Tummy bug help please

[Roltuba]

We are staying with our daughter in Singapore and R has a tummy bug. Only this evening as yet, vomited thoroughly and the other end once.

He’s on 7mg pred split evenly morning and evening. If the pred doesn’t stay down a few hours, any advice please. Have read on the Web consult doctor if sick, and/or double the dose. Doctor is a complicated option here!

All gone very well so far but....

[Grants148]

So sorry that R is so sick,l am not as well informed as others on this forum,you need PMR pro or Dorset Lady to advise you on this .It is always a problem when taking important medication if one gets a stomach bug,some of my family have had this over Christmas and l am lucky to have avoided it so far.l hope that you can get the advice you need,l am sure you will get help when others see this message.l wish you all the best and a good recovery for R,and l hope that the new year will be a happy one for you all.Please let us know how you get on.

[SnazzyD]

Oh dear. Ideally you speak to a doctor. The question is how much Pred is being absorbed? Even if vomiting has stopped the small intestine might have gone on strike for a bit and at 7mg it is quite likely the adrenal glands are not awake yet. If it was me, I’d take 10mg as soon as water can be tolerated within the next 12 hours and then 7 or 10mg again when the next split dose is due if fluids are still not being able to be taken freely. This is NOT medical advice however and there will be different opinions. Rehydration salts might be a good idea too so there is no trouble from too low potassium and sodium. Any sign of improvement stopping or any deterioration you really should think about medical advice. I would also research the practical steps to getting medical attention thoroughly before you need it.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Pred needs to stay down about an hour to be absorbed. If you are really unwell they do suggest doubling the dose once you are down to lower doses - and 7mg counts as lower I'd say. Is it a bug or food poisoning? Our daughter just had a similar experience - cheese food poisoning: she'd eaten most, OH rather less, he wasn't as bad and the son hadn't eaten anything and was fine so we assumed that was what it was.

But as Snazzy says, if it lasts longer you will need a doctor and he may need injected steroids to make up for adrenal function.

[SheffieldJane]

This happened to me a couple of years back with a stomach bug. I think there was enough time to absorb the drug between bouts, so I was ok. R may feel that he needs to replace his dose and that won’t hurt either.

[Sallyaches]

I am sorry to say that whilst on steroids your immunity is comprised, if you don’t start to feel better you must get medical help. Try to avoid taking Imodium and the like for diahorrea. Just keepin mind that food poisoning can be serious. Do take care

[MamaBeagle]

I can so empathise - I had a "both ends violently" gastric upset in October..........It lasted initially for 3 days, I managed to get the pred down in between bouts but couldn't face any of my supplements for about a week. I didn't have an increase in PMR symptoms at all and kept on my same dose which was 6mg at the time. Hope R feeling better soon. I was left with the DF for a few days when it was finally over.