steroids and digestive issues???

[Eriksendi]

I was recently prescribed high dose antibiotics and steroids for 5 weeks following the appearance of a very unwelcome lung lesion on my ct scan back in June. Whatever it was has shrunk in my latest ct scan and is now barely visible so it did the trick.

However since finishing the steroids I have had digestive issues, indigestion, nausea, slow Stoma, bloating and trouble eating. It feels like everything gets stuck. I have not been sick and my Stoma is working, albeit with a bit of help from the duccosate. I have been back to my gp and my team who tell me my ct scan is clear, my ca125 is holding static at 11 and my stomach has been examined and I am told this is not fluid. So really just a question has anyone else experienced similar symptoms after taking steroids????

[Hidden]

Hello - My husband has to take steroids and antibiotics on a regular basis and suffers with diahorrea every time. He finds the indigestion and nausea are better, if he takes the tablets on an empty stomach first thing in the morning. Good Luck Lyn xx

[Alifit]

I’m interested that you’ve mentioned this - I’ve not had anything as severe as you, but a couple of days after I finish the post chemo steroids I have that horrible bunged up to the ribs feeling which I can’t shift. It takes what I call Maxlax to clear it - 2 sodium docusate twice a day and three Laxido. It sorts itself with a considerable amount of discomfort after a couple of days. During this time I’m not constipated but things aren’t really normal either. I had steroids for longer this cycle and I thought I’d avoided the stomach stuff as it always happened on the same day, but it happened two days later which leads me to believe that it may be the steroids that causes this. I’ll discuss it with my team when I see them next.

I’m delighted that your results are good, take care, Ali x

[Eriksendi in reply to Alifit]

That’s interesting ..... me me has got worse since I stopped the steroids and it’s a very similar feeling bunged up to the ribs and I now have what I would think of as an indigestion pain which is intermittent. Loads of gas (burping too). I’ve hit the omeprazoleand gaviscon this morning but still not cleared. I’m putting off going to a and e as hoping it will clear but wondering now if I have adhesions or something?

[lesleysage]

Hi, I wonder if the problem is that all your good 'gut flora', having been killed off by the antibiotics and other medications, needs replenishing. After my secondline treatment of dose-dense carbo-taxol + Avastin, I struggled for about 6 months and then found Kefir (Eastern European probiotic drink), and have had a daily 'dose' of about 100ml each day. My tummy, over those first few weeks settled down and although, five years on from finishing the last chemo, I still need Movicol and Aloe Vera Colon Cleanse tablets to help with bowel movements, my tummy feels settled and happy. It only gets 'grumpy' if I get too tired or put food into it that it can't cope with, or try to eat more at each meal, instead of small more frequent 'meals'.

I buy my Kefir from Sainsbury's but we are in an area of a strong Eastern European population; we also have Eastern European supermarkets I can buy if from if JS shleves are empty. Costs about £1.40 for a litre.

Warm wishes, Lesley

[Eriksendi in reply to lesleysage]

That’s weird, my sister who suffers from ulcerative colitis and has recently suggested Kefir. Bought a couple of small ones on our local Sainsbury’s and have just started so hope it improves it. I’ll let you know how I get on . Thank you .

[lynn6156]

I have crohns disease and have taken huge doses of steroids for many years on and off. The only problems I ever had were indigestion when they didn't give me the enteric coated ones. I'd guess that the problems are with gut flora following the antibiotics.

I'd try kefir or probiotics and maybe yoghurt - a decent one that has live bacteria, not the sugar laden others. If you have a health shop or farm shop you might find 'proper' live sauerkraut too.

Lynn

x

[Eriksendi in reply to lynn6156]

Thank you I’m going to try the Kefir and see how it goes x x

[Maus123]

Hi Eriksendi. I'm probably way off here.. but it couldn't be something like 'withdrawal symptoms', could it?

Good news on the disease and ca125 though.. am glad for you. Hope those digestive issues get better soon. Xx. Maus

[Hertsmum]

Your post struck a chord as I definitely think i’ve had a huge worsening in my digestive issues when steroids were stopped., I had to get them to put me back on a low dose but even then nausea and sickness continued. The hospital say it is caused by the disease itself (as I have quite wisespread disease in abdomen) but it seemed so strange it got so much worse on stopping steroids., unfort it is just not good to be on them long term but for some - maybe me - the benefits may outweigh the bad., the jury is out!

Good luck and good about ca125

Love

Madeline. Xx

[Eriksendi in reply to Hertsmum]

Thank you and I have been following your posts and hope that things soon improve for you. I actually went to a and e yesterday afternoon as I felt so sick and could not eat. They were brilliant, I was examined fully, bloods taken etc. I am very sensitive about bowels etc as I've already had one perforation and definitely don't want another. They think my stoma has not been clearing properly and have changed my laxatives and doubled my omeprazole. I think the steroids have slowed everything down. I've taken the laxido now and things seem to be clearing and today for the first time since last Thursday I've been able to eat. I wasn't obstructed but everything had backed up. I'm hoping things will improve now and I will be able to enjoy my news about my ca 125 and the scan. I think we all need to make the most of the time we are well. Sending you hugs and healing for the future x x

[tutti]

I have plenty of experience of digestive and bowel problems !when I have to take antibiotics I have been really ill so a practice nurse told me to take them with milk and take probiotics which you get from health food shops.They have 1,000,000 million times more good bacteria than the probiotic drinks in supermarkets.I definitely think they work so it’s worth a try.For constipation I use lactulose to soften and prunes to create movement as my colon is very sluggish and I keep getting bowel blockages, not a good idea with a Stoma.

Hope this helps.

Vivx

[Eriksendi]

Thank you for your reply. My colon is very sluggish too and always had been. When I first had my stoma after a bowel perforation it was fine but since my big surgery I had constant issues, had to take laxatives etc. I've been taking sodium duccosate to soften but have now changed to laxido to move things along. I've just started Kefir to try and put back some of the good bacteria but if this doesn't work I will definitely seek out the probiotics from the health shop. Thanks again for your response, it's very helpful x x