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GCA - Omeprazole - Prednisolone

Posted , 10 users are following.

Fandango
Fandango

I was diagnosed with GCA on 11 March and have been on Prednisolone ever since - now at 15mg daily and also on 75mg Aspirin daily.  My GP put me on 20mg Omeprazole daily and  developed horrendous side effects within a few days.  I was on it for 98 days.  At one visit to my GP when I was describing my symptoms he suggested I double the Omeprazole dose to see if it helped.  I took myself off Omeprazole and have been off it for 21 days.  Within 2 weeks my bowel incontinence, diarrhoea, abundance of extreme foul-smelling gas and heavy night sweats had disappeared.  I stil have trembling hands, dizziness and headaches.  I am now worried that I am not taking anything to protect my stomach from the effects of Prednisolone.  Does anyone know how protect your stomach naturally from Prednisolone without taking a PPI?  I have been prescribed Ranitidine but too scared to take it after the effects of Omeprazole.  Also, does anyone know how long it takes for Omeprazole to leave your system?

0 likes, 21 replies

21 Replies

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  • Anhaga
    Anhaga Fandango

    Posted

    Ranitidine works completely differently from the modern PPIs, without the side effects, if you find you need more than the yoghurt and perhaps a bit of other food and water when you take your pred.  I had to use it for a while after damaging my stomach with Naproxen years ago, and found it helpful.  Since being on pred I've been very careful and haven't needed any stomach protection.  In spite of having to take aspirin for (non GCA) headaches more than I'd like.

  • ptolemy
    ptolemy Fandango

    Posted

    Hi Fandango, I am amazed that you have dropped to 15mg after being diagnosed with GCA in March, what dose did you start on? As the others say take coated pred and that should sort things out. I have had coated since diagnosis. 
    • MrsO-UK_Surrey
      MrsO-UK_Surrey ptolemy

      Posted

      ptolemy, I was reduced from 40 to 15mgs within a month of starting steroids, so it is possible.  However, I was under the care of a wonderful rheumatologist who checked my ESR and CRP after the first two weeks before the first dose reduction, plus all my GCA symptoms had resolved within a few hours of taking the first 40mg dose.  I'm obviously not advocating this for others - it all depends on the patient - but important to reduce from the high doses as quickly as symptoms allow to avoid unnecessary side effects.  In fact, the starting dose did result in me ending up in A&E after the first two weeks with irregular heartbeat and very low pulse so I was very fortunate in being able to reduce successfuly and quickly from the very high initial dose.

    • Fandango
      Fandango ptolemy

      Posted

      I started off on 60mg and landed in A&E where they told me to drop to 40mg.  Been dropping by two and a half mg per month from 20mg. Will ask for coated medication.  Thanks for reply.

  • FlipDover_Aust
    FlipDover_Aust Fandango

    Posted

    I don't take anything and never had a problem with pred. I take it on an empty stomach and often don't eat for an hour or two afterwards.

    I realise I'm pretty lucky!

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