stomach irritation caused by prednisolone

Granny Anne and Mrs O

I take a friendly Bacteria drink everyday since I started on Pred.

I don't know whether it helps but what I do know is that I can now eat pastry without getting indigestion, and I can also eat Lamb, which I love, but always had to take indigestion tablets afterwards, so tended to avoid it.

In fact within six weeks of taking it, I have not had to take any indigestion remedies at all. Maybe its the pred or maybe its the friendly bacteria.

Who knows - but its worth a try.

mrs K

Dear Granny Francis

I am also on 9 mg per day so I take one 2.5 enteric coated plus 2 1mg non enteric coated am and pm. I find taking them am and pm is necessary and my husband, who is a doctor suggested the am pm regime to lessen the effect on the stomach. I also take omeprazole - one a day and so far so good. I am sorry to hear of your problems - this pmr is such a nuisance.

Dear fellow sufferers, I have only been diagnosed with PMR about 6weeks, and have come down from 20mg prednisolone to 13 mg. Initially I was given the coated tablets, then my doctor, writing the next prescription said \"These are just the same, just not the pretty colour!\" Which makes me think it must be cost. Anyway I have been getting heartburn, sorted by a couple of Rennies, but occasionally really dreadful chest pain, which nothing seems to shift. So thanks for all the information about the non-coated tablets - I will have a go at my doctor when I see him this week! I feel it is difficult enough anyway with this illness without the medical profession adding to it.

Incidentally doesn't PMR vary? I have come across people who have had it for 6months, kept up their energy levels and haven't really been that effected at all - but it does make it difficult explaining to people when you feel you just can't move!

Green granny.

I agree Green Granny. My colleague suffered pain in his arm and shoulder- enough to keep him awake at night and make it nigh impossible to raise his arm in the morning, but apart from that he was unaffected. I myself didn't get any outright pain, just a feverish aching and soreness over my whole body, from my eyeballs to the soles of my feet. I lost weight and had no energy at all, getting out of breath at the slightest exertion. I fought my gp's diagnosis and got a second opinion as my only experience of PMR was my colleague's and it was so completely different. :shock:

Regarding stomach problems, I was prescribed Omeprazole along with Pred and a while back I forgot to take them for a couple of weeks or so. I started to get terrible heartburn and pains between my shoulder blades, which I was told sounded like acid reflux. I've never suffered with any such problems before in my life. One day during a conversation with my brother I remembered the Omeprazole, which I've taken religiously since and haven't had any heartburn or similar problems since. :D

Green Granny and Shastajak

Try a daily organic live fat-free yoghurt for the digestive problems and good luck.

MrsO

How good to hear how other people have got on! Have just visited my Dr., having had PMR for 6 weeks now, and am just coming down to 12mg. pred. He has given me Omeprazole so it's nice to hear it has suited others. Also Alendronic acid to stave off osteoporosis - I know all medications have side effects but the list is positively terrifying! Have others had this?

One of the main reliefs has been that I was getting so depressed (not something I normally suffer from) and the steroids really just stopped that instantly. I hadn't realised it could also be caused by PMR.

So keep cheerful all of you, Green Granny

PS I agree, Mrs O, yoghurt seems good whatever -

hi all

be a bit wary of alendronic acid and other bisphosphonates such as fosomax. They can add to your stomach problems and an article in a national newspaper in on January 2nd this year stated that they can cause osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) - long term infection or even destruction of the jaw bone in about 1 in 25 people.

I eat calcium rich foods such as soya yogurt, rice milk with added calcium (makes lovely porridge) sesame seed cakes, a small piece of cheese each day and also the yogurt described earlier which aids digestion. My latest bone scan showed I had the bones of a 23 year old - I'm 62 - maybe I'm just lucky with the genes.

I'm also precribed Omeprazole and it suits me but I only take it when absolutley necessary as this, too, comes with side effects - I rely on the bio yogurt as much as possible. However, heartburn and indigestion must not be ignored they can lead to stomach ulcers

Coming up to my third year with PMR and went from a person very rarly taking any form of medicatin to \"the woman that swallowed the fly\"

First the steroids, followed by the gastro inhibitor, the bone protector, the blood pressure tablet ....................need I say more?

Good luck to everyone

we are setting up support groups nationally and our new charity PMR-GCA UK will be registerd soon - hurray - then for some grants for much needed research. Watch this space

Pammy

Thanks for such helpful advice - I'm sure I can speak for us all that we appreciate everything you PMR Fighters are doing. And, wow your bone density scan - you must be doing something right!!!

MrsO

hi all

be a bit wary of alendronic acid and other bisphosphonates such as fosomax. They can add to your stomach problems and an article in a national newspaper in on January 2nd this year stated that they can cause osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) - long term infection or even destruction of the jaw bone in about 1 in 25 people.

I eat calcium rich foods such as soya yogurt, rice milk with added calcium (makes lovely porridge) sesame seed cakes, a small piece of cheese each day and also the yogurt described earlier which aids digestion. My latest bone scan showed I had the bones of a 23 year old - I'm 62 - maybe I'm just lucky with the genes.

I'm also precribed Omeprazole and it suits me but I only take it when absolutley necessary as this, too, comes with side effects - I rely on the bio yogurt as much as possible. However, heartburn and indigestion must not be ignored they can lead to stomach ulcers

Coming up to my third year with PMR and went from a person very rarly taking any form of medicatin to \"the woman that swallowed the fly\"

First the steroids, followed by the gastro inhibitor, the bone protector, the blood pressure tablet ....................need I say more?

Good luck to everyone

we are setting up support groups nationally and our new charity PMR-GCA UK will be registerd soon - hurray - then for some grants for much needed research. Watch this space

Wish am on prednisolone and it is causing terrible stomach pains. Have been taking omeprazole as well but still not helping. Had this once before on a previous course and it took along time to settle down