years later after 7 years of pred they had dropped marginally but were still normal range.  Loss of bone density is not inevitable. Calcium and vit D is very useful if your diet is a bit lacking but even they are not essential in some people. Two ladies on the forum who had GCA never took calcium/vit D or AA and had perfectly OK bone density after 5 years of pred.
  • BettyE
    BettyE MhairiP

    Posted

    I replied to your post earlier but it has disappeared into the " Waiting to be moderated", I expect because I mentioned a  yoghurt trade name.

    The gist was that I was neither offered nor needed coated Pred.

    Following an unconnected endoscopy years ago when my stomach was very unhappy, I have eaten about a tablespoon of organic yoghurt every day on the recommendation of the hospital nurse. While on Pred. I ate it when I took my tablets. It worked for me.

    Don't know if the original post will ever appear but it's irrelevant now so doesn't matter.

    • MhairiP
      MhairiP BettyE

      Posted

      I noticed there was a reply from you waiting to be moderated - but it did eventually get through (with the brand name!). How strange - I wonder why they moderate some posts and not others. Have you been naughty in the past? lol cheesygrin

       

    • EileenH
      EileenH BettyE

      Posted

      It might have been the YV reference - but more likely the BP one wink

       

    • EileenH
      EileenH MhairiP

      Posted

      ​All posts are screened by the computer and any with specific listed words are captured automatically for someone to check. I suspect the B P comment may have triggered this one - it has in the past as it was used by trolls to rant ...
    • BettyE
      BettyE MhairiP

      Posted

       "I  am disturbed at my combativeness. I still have so much of it. It comes out when I think I have just cause. I come out swinging at everything"... Thomas Merton.

      He would be my Desert Island book and it's how I often feel when I read some of the experiences at the hands of those who should be caring. So, no, not naughty but sometimes indignant.

      PS If anyone on here is a T.M. fan I'd love to correspond but not on this site, of course.

    • MhairiP
      MhairiP BettyE

      Posted

      I'm an avid reader but I haven't come across Thomas Merton.  Will look out for him! 

    • ptolemy
      ptolemy MhairiP

      Posted

      I think Thomas Merton was a Trappist monk at one point. He has written a load of books. Look on Amazon.
  • Michdonn
    Michdonn MhairiP

    Posted

    Good for you on your taper, just do yourself a favor and do not rush, a bad flare can set you back a long time. Set me back about a year. Enteric coated pred is available here in the US, but very expensive, consequently I have not tried it. Stay active, don't rush, stay positive and try to smile. ??

    • MhairiP
      MhairiP Michdonn

      Posted

      Thanks, Michdonn. I've definitely got the message re not rushing (much as I'd like to biggrin).

       

    • Michdonn
      Michdonn MhairiP

      Posted

      MhairiP, we all want off as quick as possible and rush and end up taking more. Human nature. ☺️
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