Taking predisolone

[Lee1945]

Can I take predisolone with milk instead of water as I feel ill after taking 8 pills with water

[Hidden]

A quick Google search says, YES. One post said that the patient leaflet details said to "...take with food or milk." I take with water, but after I've eaten yogurt, so...

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Hi,

I’m going to disagree with mamici1 (sorry) - milk contains calcium and that shouldn’t be taken same time as Pred as it affects the absorption. That’s why you should leave at least 2 hours between Pred and your Calcium/VitD supplement.

And lots do take it after yogurt.......so maybe more research needed 🤔

[Hidden in reply to DorsetLady]

I certainly have cups of tea or coffee with milk within the two hours. Never thought about that one!

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Hidden]

So did I...but I guess the amount in a tea or coffee is negligable compared to a glassful.

[Hidden in reply to DorsetLady]

No worries, I just did a google search.

However, most of interaction cautions I found out there, applied to "prednisone and Calcium 600 D/calcium citrate. And as mentioned, one predisolone patient leaflet actually said "...take with food or milk."

Maybe the amount of calcium in a glass of milk to negligible, but I have no idea.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Hidden]

Join the club my dear! Ohh you already have 🤨🤔 It’s no wonder our brains are addled - confusion reigns. One says yes, one says no!

[Hidden in reply to DorsetLady]

Hahahahahahahah! Life is full of contradictions!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to DorsetLady]

Dietary calcium doesn't have the same effect in the gut - it is the supplements that cause the main problem because they arrive in such large quantities at one time.

Many pharmacists recommend taking pred with a glass of milk if you don't want to take the pred with proper food. The main point is that a glass of water and a cracker isn't enough when it says take with food.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to PMRpro]

Ok thanks, I thought it was Calcium per se. 🤨

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to DorsetLady]

I suppose if there were some food that had loads of calcium it would have the same effect. But the received wisdom is a glass of milk is OK, as is a yoghurt.

[Celtic PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Lee, I used to have muesli with milk and yoghurt for breakfast followed by my 8 Pred pills which were enteric coated to protect the stomach. So calcium in the milk and in the yoghurt - no problem for me with this regime at all. The yoghurt lines the stomach before taking the pills. The so-called stomach protecting PPIs such as Omeprazole and Lansoprazole caused nasty bowel problems for me and were stopped by my rheumy - the yoghurt proved a Godsend.

[Lee1945 in reply to Celtic]

The enteric coating also means that most of the milk has also been absorbed before the tablet breaks diwn

[Mary63]

I just take my prednisolone with or after any food otherwise it gives me indigestion. A glass of milk contains similar levels of calcium to 2 tbs of decent yogurt, but I have read in various places that the calcium in milk isn’t necessarily absorbed as well as that in yogurt. I am not sure whether either contains significant enough levels to warrant avoiding taking with prednisolone.

Perceived wisdom on this forum is to take with yogurt, but I’m not sure where that came from. Because yogurt does not agree well with me that is why I have with a meal. And if I forget I take with a rice cake, just so the pred does not gnaw away at my stomach lining.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Hi, just a thought - why are you taking 8 tablets? Are they all Pred? What dose are you on, you may be able to take less in number if you juggled the tablet mg size.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to DorsetLady]

5x8 is 40, a perfectly normal GCA dose - and I haven't come across any use of the 20mg tablets in the UK. Apart from anything else, they are far more expensive relatively speaking.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to PMRpro]

When I started I had 25mg tablets, and yes they are a lot more expensive!

[Lee1945 in reply to DorsetLady]

I will ask GP for bigger coated tabs tomorrow

[Lee1945 in reply to Lee1945]

I have problems swallowing them with water so will now take them with milk and will ask GP for the larger coated tabs. Thanks

[SheffieldJane]

I have taken Pred with Greek Yoghurt and honey for over a year with no problems. Omeprazole upset my stomach and I found the potential long term effects worrying. I read that skimmed milk hardly contains any calcium recently. It’s what we have. I use water for the actual swallowing.

In what way to you feel ill?

What dose are you on?

What are the mgs of each tablet. You may be able to take fewer tablets with a higher value.

I sometimes feel a bit queer after taking my tablets but all seems to settle after I have had a shower and got going. It might be in my head.

[Lee1945 in reply to SheffieldJane]

I am on 8 x5 mg tablets

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Lee1945]

As I replied to PMRpro I started on 25mg tablets back in the day, but they are more expensive, so that’s probably why GPs don’t prescribe them.

My initial dose was prescribed and dispensed by the hospital so maybe that’s why, but the GP did stick to them. Pharmacy was a bit flustered first time around though.

If you really have problems might be worth asking!

[Lee1945 in reply to DorsetLady]

Thank you - I will ask GP for the larger coated tabs and see if stomach tolerates them better

[Lee1945 in reply to Lee1945]

I feel physically sick to the stomach and have to dash to loo

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Lee1945]

What else are you taking?

[SheffieldJane]

I guess 8 tablets of 5 mgs is what we get prescribed. Try the yoghurt if you don’t mind it. It seems to suit me more than anything else. I ran out yesterday and had porridge and I felt a bit of acid indigestion.

[Hollyseden]

I almost always take my pred with milk, sometimes yogurt. When my dose was upped to 60 I had to take 12x5mg. Found that a bit of a struggle so phoned doc and asked for 20mg tablets. Ok said doc but had to wait for chemist to order them in because none of the local chemists kept them in stock. Now tapering between 8+9 and split my dose taking 2 before bed and rest in morning. Bedtime dose with a sip of milk works for me. Chose not to take prescribed omeprazole because of what I read about it on this forum and milk has worked for me. Good luck with whatever you do. 😊

[Carrollee]

Hi Lee. I have been taking my pred with a few tablespoons of plain live yoghurt for over 2 years now and no problems. The yoghurt helps with the swallowing process as its thicker than water/milk. All the best cc 🤗

[Jamie345]

I've been taking mine at 3.30am with actimel and water is that ok?

[Hidden in reply to Jamie345]

Hi jamie345

This is an old thread but the general consensus is yes that's fine. If you take coated pred it's moot really as it passed through the stomach before it releases so it's all a matter of taste. 🌻

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Jamie345]

If it works for you - it's OK!

[Jamie345]

Thank you for your quick reply, I was a bit worried I was doing it incorrectly, I do this early hours is that the best way I have a lot of medication to take so it becomes complicated or should I start taking predisinone on getting up in the morning? It is pain having to wake up early hours to take them, but if it's better for me I'll continue?