.Hi can anyone advise on bad acid indigestion I take lansoprazole but it doesn't always work ! ive had pmr for a year and got down to 8mg of

steroid but due to a bad flare up I was put on 40mg .docs referred me to a rheumatologist in dec.many thanks moon gazer

[polkadotcom]

If you are getting severe gastric reflux, then your doctor needs to know asap, but there are several things you can do for yourself. Firstly, if the prednisolone you are taking is the ordinary white one, ask for the entero coated one, this can sometimes solve the problem on its own.

Make sure that you are taking the steroids on a full stomach - this is something which everyone should do whether they are getting problems or not. Some patients have found that a daily yoghourt for breakfast helps considerably, others go for hot water with lemon juice first thing in the morning. We have a suggestion on here that bicarb taken in as little water as possible is a good remedy (I'm too much of a wimp to have tried this one!)

Make sure you are drinking enough water, something which is overlooked very often and steer clear of sugary food - that is repeated only too often, but acid thrives on sugar. I have a hiatus hernia and the list of food it doesn't like seems to get longer by the week, but hopefully these easier remedies may help you, I do hope so.

[Hidden in reply to polkadotcom]

thanks for reply very helpful. can you get the coated tabs in 5mg ?

[polkadotcom in reply to Hidden]

Yes, the coated one come in 5mg (red) tabs and 2.5mg (brown). The 1mg tabs are not available in the coated form, we're informed it would be too difficult to produce them.

[antiglo in reply to polkadotcom]

Hi All just looking at the post with the person with acid indigestion. I take lansoprazole too but find soda water in sips helps always. Take care, from one who is still battling with the diagnosis despite symptoms and a diagnosis from osteopath, who referred me back to Dr!!!!

[Loco99]

I too have bouts of acid reflux and indigestion, the doctor has prescribed Nexiam which works well but is very expensive so I have only taken it for a month at a time. I have had the combination of acid reflux and oral thrush which is not much fun. The oral thrush seems to be caused by steroids. Anyway, something worth trying is Apple Cider Vinegar, a tot of it neat or diluted with water, take it when the indigestion is bad. My husband gets acid reflux too and swears by the cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is also supposed to help with oral thrush. Since I've been diagnosed with PMR I've had, acid reflux, oral thrush, muscle and tendon problems, heel spurs, tinnitus and Dupuytrens contracture, I'm not sure if they are all PMR or steroid related but I sometimes feel that I'm falling apart!

[Annodomini]

I have a severe reflux problem which predates my PMR. I take Ranitidine (aka Zantac) and Gaviscon Advance which have more or less solved the problem, unless I overeat or eat or drink something too acidic.

[optimist-ok]

I have Omeprazole 20mg twice a day which helps. On 10mg steroids at the moment having come down from 60mg 22 months ago. There seem to be various medications to try. Hope this helps.

[Hidden]

Just to add my experience which backs up what Polkadotcom was advising - With the help of Omeprazole, I was coping fine with enteric coated pred but am completely unable to have the uncoated variety as this causes me to have acid reflux, indigestion, severe stomach ache and loss of appetite. I was switched to the uncoated type to save my PCT money and my GP has now made me a special exemption case so that I can have the enteric coated.

Hope you get some relief soon.

[Hidden]

thanks for all your reply's on my acid problem, I found it very helpful, I didn't know you could get enteric coated tabs, thanks again for all your help.

[BromleyPen]

Hi Moongazer

I was diagnosed with PMR in November 2011 and have been taking Prednisolone and Calcium with Vit D since then.

Sorry to hear that you are experiencing reflux. I was getting this really badly until I changed my diet ... a bit drastic and apart from cutting out wheat, dairy and alcohol I also cut out the bella donna (or nightshade family) vegetables which are tomatoes, potatoes, peppers and aubergine (all of which I loved and ate often). Within 24 hours the reflux stopped. That was last May. For two months I was really strict. I had no reflux. Now I try the odd thing out and the one thing I know for sure is that every time I have tomatoes I also have some reflux. Nothing like as bad as previously but enough to tell me that tomatoes don't suit me!

I would prefer to change my diet than take any further medicine. I have been off alendronic acid for almost a year because I have been having dental treatment and was hoping not to return to it. I had a DEXA scan for the first time (my GP thought it wasn't necessary) about a month ago and I heard last week I have osteoporosis so have to go back to taking AA in a week or so when the dental treatment stops.

Despite all this and a small flare up when I reduced my prednisolone about a month ago to 5mg too soon so had to go up to 8mg ... now down to 776776776 I feel full of energy and really well again.

Hope you can overcome everything soon and feel better.

Penny

[Hidden in reply to BromleyPen]

thanks great advice I will try this. glad to hear your down to 7mg and feeling full of energy. At 49 yrs old it gives me hope, ive bin so low with it all.

[wendy_bullock1947]

I took lansoprazole half an hour before eating two slices of toast and then took the steroid and never had any problems over the 2years I had to take them. I always think it is wise to let your G.P know of any problems though.

[mickt]

Hi moongazer I take 40mgs of omeprazole in the morning since june ,it works for me .I had achalasia last year needed op linked to autoimmune failure ,touch wood ive been great since surgrery,been treated for gca and pmr symptoms .Ive type 1 diabetes and addisons disease just to confuse things a bit more.Hope you find relief from acid coz tyheres nowt worse .All the best mick.