Will diarrhoea affect my pred absorption?

[Broseley]

I went out for a Christmas meal last night and think I have food poisoning. I have had really bad diarrhoea all night and it hasn't stopped yet. I've taken my usual dose of pred this morning but I'm worried it won't get absorbed. I'm on the uncoated.

[SheffieldJane]

I honestly would replace my dose in these circumstances, particularly when treating GCA. Get doctor’s advice too. I hope it all settles very soon.

[Broseley in reply to SheffieldJane]

Thanks, but no doctors around on a Saturday! Maybe I'll ask the pharmacist.

[SnazzyD]

Is it just diarrhoea or the top end as well? Firstly, I’d try to get a medical opinion because they may want you to do a sample for public health reasons, plus advise on retaking your Pred dose. If it is an infection, your resistance may be reduced, especially with the addition of meds that lower stomach acid. Has anyone else suffered too? If so, it needs pursuing even if it was less severely. Meanwhile, as you are on higher dose Pred than a few mg, you may already be depleted in things like potassium, so consider getting some rehydration tablets.

Keep a note of how many times you’re going and, sorry, what it looks like, especially for streaks of blood. If you spike a fever, definitely seek advice.

How do you feel in yourself?

[Broseley in reply to SnazzyD]

Thanks, I feel fine. No vomiting. Just the odd bout of tummy ache. I have taken two immodium which seems to have stopped the diarrhoea. I have drunk a glass of water.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Broseley]

Careful with the immodium if it is food-poisoning! The unpleasant effect is the body getting rid of the offending substance to reduce the damage it can do to it.

[SnazzyD in reply to Broseley]

I would be cautious about Imodium as it isn’t supposed to be taken for infections in the bowel and at the moment you don’t know if it is or isn’t at the moment.

[Broseley in reply to SnazzyD]

Thanks

[PMRpro Ambassador]

It depends how bad the intestinal hurry is - if the pred is in the stomach for an hour it will have been absorbed.

Snazzy has said the rest - find out if others who were there have the same problem. And in the UK that is what 111 is for - GP level advice out of hours. Mention the food poisoning worry.

[Broseley in reply to PMRpro]

I've had 3 couples reply, they've had no problems.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Broseley]

Did they eat the same thing?

[Broseley in reply to PMRpro]

Some did.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Broseley]

Maybe less likely to be food poisoning - but you never know.

[HeronNS]

Frankly, unless this goes on for a couple of days or you are still on a highish dose I wouldn't be too worried, at least as regards pred dose. When I was at about 6 I had a bout of something, which included vomiting not long after breakfast, so I assume I also lost most of my pred that day. The next day I had NO PMR symptoms, and completely forgot to take pred until late afternoon when I had a headache which wouldn't go away. The pred I took then, regular dose, sorted that, and next day back to usual time.

I hope by the time you see this you are on the mend.

[Broseley in reply to HeronNS]

Thanks, yes it's all ok now I think, thanks. No more diarrhoea but I did feel extremely tired about 5pm. Possibly due to dehydration. OK now. I'm on 25mg pred. I have GCA so I have to be careful but no headache, but a bit of jaw ache on eating my lunch. Fine at dinner.

[HeronNS]

Glad you're feeling better. Indeed, with GCA you were right to be concerned.

[YuliK]

Make sure to keep drinking. You must replace the bodily fluids you have lost through the diarrhoea..

Hope you feel better soon.

[MarkWin]

Hope you settle down soon and feel better. Does sound as though you have had some misfortune if others not sick as well.The conversation raises some really interesting points though. My RISEDRONATE is taken on Sunday and leaves me tired and with 3-6 bowel movements on Sundays and Mondays before I settle again; given the regularity of the events over 2+ years,

I can only conclude it is my body's reaction to the RISEDRONATE (despite GP/Rheumy saying its unlikely!), but how much of PRED & MTX does this wash out of the system?! Another question for the next review - whenever that might be...

Get well soon.

[Broseley]

Thanks for your good wishes MarkWin. Maybe you should try Alendronic acid instead of Risedronate. AA is shown in a study to be more effective anyway. Google it. However I have found that I have to be careful to avoid alcohol the day before I take my AA, also the same day, or I get diarrhoea.