Further to my post this morning, I am requesting some information regarding using gelatin capsules for my prednisone...I take my prednisone after breakfast (8 a.m. ..I also take pantoprazole 1/2 hour before breakfast, and for the past week, 1 at bedtime.) If I begin using these capsules, will that cause a delay in the absorption of the drug and possibly cause a flare? Or will it take a few days to adjust to this new drug protocol?
I'm Desperate Bailey today!
I have been putting my pred in gel capsules for the last 4 yrs after advice from this site. I couldnt do without. I think it absorbes about 2 hours later than usual, other than that that no problems.
Did you notice any increase in symptoms when you first started using them?
No, but I later felt that I maybee needed a bit more pred as it was absorbed lover in the gut, and I maybe absorbed a little less. (Just guessing ) but I had no choice, Pred In the capsules I`m fine, - without it ruins my stomace.
Thank you for your response...hoping I can have as much success as you! (or at least some!)
My move to gastric resistant Pred has been all positive. I now take my dose at bedtime. The tablets seem to take around 6 hours to take effect. When I did the transition, I took the dose, morning as usual then my first dose on that night. Prior to this I had been getting gastric disturbance, pain and oesophageal spasms. I have had no problems since.
I had read some of your posts last summer and fall regarding your stomach discomfort and could so often identify with your symptoms. I am happy to hear that the gastric resistant pred is working for you. Thanks for sharing this ...gives me some hope that the capsules will do the same for me!
It will cause a dealy in absorbing the pred, that is the idea of using them so that the capsule passes through the stomach and that reduces the gastric problems. But the delay is only about 4 or 5 hours - they break down as soon as they reach the less acid regions of the lower GI tract.It MAY also result in a lower peak level of pred in the blood but it is usually present in the blood for longer - some people find they get a better result because the effect lasts longer and takes them until the next daily dose is due. Others find that initially the peak level being lower means the inflammation isn't dealt with quite as efficiently. Plain white pred is absorbed in the stomach and effective within 2 hours maximum, Acid-resistant forms take a lot longer and so the symptoms will last that much longer too.
Both aspects can be improved by taking the acid-resistant version (whether as e/c coated pred in the UK or ordinary pred in capsules) before bed. That means the pred is present in the body early in the morning so the inflammation is dealt with immediately. If you take it in the morning, after the release of the inflammatory substances at 4-4.30am, it will take longer for the pred to reach the bloodstream and take effect and that may feel like the pred isn't working as well.
In desperation, I emptied a Vitamin K capsule and put in my prednisone for this morning's dose. I took the tablets about an hour later than I usually do (7 a.m. vs 8 a.m.) and so far, so good. No stomach pain, still dealing with nausea, but I can control this with Ginger Gravol. "Regular" capsules arriving today via Amazon. Now that I have now reached low dose prednisone (3 mg), I am hoping I won't be bothered with the delayed absorption.Now my next question - do I still take pantoprozole daily? I realize I have to slowly taper it when I do come off this medication, but can I safely do this perhaps in a couple of weeks when - hopefully - my stomach issues are controlled by taking the prednisone in capsules? I had thought of replacing the pantoprazole with Pepcid one dose a week to begin with as a way of reducing... when I can.
Seems like a plan - but be careful reducing the pantoprazole. You could use more Pepcid and have Gaviscon handy? Do you have Gaviscon?
Yes, Gaviscon is in my “arsenal” - as well as Milk of Magnesia. Gaviscon is my first “go to”. Still doing well...Thank you so so much for your advice - the difference just today is unbelievable.
You can cut the pantaloc in half. I have done that.
Can I check I have understood this correctly, do you mean there is a 5 hour delay on top of the usual time it takes for e/c Pred to work? Due to allergies to the tablets, I take either e/c tablets with the colouring washed off (shocking how much needless red dye comes out) or ordinary Pred in a gel capsule, or to be totally on the safe side, enteric in a gel capsule. I take them in the morning about 9am if I'm up that early. I don't think they fully kick in until late afternoon though which is a bit useless but I tried taking them before I went to bed and it seemed to affect my sleep so went back to mornings. I can't seem to sleep no matter when I take them, maybe because I'm still on 17.5 but I remember years ago I had problems sleeping even on when I was on 5. I didn't have any problems sleeping when I was on the depo medrone injections, or the weight gain, or the moon face. *sigh*
Don't think so. The 5 hours is the transit time through the stomach plus the time it takes for the outer coating to break down. If you put e/c pred into a gel capsule it will depend on where it breaks down and how quickly. to release the e/c tablet to the digestive process.
Thanks. I noticed the other day I put the enteric caps in some water in a mug to start the process of washing the coating off the outside, forgot about them and left them a few hours and noticed they had dissolved, which surprised me as I thought it would take strong acidic digestive juices to do that, not just tap water! Do you know where they are dissolved in the body, is it the stomach or beyond that in the guts somewhere? Sorry about my total ignorance when it cmes to biology. The water in the mug had turned bright red too, I was surprised what a bit of coating could produce.
No - they are resistant to acid, that is the point, they survive gastric acid and dissolve in the more alkaline lower gut.
Ah, I see ..... thanks.
Once I had weaned off Omeprazole ( it caused more issues than it helped) I would just take an over the counter indigestion remedy, as and when required. I didn’t need them very often.
That sounds like a bit of Heaven to me...thank you!P.S.1:30 in the afternoon here in Canada and so far so good!!
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