Digestive system issues: Does anyone have problems... - PMRGCAuk

PMRGCAuk

20,120 members37,701 posts

Digestive system issues

missmylefteye profile image
28 Replies

Does anyone have problems down under? Sorry, i couldnt resist the double entendre. But what im asking about is bowel problems. To put it plainly, my bowels seem to have lost the normal signal for proper functioning. Ugh.

Written by
missmylefteye profile image
missmylefteye
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
28 Replies
PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador

What other medication are you on besides pred? (You are still on pred aren't you?). Constipation or the runs?

missmylefteye profile image
missmylefteye in reply to PMRpro

Constipation. When i developed the papillodema two months ago now, i also felt weird neuro change in this area. Seemed like signals had stopped, been managing it with difficulty ever since. Pretty sure i dont have MS, i know this canhappen with thatterrible disease. I am still on pred, downto 30mg now.

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador in reply to missmylefteye

And what do your doctors say?

missmylefteye profile image
missmylefteye in reply to PMRpro

Hi put me on linzess seems to help, but not back to normal. Hopefully I can just use for awhile then go back to probiotic, magnesium, fiber. Dont need another med when I'm taking so ma.y already. The big gi tests set up also

missmylefteye profile image
missmylefteye in reply to PMRpro

Lots of meds. Will post list later

Rabbit1951 profile image
Rabbit1951

I am taking 8 mg of Prednisone and every two days need to take a laxative to keep bowels moving. I am using Laxoberon which I bought overseas. It is a tiny tablet but works brilliantly with no pain or side effects.

Hope this helps

in reply to Rabbit1951

Hi Rabbit,

just noticed you take a laxative. Ex nurse here worrying you will become laxative dependent which means yikes!

Try magnesium supplement it works naturally and trust me you will feel so much better. I also took laxatives until my sister turned me on to magnesium. So much for being a nurse lololo.

Hugs ☕️

Lin

Rabbit1951 profile image
Rabbit1951 in reply to

Thank you for your helpful advice Lin. Is the magnesium in tablet form or liquid. How much do I take?

Hugs

Liz 🌺

Bethy profile image
Bethy

Yes when I was on steroids I had lots of problems with my bowels/digestive system even though I took the tablets to protect my stomach.

missmylefteye profile image
missmylefteye in reply to Bethy

What did you take for protecting your stomach?

Bethy profile image
Bethy in reply to Bethy

Omeprazol

missmylefteye profile image
missmylefteye in reply to Bethy

Thx, yeah I'm taking nexium. Despite the issues with it for now

Bethy profile image
Bethy in reply to missmylefteye

In my opinion no medication is without side effects. I am sure that is why doctors try to get you off steroids as soon as possible.

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador in reply to Bethy

Which is fine - except pred is the only management option for PMR and GCA. As long as the underlying autoimmune disorder that causes the symptoms we call PMR or GCA is active we need pred. Either you take it and use it properly or you don't bother in the first place. Pred has side effects - so do all of the drugs used in, for example, rheumatoid arthritis. Pred is our DMARD.

missmylefteye profile image
missmylefteye in reply to PMRpro

I was slowly slipping away as they made me taper. Better back on 60mg, but not out of the woods yet. I still get pulsating, mostly on my left side, but some on my right also. Burning pain up in a swath around my occipitals. Still have to hold left side of my head most of the day from the pain...left temple, over my left ear. Still getting left orbit pain on and off.

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador in reply to missmylefteye

Have they not considered trying even higher? 80mg isn't unusual if it is really bad.

Ida-June128 profile image
Ida-June128

The pred has the same effect on me and Tramadol makes it even worse. I have a packet of dates (and after the initial backlog was cleared with tinned prunes) I eat one before bedtime. Hope this may work for you.

missmylefteye profile image
missmylefteye in reply to Ida-June128

Tramadol big backlog problem for me too. Fyi, my brother swears by xylitol gum, says he chews it all day & helps with n & off constipation. Natural supplement too

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador in reply to missmylefteye

"Like most sugar alcohols, xylitol has a laxative effect because sugar alcohols are not fully broken down during digestion; however, the effect varies from person to person."

You get a similar effect if you eat too many sweets with sorbitol in them...

jayboy05 profile image
jayboy05

I have have the same problem and it was worse when taking calcium tablets.

missmylefteye profile image
missmylefteye in reply to jayboy05

Me too on the Calcium.

I have found that magnesium supplement helps greatly. I take it at night and right after my coffee in a.m. whalla! If you have not taken it before you can take two if you get diarrhea oops take one. Your body will let you know how much. If I skip it for a day or two I am back to major problem of constipation. It is supposed to be taken along with our calcium supplements.

Good luck

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador in reply to

Magnesium in the form of Epsom Salts was a staple in our grandparents cupboard for exactly that purpose...

hopeful-1 profile image
hopeful-1

I also suffered from unaccustomed blockage, and had success after taking to drinking more water than the fair amount I drink normally, as it eases the transit.

However, I think a further major factor in success was starting to take magnesium supplement, first in a combination supplement tablet, then on it's own.

I did this for a number of reasons.

I had been having migraines much more frequently, plus some stubborn cramps, and various other things.

Looking into the subject, magnesium plays a major part in a whole load of functions within the body.

As Pred causes more magnesium to be excreted from the body, and a higher calcium intake takes a heavier toll on the available magnesium, there is a double whammy effect on what magnesium is in the body, so I thought I'd try to even up the balance.

Contrary to calcium's debit effect on magnesium, magnesium actually enhances the effect of calcium, so redressing the balance and then some.

As the form of magnesium I'm taking is a supplement form rather than the unblocking form like in Epsom Salts, it doesn't have the same dramatic effect.

The form I was taking originally was magnesium oxide, which is in the majority of UK supplements, and then I switched to magnesium citrate, which is several times more effective in the absorbtion/retention/utiliisation of the mineral.

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador in reply to hopeful-1

The "unblocking" effect is only due to the amount you have taken - take a few supplement tablets and it is quite capable of inducing a good effect! The magnesium attracts water into the gut - to counteract the water-removal process that occurs as waste moves through the gut which is what results in you getting "bunged up".

missmylefteye profile image
missmylefteye in reply to hopeful-1

I used to have to take mag citrate until a few months ago since other mags gave me the runs. Now I can take 1000mg of the stearate, & don't even feel it. Strange.

missmylefteye profile image
missmylefteye in reply to missmylefteye

Magnesium oxide, that is. Mag stearate just some lesser ingredient in tablet.

missmylefteye profile image
missmylefteye in reply to hopeful-1

Right with you on this. I used same strategy for years, but then everything changed same time as my vision loss. I had chronic migraine most of my life, and muscle cramping. I think magnesium is the wonder supplement. Gi has me on linzess right now, seems good, but I would rather go probiotic, magnesium, fiber route when things settle down.

You may also like...

Daily Digests have ceased to arrive for digestion!

digests have not arrived in my inbox for a couple of days - has anyone else had this problem?

Pred, digestive problems & night sweats

at least) I have had digestive problems (diarrhoea, bloating) and night sweats which have...

Digestion/Bowels

For over a week now I have had very loose bowels. Stomach feels fine, but it seems like digestion...

daily digest?

some strange reason I have received a daily digest today from 8 days ago. Anyone else received...

Digestive disturbances

managed to slow it down. It seems strange after years of dieting, to eat what I want, when I want...