Different brands of Pred : At the risk of askimg... - PMRGCAuk

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Different brands of Pred

Coffeebeans profile image
19 Replies

At the risk of askimg too many questions in my quest to make progress..

I get a very random mix of pred from the pharmacy every time I order. Different brands, some enteric and some not. I *think* I have noticed I do better on enteric. Certainly helps the stomach but the pain seems better too - started on a new batch yesterday of non enteric and I felt like I had battery acid in my stomach despite lansoprazole and the pain is worse today.

What's everyone's experience please?

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Coffeebeans
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19 Replies
SheffieldJane profile image
SheffieldJane

I think this is an error. Perhaps the pharmacy assistant does not know the difference. The Entric Coated take a few hours to get into your system. I prefer them and take them at bedtime to feel better when I wake up. The non Entric Coated will kick in much sooner but can be harsh on the stomach - I used to take them in the morning with yoghurt.

You must choose and insist on consistently receiving one type in your prescription. You can imagine how you could end up not covered by a full dose. This could completely explain any difficulties that you have been having. This must be dealt with as a matter of urgency!

Coffeebeans profile image
Coffeebeans in reply toSheffieldJane

Excellent thankyou. I will make enquiries.

SnazzyD profile image
SnazzyD

I too get different brands but mixing enteric and non-enteric is not acceptable unless planned with your doctor. They have different absorption rates for a start.

Coffeebeans profile image
Coffeebeans in reply toSnazzyD

Thankyou. Going to deal with this asap

DorsetLady profile image
DorsetLadyPMRGCAuk volunteer

Different brands are quite normal - the pharmacy goes for the cheapest or what’s on offer day of purchase.

I guess on the non enteric v enteric it’s what they’ve got in stock.

If the energetic! (Couldn’t we all do with those - enteric!) ones are better might be worth asking for them to be specified on prescription

Coffeebeans profile image
Coffeebeans in reply toDorsetLady

Yes I will do thankyou 🙂

scats profile image
scats

I take a mixture of the two kinds, but not at the same time. I take my main dose of enteric coated in the evening, because as Jane said I feel better in the morning. However my doc only perscribes 1mg in uncoated form and I take these in the morning with yoghurt. These I can cut to help with reducing, as I am having to reduce in 0.5mg steps

I will have to adapt this as necessary as the dose gets smaller. You will have to find what works best for you.

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador

Everyone else has already said everything I would. Just to add I think that e/c may work better for you because they maintain pred in your system over a longer time even though it may be at a lower level.

You have a good reason to ask for all e/c - your stomach likes them better than normal plus a PPI! But what is your pharmacy playing at? Do they not know the difference?

TheMoaningViolet profile image
TheMoaningViolet in reply toPMRpro

Hi PMRpro, just to say that I was offered enteric ones when the pharmacy did not have the uncoated ones in stock. Apparently, they seem to be at liberty to offer you a different kind if they don't have the prescribed ones in stock on the day you come to pick them up.

I was wondering about this as I would like to drop Omeprazole at some point. These days, I hardly feel any pain in the morning and have been know to take my steroids as late as 9:30am without any adverse effect. Would you say that this makes it possible (or even likely) that enteric ones will work for me?

(Coffeebeans, sorry to jump into your question with my issue.)

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador in reply toTheMoaningViolet

Only way to find out is to try. Remember to taper the omeprazole though - don't just stop it cold turkey.

Funny how it is OK for them to hand them out but not for us to request them - though I'm not surprised at anything any more.

TheMoaningViolet profile image
TheMoaningViolet in reply toPMRpro

Yes, thank you, I already have a tapering schedule in my diary. Every other day for 10 days and then stop and hold my breath.

I have to say that so far no one has refused anything I asked for, they just don't tell me these things are available (which of course, I find out about from this forum).

Coffeebeans profile image
Coffeebeans in reply toTheMoaningViolet

1st thing Monday I will be on to GP to discuss enteric on prescription.

piglette profile image
piglette

I am really surprised that you are receiving a random mix of enteric coated and uncoated which are not specifically mentioned on your prescription. My pharmacy were unable to give enteric coated recently and had to go back to the surgery to change the prescription.

MrsNails profile image
MrsNails in reply topiglette

Me too, when l wanted uncoated 2.5mg - once they’d got over the fact they were in fact available......

tangocharlie profile image
tangocharlie

The only time I ever had enteric were the 2.5 ones a few years ago. I think I may have mentioned this already in another post but when I googled inactive ingredients of a brand I thought were causing a reaction, they had sodium benzoate in them and benzoate is high histamine. The others had maize starch which also causes a slight reation but not as much. I can see now this might partly explain why steroid injections work better for me than tablets. AS you have mentioned a possible histaimen problem it might e worth you cheking the inactive ingredients of the different brands? Are they in packets or all mixed together in a plastic container?

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador in reply totangocharlie

Always something to get the pharmacist on to ...

Coffeebeans profile image
Coffeebeans in reply totangocharlie

Very good point. They are all in packet still so I can check!

tangocharlie profile image
tangocharlie in reply toCoffeebeans

The ones that gave me a reaction were the actavis ones

Coffeebeans profile image
Coffeebeans

Hi all,

So I'm 9 days into low carbing and 7 days on all enteric coated prednisolone and I've just had three pretty good and almost pain free days.

Fingers crossed this is working and I can look to reduce by 1mg in another 2 weeks or so.

Thanks for all the advice as always

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