Coated Preds

[funnylee]

Hi folks,

Can someone tell me what the reasons are for taking coated preds.... is it to do with gastric/acid issues? I've been on preds for 10mths but have only just started taking Lanzaprozole (No real issues appart from rumbling stomach but GP said I should have been taking them from the start?)

Thanks

[PMRpro Ambassador]

In 8+ years on pred have never taken a PPI as a general rule - I have taken them a couple of times for specific reasons.

I did find that taking non-coated pred tablets caused a slight feeling of a mouse gnawing at my innards unless I was very careful - when I was only on gastro-resistant to make up my dose I had absolutely no problems. It was when I had to use more than a couple of mg of plain pred that i felt it, 1mg was also fine. In those days g/r only came as 5 and 2.5mg - and that was how I ended up developing the DSNS (Dead Slow Nearly Stop) reduction approach. It can work with 2.5mg too if it has to. Now g/r come in 1mg tablets and down to 1 and 2mg you never need to cut or use plain pred.

Many of us found that a good dollop of plain unseetened yogurt, especially the ones with added probiotics, was enough. Or taking the tablets in the middle of a proper mean, not just with a small snack.

There are doctors who claim it is not the presence of the pred in the stomach that causes the problem - but the level of pred in the blood. Maybe, maybe not - but for very many of us PPIs caused more problems than they were worth. If you have a history of gastric problems it is perhaps worth using them. But they on their own cause can cause osteoporosis and they have a wide range of other unpleasant side effects, some of which take a while to appear.

[SnazzyD]

Hello,

I had to take coated Pred, even though it isn’t recommended with GCA, because not matter what I did or took, my stomach was like a volcano. I’ve had a tendency to acid problems for decades, but not had big problems with it. Coated Pred made it so much better so I just use a Gaviscon at night when my Pred is fully in my blood stream and stirs things up. The usual prescribing with non-coated is something like Lanzoprazole (a proton pump inhibitor) or Ranitidine (a type of antihistamine). Some on this forum swear by yoghurt only having decided the side effects aren’t for them. Many take them with no problems too. The GP is right in that some sort of plan for stomach protection should have occurred from the start.

[funnylee]

Thank you both for your swift replies.

[Hollyseden]

When I first started on prednisolone I was also given a repeat prescription for omeprazole but because of all I have read about it on here I didn't take it. I'm lucky not to be bothered often by indigestion and just take my pred with milk. Why take more drugs with nasty side effects when you can manage without them.