Does pred cause constipation? : What a horrible... - PMRGCAuk

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Does pred cause constipation?

diana1998 profile image
55 Replies

What a horrible subject! I looked it up on line and it said it can. But never seen this discussed or mentioned by the Drs.

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diana1998 profile image
diana1998
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55 Replies
YuliK profile image
YuliK

Morning Diana

It’s possible that Prednisone can cause constipation , unfortunately there are various side effects which cortisone based medications have, but like most medications ,not everyone experiences them.

Eating plenty of fresh vegetables should help you ..

Have a nice day.

YuliK 😷

diana1998 profile image
diana1998 in reply toYuliK

I'm a walking fruit, dried fruit and veg shop. Cook from scratch. Drink 2.5 litres of water and herbal teas. Most annoying as used to have a dairy intolerance and was the other way. However, this miraculously disappeared. If pred is the cause, I think nothing dietrywise helps. 🙄😖

YuliK profile image
YuliK in reply todiana1998

Try soaking 4 dried prunes in a glass of hot water. Let it cool down and drink ...if that doesn’t shift 🥱you, then you may need something from your GP or pharmacy.

YuliK 😷

🌹🌹🌹

A natural subject and a condition that can cause misery. Tbh I take several Meds that cause constipation but after 20yrs I am still functioning... Just. It was the opposite that caused my issues.

Marijo1951 profile image
Marijo1951

I eat several prunes at breakfast time in the interests of bone health. They definitely have other helpful effects too..

SheffieldJane profile image
SheffieldJane

Quite the opposite Diane. I go several times every day. Perhaps I should be worried?

diana1998 profile image
diana1998 in reply toSheffieldJane

You are sooo lucky! I used to be like that.

Meggsy profile image
Meggsy

Like Jane, I also go several times a day. I eat lots of veges, fruit etc but I also have quite a lot of oil - flax, hemp, olive, MCT, avocado, salmon, sardines,nuts. I’m sure that helps me. Some friends have found psyllium husks to be very effective. Incidentally with all that oil I have not gained any weight. I hope you find a solution soon. 🌻

diana1998 profile image
diana1998 in reply toMeggsy

My diet is similar. Love olive oil. I take probiotic natural yog and a probiotic pill too. Have tried everything so it must be the pred🤔 boo hoo 😢

Meggsy profile image
Meggsy in reply todiana1998

😢

in reply todiana1998

I think you should consider pulling back on some of the "support" things and see if your body responds. Some people's systems like minimal input. Rather than an elimination diet per se I would drop high fibre and supplementary probiotic type food and supplements and see what happens. I would do it for 6 to 8 weeks before reintroducing... If at all. Only a suggestion.... If these things do what they say on the tin perhaps over stimulation might be an issue for digestive system just like we have overactive immune system. I would rather try that that try and rush down pred.... And also make sure I had coated pred so it bypasses the tummy and disperses in tbe intestines.

diana1998 profile image
diana1998 in reply to

Thank you. That makes sense. It's trial and error.

in reply toMeggsy

If you eat low carb diet fat is necessary.

Meggsy profile image
Meggsy in reply to

Yes, I eat very low carb, have for years. Also am very grateful I don’t have a sweet tooth so no problem passing on sweets etc. but still indulge in a couple of nice reds of a weekend. 🍷🍷

Maisiek profile image
Maisiek

Are you taking any codeine as pain relief : that’s what does it for me😰 on the other hand I need to wee all the time: someone said it was the Adcal? Good luck.

diana1998 profile image
diana1998 in reply toMaisiek

No.... Thank you

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador

Is it definitely the pred? Not any other "just in case" offers by the GP?

diana1998 profile image
diana1998 in reply toPMRpro

GP just dishes out laxatives. I am under a gastroenterologist at Nuffield. It's annoying as feel nauseous before anti sickness pill. Think I need an elimination diet as dietician said my diet was perfect! A mystery. But if it's pred, I have to bear it. Can't be proven can it?? Don't need painkillers apart from odd paraceptamol.

in reply todiana1998

I do sympathise. I have mixed ibs. I have had constipation for many years and just got used to going once evety week or 10days. By the week I felt nauseous all the time. I do eat a good high fibre veggie diet. I tried movicol and its previous incarnation but hate it. I have been fullychecked as last year a virus caused 7months of diarrhea day which I found much worse than constipation. I had 2 colonoscopies which did cause me to go daily and I was so happy... But after a week it went back to constipation flowed by the runs. The gastro prescribed a drug to help as I do take opiates but I didn't get on with it. I do take bisacodyl, which I had on prescription but buy now, on occasion and got it up to 2 to 3 times a week I visit the loo. Of course ibs can strike anytime, and apparently mine is post viral as I had a bug last may. I hope the gastro helps.

diana1998 profile image
diana1998 in reply to

Thank you. I have to go daily and still feel nausea. After the colonoscopy and gastroscopy I felt wonderful as bowel light as a feather. Ibs is awful and difficult to handle.

in reply todiana1998

I didn't get that feeling... My sister was saying how she felt light as a feather. I had 2 colonoscopies as the first prep did not work on 50percent of the bowel. The second time I was about 4 weeks on a low residue diet, I had 4 days of 3 pcks doses of movicol 3 times a day, I think it was 4litres of klean prep and the prep was still iffy but just about OK from them to see everything by pushing me round a lot. The only think I really liked was the gas and air which gave me arlunf 75mins of pain relief for my back.

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador in reply todiana1998

Yeah - well there is a perfect as in an idealised diet that has all the nutrients and is well balanced - doesn't mean it doesn't have something that doesn't suit you!

diana1998 profile image
diana1998 in reply toPMRpro

Exactly. Only an elimination diet will do that I guess. But can't eliminate pred 😁

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador in reply todiana1998

Weeeeellll - you COULD. But wouldn't be my choice ;)

diana1998 profile image
diana1998 in reply toPMRpro

😫Nor mine!!

