Aloe vera

[betty1943]

Is anyone taking the above please?

Can you give me some information about taking it?

I have GCA and wonder if it would be a good additional supplement.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

You should never take any supplements without checking for interactions with any medication you may be taking, whether prescription or OTC, or other supplements, preferably with a pharmacist, though even they may be unable to give full details. It's also a good idea to check about drug/drug interactions when you get a new prescription since doctors are notoriously poor about knowing about such things! There is thread from the last few days where people had problems taking a particular antibiotic - one which is contraindicated for anyone on pred!

There is the potential for an interaction between aloe vera and corticosteroids - I'm struggling to find details of exactly what it does but it can increase the effects of the steroids - which also means it can increase the side-effects you may suffer. I don't think I would take it alongside pred myself.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I've just found this from a previous post on another forum about taking aloe vera - apparently Kate Gilbert says in her book she used it and others were asking:

"Oral corticosteroid drugs, such as prednisone, and aloe juice may both promote the loss of potassium from the body. Therefore, levels of potassium in the blood may become too low if aloe juice is taken at the same time as prednisone. Low blood potassium is called hypokalemia. Symptoms of hypokalemia can include constipation, muscle weakness, nausea, hallucinations, respiratory failure, and cardiac arrest. Although the risk of hypokalemia is slight, aloe juice and prednisone should not be taken at the same time. Topically-applied aloe gel is not believed to interact with corticosteroids, but a doctor should be consulted before aloe gel is taken orally at the same time that prednisone is being taken. Discuss this potential interaction with your healthcare provider at your next appointment, or sooner if you think you are having problems."

This is obviously even more important if you are taking other medications that affect potassium for blood pressure for example.

[betty1943 in reply to PMRpro]

I thought I had seen it in Kate's book but couldn't find it when I looked today.  Can you tell me the page no. Please?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to betty1943]

Sorry, no - I only have a Kindle version and I'd have to read the whole book to even find out which chapter it is in!

[betty1943]

Thank you for your help.  Will have to start at the beginning again unless Kate reads this!

[HeronNS in reply to betty1943]

In my copy, page 115.

[piglette]

I have given up all supplements apart from vit D and calcium which is prescribed by my doctor and try and include the nutrients in my diet instead unless my blood count shows there is a problem and my doctor suggests a supplement.  I do actually grow aloe vera in the kitchen and cut off a piece if I burn myself, to rub on it. It really is very good for kitchen burns.

[betty1943]

Thank you piglette

[betty1943]

Thank you HeronNS. I will have a word with my GP.  She seems to have a web site which answers all her obscure questions.

[polkadotcom]

I tried it but it did nothing for me except make a hole in my pocket - it's very expensive.  It also tastes dreadful.

[Polywotsit PMRGCAuk team member]

Oh yes, it tastes horrible. And as I mention in the book, I can't say for sure that it helped me, only that it didn't do me any harm.  I was on the mend though already but wanted to wean myself off the last of the steroids.  I felt at the time that it was possibly giving me a boost to come off completely. I was only on a very small daily dose when I started taking it. I didn't know about the issue with potassium at the time, and wouldn't recommend it if you are on a high dose of pred, and will definitely mention it in the next edition. 

K

[Whittlesey]

Hi Betty, I was biopsy diagnosed with GCA in 2013. They missed it for four months. I have some vision loss in one eye.

During a flare or a headache ( I have had both), I cut a piece of natural aloe vera from the sleeve, cut it open, and place a piece of the translucent "flesh" of the leaf on each temple. Leave for 20 minutes or longer.

I find it helps tremendously, especially when the bulgi g veins are visibly. 

Aloe vera is a natural anti- inflammatory, natural antibiotic. 

I am taking less pain killing medication this way. I have been doing this since the first painful headaches in 2013 and it helps quite a bit.

Good luck with it and I hope it helps you as well.

All my best, Whittlesey

[Whittlesey]

Have read the other posts. If you use the raw natural forms on the external pain, you are not injesting it, so you should avoid any problems with blood contraindications with prednisone. 

Pred reductions ( which I have done a few times, slow ones, in these few years) can cause me to feel weak and very fatigued (slow adrenal working, due to the prednisone in the system).If you feel weak, which may include a lowering of potassium, would include bananas or supplements.

Over these years, I have found the use of aloe vera, not internal usage, to help the debilitating GCA headaches quite a bit and I don't have to use, other stronger medications, just the prednisone.

Good luck.

[Hidden]

Hi Betty

I also have GCA finally diagnoses May 4th 2015. I don’t know what I can tell you, about Aloe Vera, that may help but here goes ............ I have been a believer in Aloe Vera for many years, and always keep a plant in the conservatory. I’ve used it, successfully, externally – for cuts, grazes etc even on my cats’ paws. It’s a wonderful healer and it even removed a wart (that had persisted for over 2 years) on one occasion. I also used it internally several years ago, but wasn’t taking any medication for it to interact with. It eliminated my tummy problem on that occasion.

So on reading about it in Kate’s book I immediately ordered some from Amazon. Actually went a bit OTT and ordered 4 large bottles which cost around £80. All seemed well for a week or so – no worse, no better but I lived in hope for the ‘better’. However I soon started to experience even worse digestive symptoms than I started with. Anyway, this was Sept 2015 so I can’t be precise about the all the details of the adverse changes. Suffice it to say that, after 4 weeks I began to suspect the Aloe Vera as being the cause and stopped taking it - my tummy problems eased within days.

Potassium – can’t blame it for that as, at my next blood test, my Potassium levels were (as usual) within normal range. The remaining three litres of Aloe Vera are gathering dust (unopened) in the garage, as I dare not try taking it again.

I’m now down to 9 mg of Pred. and feeling so much better. No withdrawal symptoms from 11 to 10 or 10 to 9 and the MPS (which I suffered for over 5 months) went about 4/5 weeks ago – hopefully never to return – all I take now is Cod-liver Oil, Omega 3 and the Pred. Finally I concluded that the less medicinal, or vitamin supplement, products I take the less change of any adverse interaction/s.

Good luck. Hope this helps.

Ozymandias

[betty1943]

Hello Ozymandias thank you for your info.  After reading a bit about Aloe Vera I decided to leave it alone.  My GCA diagnosis was Nov. 2014.  22.02.2016   I became very depressed, my GP thought I may have reduced my Preds too quickly so she put it to 2mgs. - I was on 1mgm.  So far so good.  I can't take anti-depressant's and reverted to St Johns Wort which seems to be ok.  Being a bit more familiar with GCA and preds now I feel happier with situation, I am not a depressive person and the experience was really awful.  Thank you for your info. and story very, very helpful. And good luck with your journey as well.

Betty1943