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Indigestion on Prednisilone??

Posted , 8 users are following.

linda17563
linda17563

i have been on pred for 3 years now, but don`t know if anyone remembers,  with blurred vision occuring around xmas time,I was put up to 20mg.  I have been on this for a month (now have to start lowering) never before have I experienced heartburn like I`m getting in the night.  It was so bad the first time, I even wondered if it was a heart attack....but I`m still here!!  I take my pred at luchtime with my meal, I get more sleep now, than when taking it in the evening.  Any suggestions would be welcome....Thank You....

1 like, 37 replies

37 Replies

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  • carol16456
    carol16456 linda17563

    Posted

    I was on a tablet for acid reflux which is also used as a stomache protector while taking tablets .i am on a tablet called lanzoperal and there are many on the market .My type can only prescribed by the doctor but there some that you can get at the chemist .So it is worth talking to a pharmacist.I only take the pred in the morning after my breakfast that helps as well .good luck
  • charlie44644
    charlie44644 linda17563

    Posted

    I quit the PPI's many years ago due to side effects and have been using Zantac. I found it to be an 8 hour med and not 12 hour med ( my first doses of prednisone ran out in 18hrs and not 24 hrs so the short duration may just be my body metabolism) but I still just take the Zantac twice a day, morning and about 9 pm. My worst heartburn is at night. I have periodically had bad esophageal spasm so I have a "short fuse" if I have "heartburn" or reflux. With reflux I drink some water to dilute the acid in my esophagus and take an antacid (or two). That usually gets my reflux under control.

    Charlie44644

     

  • tricia11872
    tricia11872 linda17563

    Posted

    I tend to suffer a lot from heartburn but I do find that a ginger biscuit helps! Simple but anything is worth a try.

    Tricia.

  • LisaCACO
    LisaCACO linda17563

    Posted

    I am suffering from massive reflux/heartburn from my prednisone and I haven't been able to eat since taking it. I'm currently on a liquid smoothie diet that I make (bananas, protein powder, almond milk). My doctors gave me Omeprazole (max dose) before meal(s) and ranitidine (max dose at bedtime), but that did nothing. So they've now changed the Omeprazole for Pantoprazole, lol, as if that might do something. Still drinking my smoothies. 

    I do drink ginger tea which eases the burning. I find that tilting my bed at the headboard up a few inches works, though if you need to prop up your feet you feel like you're folded up in a V shape :D. Make sure you don't lie down after eating until 3 hours have passed - it really helps. And take a bit of a pause and eat the blandest food you can in small meals rather than 3 larger meals to let your body recover if it can-it's taking a beating. Heartburn/reflux on Prednisone/Prednisolone is not uncommon according to my doc.  hope some of this helps. And I can share my recipe for banana smoothie if you want wink.

    • EileenH
      EileenH LisaCACO

      Posted

      PPIs (omeprazole and co) don't work in about 30% of patients - a minor downside that many GPs don't seem aware off when they hand it out! 

      Is it possible to get enteric coated prednisolone in the USA? It was used a lot in the uK but a study decided it wasn't any better than ordinary uncoated pred, at the time cost 17x what the ordinary sort did and took far longer to reach peak levels in the blood and doctors were told to stop using it but give ordinary plus a PPI as that was cheaper. Within months GPs had queues of patients with upset stomach and reflux!

      Well, of course it takes longer to reach the peak level - the enteric coating is to protect the pred from the stomach acic and it passes through the stomach and is absorbed much further down the gut but other than that it works well for many PMR patients. In fact, that could be an advantage since I (and a research doctor) suspect you could take it at night and it would help with morning stiffness because it takes about 7 hours to get to peak blood level.

      However - it does remove the irritation that pred causes and which leads to reflux. It would be worth asking about.

      The other option would be Lodotra, Rayos in the USA - this is another coated form of prednisone which is deliberately taken at night to release 4 hours later, which again is further down the gut, past the stomach, and is aimed at reducing morning stiffness. It is definitely available in the USA and is approved for use in PMR there I think.

  • nellie14381
    nellie14381 linda17563

    Posted

    Hi, My doctor suggested to take prednisone with food at 9 am, this will help with better sleep at night. Chewing peppermint gum helps me when I have heartburn or indigestion or gases accumulation im my stomach
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