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Just started prednisolone 40mg for a flare of ulcerative colitis

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westferrychip
westferrychip

Just started  prednisolone 40mg for a flare of ulcerative colitis and I am having intermittant stomach pain or burning sensation. I have only been on the course for four days. I also take aspirin (dissolved). Has anyone else had this problem and has anyone changed to enteric coated prednisolone found any relief from this stomach pain. I take the pred. during meals to try and minimise the problem. I would be grateful for any feedback.

Many Thanks

Westferrychip (Roy)

0 likes, 19 replies

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  • beth93228
    beth93228 westferrychip

    Posted

    I'm not a medical professional, so I can't speak to your stomach pain - however I take Zantac (Ranitidine)/Salpraz (Pantoprazole) for gatritis and it seems to work a treat but I wouldn't want you to mask any serious stomach issues. Try some Zantac for the interim.

    In regards to Pred, AVOID, AVOID, AVOID!!

    The serious medical issues I've had to endure from taking 25mg of Pred for severe eczema is insane. Pred causes bone density loss. I have had a fractured hip, spine in 3 places, and ribs. I'm 35 and was perfectly fine bone wise prior!!!

    Pred is great when used as a LAST resort... but otherwise, I would try anything else.

    • georgina_glover
      georgina_glover beth93228

      Posted

      hi beth , i,m with you all the way on the prednisilone . i had it for a chest infection & getting off it was hell . i will never take it again for anything i think it should be banned because the side effects are worse than any ailment .

    • EileenH
      EileenH georgina_glover

      Posted

      You may think that the side effects are worse than any ailment - but it saves lives ( in asthma for example) and prevents people from losing their sight or having strokes and heart attacks (in giant cell arteritis). And we have to take pred for years - not just a few weeks. It is a wonder drug in some situations.
    • ptolemy
      ptolemy georgina_glover

      Posted

      Georgina,

      Without pred I would be house bound in a wheelchair. For me it is a wonder drug. If it were banned I would be in excruciating agony and my life would not be worth living as there is nothing else that works for my particular illness.

    • georgina_glover
      georgina_glover EileenH

      Posted

      hi EileenH ,I HAVE C.O.P.D . i agree in some respects to what you say the 1st time i took it ,it cleared my chest literally overnight  & i thought it was great i,ve taken it a few times since the point i was making is the longer you take it the harder it is to get off it . Iwas taking it for 5 weeks this time but my doc did not tell me to come off it gradually& i had to have another 2 week course to get off it taking less tabs per day.even after this & after completly stopping them i had heart palpatations , hand tremours , headaches,muscle wastage , thinning skin & lost 2st in weight . can i suggest you google prednisilone then you may realise were i am coming from . if my comments have offended you i unreservedly am sorry but i expressed my oppinion 

      .....................

       

    • georgina_glover
      georgina_glover ptolemy

      Posted

      hi ptolemy , i wish you all the best if it works for you thats great , but i was just expressing my oppinion 
    • ptolemy
      ptolemy georgina_glover

      Posted

      I am just telling you that your opinion is incorrect for an awful lot of people, some of whom would be blind but for steroids.
    • EileenH
      EileenH georgina_glover

      Posted

      There is very little you or google can tell me about pred - I have researched it for the last 9 years in order to explain it to the members of my home forum. Pred is the only medication we have for our condition and the risk of not taking it involves sight loss and heart attacks and stroke. 

      You are very welcome to your opinion but it is incorrect for many patients who have to take it to remain alive or live an even half way normal life. And when people tell those patients it should be banned because of side effects it makes our job supporting them all the harder. Used properly pred is an excellent medication whose side effects are well known after well over 60 years of use - which is more than can be said for some of the newer drugs which are sometimes used to replace it.

  • EileenH
    EileenH westferrychip

    Posted

    NSAIDs in general are not advisable alongside steroids - and aspirin is an NSAID. Both NSAIDs and steroids can irritate the stomach and cause pain, even bleeding, and together makes the risk higher. You should have been offered ranitidine or a PPI to reduce the acid production while you are taking the steroid and aspirin. You can buy both from the pharmacy so you don't even need to see the doctor again - but it is probably a good idea to speak to them. Lots of people also find that full fat plain yogurt helps a lot too.

    Enteric coated pred probably would help - as would enteric coated aspirin - but there is a problem with enteric coated pred for patients with Crohns and ulcerative colitis in that some patients don't seem to absorb it as well as the sort that is absorbed from the stomach.

    • EileenH
      EileenH

      Posted

      PS - if you need steroids to deal with a flare, you need steroids. Ignore scaremongering telling you should avoid or reduce the dose the doctor gave you. You will probably only be on them for a short time - I have been on pred for 9 years for my condition and there is no end in sight. I have no problems - nor have a lot of my friends with the same condition who have been on pred for years too. Everyone is different. 
    • westferrychip
      westferrychip EileenH

      Posted

      Thanks for the really good advice EileenH

      Hopefully I am only on an eight week course of prednisolone. I have just started taking the enteric coated so I'll see how I go.

      Thanks again

      Westferrychip (Roy) 

    • georgina_glover
      georgina_glover westferrychip

      Posted

      hi westferrychip the only advice i will give you is make sure you ween yourself off them don,t just stop taking them. i was taking pred for a chest infection & was only taking them for a couple of weeks but when i stopped i went through hell . skin thinning , heart palpatations & shaking hands i had to go back to docs for more because there was no mention of coming off them slowly . i for one will never take this tablet again 

    • georgina_glover
      georgina_glover EileenH

      Posted

      with all due respect EileenH wind your neck in like you i am just expressing MY oppinion 
    • ptolemy
      ptolemy georgina_glover

      Posted

      I think if you really needed pred and it would stop you going blind, for example if you had GCA. You might think again. 
    • georgina_glover
      georgina_glover ptolemy

      Posted

      Ptolemy, as I said to HelenH just expressing my opinion , just as you are!
    • ptolemy
      ptolemy georgina_glover

      Posted

      It is not my opinion, it is a matter of fact, just read the medical literature.
    • EileenH
      EileenH ptolemy

      Posted

      Strange - that is exactly what I would say too!
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