Echinacea and Pred

[jlyndauk2002]

Not posted on here for a while but coping with slow reduction from 20mg in March to 13mg so far. I am looking for some advice on taking Echinacea whilst on Pred. I have a heavy head cold at the mo and in the past I would have taken Echinacea to help speed up recovery. I thought I had seen a comment on here about not taking it while on pred so wondered if anyone had any info. I have found this site very helpful and often wish doctors had more experience of PMR as I have found some of them lacking in knowledge!! Thanks in advance.

[betty1943]

I have used Echinacea for colds etc for many years with excellent success.

On an old box I have written in capitals NOT WITH PREDNISOLONE and I can't remember where I got this from. I will keep looking and let you know but in the meantime I would leave off it. Well done on the slow reduction. Have a good Christmas.

[jlyndauk2002 in reply to betty1943]

Thank you betty1943 I found some information on here about not using it while on pred, after sending this msg off so will follow advice and not use. Hope you have a good christmas too.

[polkadotcom]

Echinacea should not really be used alongside Pred as it supposedly supports the immune system. At the root bottom of all autoimmune problems is the basic fact that your immune system has lost the plot and is attacking your own body willy-nilly and is causing inflammation in either joints, muscles or bones. Steroids dampen down the over-enthusiastic action of the immune system very well and therefore help with the inflammation which is causing the pain.

Therefore to take anything which reportedly assists the immune system cancels itself out and in the long run may mean that over time, you may need more Pred.

I hope that makes sense as I've got my foggy brain mode up and running right now.

[HeronNS]

On the other hand, not knowing any better, when I had a bad cold on a trip last April I took echinacea and had no untoward effects. Perhaps it's okay for a very short term jolt when you're actually sickening for something, but not a good idea as something you take all the time as an immune system booster? My dose at the time was around 5 mg I think.

Btw my immune system seems to be working just fine, thank you very much. Haven't had a cold since then despite living with someone who frequently gets them. I was definitely more susceptible when pred dose higher.

[jlyndauk2002 in reply to HeronNS]

Thank you,I must admit this is the first cold since starting Pred in March, fingers crossed it will run its course! Cheers

[PMRpro Ambassador]

If you look for data sheets on the web you will find articles about echinacea that tell you not to mix it with pred,

Nefret has explained why - and I only want to say, like Anhaga, I haven't had a problem with immunity while on pred, colds still go away in the same amount of time with or without assistance!

[jlyndauk2002 in reply to PMRpro]

Thanks PMRpro, I found some information on this site after sending my msg, so will abstain from the echinacea for now and hope my cold will run its course. Many thanks to you and all the others on this site, I have found the advice given to be invaluable especially your dead slow reduction method. Keep well, Jenny.