Rosbud profile image
Rosbud

I don't know but somewhere in my fuddled brain ,I seem to remember when I started on my pred journey someone ,I think on the forum advised taking 6 prunes to help stop this problem , I've stuck to this having them chopped on my cereal everyday and have been fine xx

diana1998 profile image
diana1998 in reply toRosbud

Eaten prunes every day for years as love them and figs too!! There is no hope for my problem if it's pred😢

in reply todiana1998

Have tbey stuck you on a low residue.... Or as I call it beige high carb stuff!?

diana1998 profile image
diana1998 in reply to

Dietician wasn't that helpful. Said diet perfect with low carbs and sugar and plenty of liquids, not boozy variety..... Beige diet usually. White diet for 3 days before procedure.

in reply todiana1998

Have you added high fats to your low carbs?

diana1998 profile image
diana1998 in reply to

Not really. Eat piece of cheese every day, bit of milk in coffee and natural yog for breakfast plus porridge and prunes. Have now stopped all dried fruit and going to stop yoghurt as feel nauseous after breakfast. Interestingly when on low cabs diet for 3 days for procedure I now remember I didn't feel sick once. But can't live on an unhealthy diet with no fruit or veg. Might be dairy intolerant. Will see what gastro says this week on follow up appt.

in reply todiana1998

I had to stop dairy for 4 months and reintroduce slowly. If I have too much milk I feel it still but riper cheeses are fine. Just wonder g if a nice glug of olive oil might grease the wheels so to speak! There's no nice way if discussing this is there 😂🤣😂

diana1998 profile image
diana1998 in reply to

Tried the extra virgen as love it. Spanish pour it on bread for breakfast. Will have that tomorrow and no yoghurt.

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador in reply todiana1998

You can live healthily on a low carb diet with loads of veg - you just have to choose your veg carefully!

And it does have multiple benefits it seems:

theguardian.com/science/202...

diana1998 profile image
diana1998 in reply toPMRpro

Thanks.

Donna5658 profile image
Donna5658 in reply todiana1998

For some, including me, cheese is very constipating.

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador in reply toDonna5658

Did you notice this thread is 4 years old?

Donna5658 profile image
Donna5658 in reply toPMRpro

Yes, but unfortunately only after I hit send.

in reply toRosbud

And I think they are for bone health too... But i may be misremembering.

A glass of hot water is supposed to help. I have got to say that over 15us years that I have been limited to one bowel movement a week or so, the only 2 things that really shifted me were sugar free sweets or 3 or 4 days worth of bisacodyl. Everything else, figs, prunes, high fibre diets, hot water, cold water, lots to drink never even shifted me. I am so used to it that 3 days out of 7 to 10 is a treat!

diana1998 profile image
diana1998 in reply to

Ooo errr. I feel so ill if I don't go once a day plus.😫 Horrible subject but thanks for all comments

PMR2011 profile image
PMR2011 in reply to

Sugar free sweets typically contain sorbitol which can be helpful in the “movement” department!

in reply toPMR2011

Yes. Having had the result by accident many years ago on a 26mile walk, I save them for "special" occasions now. 😯

diana1998 profile image
diana1998

On line it says cooked carrots bung up, raw grated or whole excellent, (says Brer Rabbit to Brer Fox) . In Spain for the runs, they advise white rice soup (rice cooked for ages in loads of salted water which should be drunk) boiled white fish or poached white fish with well cooked carrots and to drink, camomile tea and water. I accompanied OH to the bars and drank that tea or water for whole of our stay. Think the locals thought I was mad foreigner (family live in Andalucia).

I have been veggie for 30 years too. I think I was OK when I was younger but codeine and tramadol really messed me up.

diana1998 profile image
diana1998

It was the Spanish Dr recommended Camomile tea as it's a stomach soother for the trots.

diana1998 profile image
diana1998

GP gave me that. Didn't work for me.

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador

The need for "regularity" is a misapprehension - how often is something that varies from person to person. It is the consistency and lack of need to "push" that is more important.

diana1998 profile image
diana1998

Thanks. Expect I'll have to go back to Laxido

Marcy47 profile image
Marcy47

My hubby's Dr recommended 1 tblspn. Linseeds sprinkled on food. Seems to work.

Odosmum profile image
Odosmum

I don't think anyone else has mentioned fibogel. For some reason I always become constipated in hospital, but find a sachet twice daily does the trick. Even when the problem is solved, I find taking a sachet per day while there, keeps things moving. I do recommend it, because even after a day or two with no success, there is no horrible urgency.

diana1998 profile image
diana1998 in reply toOdosmum

I did try that but alas it gave me terrible cramps and no success. I have emailed my rheumie to ask if he has other patients who are suddenly afflicted this way and for his opinion. He's really nice and helpful.

Odosmum profile image
Odosmum in reply todiana1998

How many sachets per day did you take and for how long? I am surprised about the cramps as Fibogel is very gentle.

diana1998 profile image
diana1998

Tried it twice, one sachet but bad cramps so doesn't suit me I think. Have just cut out natural yoghurt and nausea has stopped and feel much better. Will stick to Laxido.

Emailed rheumie earlier and he answered pm to say he'd researched and has never come across prednisolone bunging up bowels so will discount that. My diet was too high in fibre I think so I've banished prunes and dates etc.

in reply todiana1998

Am glad to hear your nausea easing. I think I said I cut out all dairy for about 6 weeks and the cramps eased. I am OK with cream, better than yoghurt and riper cheeses. Lactose effects lowered in such products I think.

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