Different Prednisolone Manufacturers

[Marotic]

Hello all,

Does anyone else feel that the prednisolone tablets made by different manufacturers can vary in their after effects? Or is just me being superimaginative?

All responses welcome!

[Marijo1951]

I haven't had that particular experience. However I have noticed marked difference between different brands in their quality of production. I had some which were already crumbled to powder inside the blister pack, but unfortunately forgot to make a note of the manufacturers name. My current supply is from two manufacturers and are both fine. The 5 mg ones are made by Actavis and the 1 mg ones by Wockhardt.

[Hidden]

They certainly can be ‘different’ in size (which can be quite useful) l have also had some that crumble as soon as you pop them out of the blister pack & in the past l had a pack of which l was very doubtful of their efficacy as l started to feel unwell/return of symptoms.

Obviously different manufacturers use different fillers especially when there can be a difference in size of the tablet.

With regard to ‘after effects’ specifically what have you noticed?

MrsN

[Hidden]

Yes I have found with all my meds that a change in manufacturer or brand can change their effectiveness in terms of when the "kick in" or how long they last. As mrsN says, they use different fillers in their "recipes" and some may suit some people and not others.

There can rarely be a batch of pred that doesn't seem to work. I had one batch earlier this year. By day 4 I was in full flare. I opened another packet and they worked and controlled the flare within a day. I returned the batch to the pharmacy.

I have just realised that's why my stash of 5mg no longer exists. My spare ones were returned. See my brain was fogged...😉🤣🤣🤣

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Did they not replace them? Maybe you could chase it up when you feel better? x

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I never thought at the time. I may be able to swing it, though the pharmacist I found out yesterday has left!😭

[Christophene in reply to Hidden]

I do believe it was you who said your blood work was all over the place. Was it you? Mine is and causing new worries.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Hidden]

I had that experience with a batch of loose 5mg enteric coated ones - the pharmacy swore blind no-one else had complained. The 2.5mg ones I got the same day were fine. That was why i got switched to Medrol - and that caused all sorts of problems.

[Marotic in reply to PMRpro]

What sorts of problems were those?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Marotic]

I had had no problems with prednisolone, either ordinary or enteric coated except weight I had gained because of inactivity due to untreated PMR for 5 years rearranged itself to the usual places. With Medrol I gained weight, my hair and skin went mad (hair was frizzy like a brillo pad!) and I grew a lovely back beard! It also didn't work as well even though it is supposed to be more antiinflammatory - I was up to 20mg taken at night to get any relief as otherwise it took all day to work at all. The first day of 15mg prednisone was such a contrast and I lost all the adverse effects within a few months, the weight took a bit longer though.

[Christophene in reply to PMRpro]

An example of how we are all different. I have always been on Medrol and now by IM injection and never experienced those problems. Humans as animals are unique.

[Blearyeyed]

I haven't had a change of Manufacturers with Steroids , but I had a change of country of manufacture of an actual brand name HRT that I am on , and that did make a difference.

It may not have been a difference in the efficacy of the drug itself but that I had some sort of intolerance to the packer " filler" ingredient used in the pills instead.

It was funny, because the first time it was obvious as the pack writing was in another language. The second time it happened I was confused at first because the pack, including the days of the week on the blister pack were all in English , but when I started to have side effects again and checked the manufacture address they were from the European maker using the different filler again.

Since then I don't get my HRT from the surgery pharmacy whom still use the brand but made abroad. They give me a prescription to get the one I can use from a regular pharmacy

[Jackoh]

I always felt that I wanted to keep to the same brand of Pred as one other brand didn’t seem so effective. I know that the fillers are different in certain brands. I have therefore insisted on a particular brand, Wockhardt, rather than take pot luck of what the pharmacy has to offer at any one time.