tapering and symptoms

[icu2]

recently tapered to 4.5. having severe gastrointestinal issues. gas and diarrhea, literally liquid for two days straight. some cramping. neg covid test. thought maybe the flu. tired. stayed in bed for 2 days. lost 6 pounds…all fluid loss , i assume. cleared up and then came back again a week later. is this possibly a symptom of pred tapering? or should i be looking elsewhere? and yes have a doctor appointment set for next week. just wondering.

[SheffieldJane]

Poor you! I wonder if it is the body trying to get back to normal? Pred does cause fluid retention.More likely to be a bug, it’s concerning that it returned isn’t it? Did you fast? Clear liquids ( plenty) only. Maybe those sachets that replace the body salts etc. can’t remember what they are called. Get well soon.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to SheffieldJane]

This maybe - dioralyte.co.uk/dioralyte-f...

[SheffieldJane in reply to DorsetLady]

Yes that’s what I meant. Thank you 🙏

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to SheffieldJane]

Teamwork 😊

[icu2 in reply to SheffieldJane]

thanks… electrolyte replacement…got it. have a G 2 supply so will reach for that, right now.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Have you had a viral infection recently? Have you spoken to the GP?

[icu2 in reply to PMRpro]

no infections and have stayed away for the most part from unnecessary contacts. gp next week…when everything will have passed ( i hope). wanted to check here first. thanks

[Karenjaninaz in reply to icu2]

I get a similar issue if I take the wrong type of magnesium. Or lactose intolerance. I can only take magnesium glycinate that’s the only one that doesn’t stimulate the trots.

[PMRCanada in reply to icu2]

Like Karenjaninaz, I took the wrong kind of magnesium for 2-3 months before figuring out that this supplement was causing bloating, gas and diarrhea. All ok once I switched the type of magnesium.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to icu2]

Just wondered if infection-induced IBS was a possibility

[piglette]

Sounds like something other than pred although we do tend to blame pred for everything. I hope you feel better soon.

[icu2 in reply to piglette]

thanks… i suspect something other as well. but i do like to blame pred…it does come up under sites as a consequence of tapering but wanted to check with those who have been there. rheumatologist usually denies any connection so wasn’t going there first.

[Karenjaninaz]

I get a similar issue if I take the wrong type of magnesium. Or lactose intolerance. I can only take magnesium glycinate that’s the only one that doesn’t stimulate the trots.

[icu2 in reply to Karenjaninaz]

Interesting. Have not changed my magnesium and no issues prior. But I am off to buy lactaid this morning 😜

[GOOD_GRIEF]

Is it possible it's food poisoning? Something that's gone off in your fridge or pantry? There are lots of things that we wouldn't automatically think of, like condiments. You can't always see it or smell it, either.See if you can remember what you ate before this started, and what you ate when it recurred. You might find the culprit...

[icu2 in reply to GOOD_GRIEF]

Possible but unlikely but worth keeping in mind

[Sophiestree]

Have you had your stool sample checked. Norovirus is rife at the moment. I went to get dioralyte for a friend and they had sold out. He told me there were huge cases at the moment. He gave me O.R.S instead which is similar. The fact you took to your bed etc feels like something other than pred to me.

Very easy to pick up, you don't have to have been anywhere in particular.

[icu2 in reply to Sophiestree]

thanks…i suspect as much…but needed to check with tapering comments/ connections just in case as that was the only thing that had changed in my routine.

not a great way to lose weight but i can afford it. had the flu vaccine as soon as it was available . so maybe i got off easier than if i had not.

feeling better as days pass

[calibriel]

Just reading through this thread, I wouldn’t necessarily assume your symptoms were due to an infection, because I’ve had a very similar experience. Since being on lansoprazole and pred, my normally regular bowel habits have changed, and I occasionally have some diarrohea, but it isn’t like an infection: no nausea, stomach pain or vomiting, and no frequency, just looseness - and it passes; and, critically, I recently tapered to a very low dose (I’ve since had a flare, and had to go up again), and while on the low dose, my bowel habits had almost returned to normal.

[icu2 in reply to calibriel]

thanks for insight. i am almost at “normal”. this too shall pass. 😏

[Broseley]

I too, have similar experiences to Calibriel. No specific triggers, no infections. Immodium sorts it out and by the afternoon I'm fine. It always happens first thing in the morning on waking, about once a week. Not magnesium related, as I take that after breakfast.

[icu2 in reply to Broseley]

thank you…these issues always a conundrum…all responses duly noted