Hello everyone. Does anyone know the latest on the availability of 1mg enteric coated Pred please? I got some a few months ago, after they started putting them into tubs of 100 (Phoenix). I remember Kendrew giving some helpful information at that time. Haven't needed them for a while. I sent a request to the GP's for them recently and what I got back was plain 1mg tablets and Lansoprazole! When I queried this the receptionist said that enteric coated weren't available. I'm wondering if this is true or if the decision was based on cost, as I know they are expensive. I asked who had issued the prescription, and it wasn't the GP I normally see, who is the practice lead for rheumatology. She normally gives me whatever I ask for, in fact once I referred to expense and she told me not to worry about that. I really don't want to take Lansoprazole, but I'm already taking Clopidogrel and Hydroxychloroqine, neither of which are great for your stomach, plus I have reflux, so if I've got to take uncoated long term I think I'll have to bite the bullet and take the Lansoprazole. Thanks everyone.
Gastro Resistant 1mg Prednisolone: Hello everyone... - PMRGCAuk
Gastro Resistant 1mg Prednisolone
I think someone said recently they'd been told they weren't available but someone else said they had got them by trying another chemist, Someone has the contact details for the most recent manufacturers - but I have to confess I can't remember who it was. Hopefully they will see your post.
Hi, I have been taking 1 mg coated for 2 years , never had a problem if one pharmacy cant supply an another would do.
Thanks for that Svete. I suspected that they were still around. I think I'm going to have to do a bit of digging round with pharmacies and then go back to GP if I can find anyone who says they can get them.
Doctors are not very keen to issue a prescription for coated 1mg, it was a bit of problem to get it initially, I have reflux and no goalbladder maybe thats why they agreed to prescribe coated prednisone to me.
I agree, I think it's a case of 'not keen' rather than 'not available'. If I can prove that it is available I'll go back and speak to the GP who has let me have them in the past. If she says no because they're too expensive I'll have to see if my rheumy will prescribe them privately. That's preferable to uncoated and PPIs. Thanks for your help Svete.
They cost a similar amount to the PPI - which you no longer need so it removes a layer of side effects and improves compliance with one less tablet to take.
I did try to look up on NICE although I'm not sure I was looking at the right thing. It appeared that they were about £30 a tub, which is massively more than the 2.5 and 5mg. Didn't look at the cost of the PPIs though, just assumed that it wasn't much.
Ah, no, gone up in price rather then!!! The PPIs were about £4 or £5 and so were the e/c tablets. They did used to say that the 1mg version were not economic so they were unlikely to produce them. That is a bit steep - more expensive than the Lodotra delayed release version I take!
They are definitely much more expensive than 2.5mg & 5mg -even taking into account they are in 100s rather than 28s… so guess not as many manufactured.
Just under £30 compared to 4 packs of plain 28 @between £1-£2.per pack (so most expensive option for plain £8)
PPI -not much difference whatever dose,but there is between tablets and capsules - guess you would be taking capsules
tablets -28 pk £6.70 so 4 pks just under £27
Capsules - 28 pk £1-2. -total less than £8
So £30 GR Pred versus £8 plain Pred add either £8 + £27 for PPI
Thanks for doing the maths DL. I also have a throat spasm problem that from time to time stops tablets from going down for several hours. I have had very uncomfortable burning more than once from pred, so I think I'll try to use that as a reason to have gastro resistant. Cost-wise I'm not going to win the argument am I?
probably not 😊
This is one of the recent posts about it:
healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...
joyce69 about half way through says she contacted Phoenix Labs in Ireland who took over manufacture:
"I got in touch with Phoenix in Ireland who took over the manufacture of 1mg gastro resistant a while ago. He told me that there should still be availability of the 1mg x 30 tablets via the wholesalers AAH and Alliance Boots. He expects stock with the expiry date of April 2022 will dry up over the next month or so. A new pack / pot of 1mg x 100 tablets will be launched next week with an expiry date of October 2023."
It wouldn't surprise me if there had been more demand and they aren't monitoring it as well with the packs being 100 at a time.
Details of the company are to be found here:
zoominfo.com/c/phoenix-labs...
with address and other contact details.
My security blocker won't allow me access to the company's site - they appear not to have sorted their own security!
When this happened before I suggested contacting manufacturer….which is what the member did (sorry cannot remember who it was). Got a nice reply explaining situation.
Do you recall usual manufacture of your GR tablets, you can then find online and contact customers services or whatever their help line is called….
Thanks DL. It's Phoenix. PMRpro has pointed me in their direction. I'll give them a ring tomorrow and if I get anywhere will report back in case it helps anyone else.
Any chance of contacting online? Usually easier than hanging on the telephone ….there’s a song there 🎶
...and a very good song too! Thats a good idea DL and I've just emailed them. I have done so much hanging on the telephone recently with travel agents, twice for over an hour, then twice cut off when waiting for online chats (went from 23rd to 1st before being cut off!). Will report back. Enjoy your Sunday 🙂
Had an issue with insurance co this past week -been trying to clarify rise in premium for this year - chat facility offline, no reply to email nor phone -so in the end made a comment on open page on Facebook…
Surprise, surprise -I got a response if not immediately, then pdq - and a new email address to contact. And a reduced price….
Pays to be a pain sometimes! 😊
You pushed the right button!
Doesn't work with gov dot whatever ...
Ah well, they don’t have competition or share holders to keep sweet ….😉
True!!!!
Boots can’t or won’t try to get them for me. As I will soon be cutting my uncoated tablets in half anyway ( which you can’t do with coated) I’ve given up. It’s annoying though. I do get a bit of lower abdominal pain linked to diverticulitis. I reluctantly take low dose Lansoprazole after years of just yoghurt. Not happy.
What constitutes low dose SJ? They've given me 30mg.
Not scientific, one 15 mgs capsule before taking an uncoated tablet and that’s it. My gut’s never settled. Just getting over Covid, fasting suited everything but that wouldn’t end well. 😐
Wonder why they have given me 30mg? Hope you're feeling much better soon 💐
Thank you. I am taking less than I was prescribed. It seems to work so far.
Oh, I see!
Which is disgusting since the supplier is the company that owns Boots I think, But Boots has a reputation and I wouldn't go near them if I could avoid it.
I used to love Boots, unrecognisable now. Handy because they are in our local supermarket. The GP’s pharmacy ( attached but independent) are even worse, positively obstructive rather than eager to assist. This becomes part of the world of the chronically ill , who knew?
I have a lovely independent pharmacy. In the village 
I warn you, I am coming!
You're welcome ...
Have you tried taking a H2 blocker instead of a PPI (eg Famotidine). These were used long before PPIs were introduced. They are still available now but don't come with the same side effects that are possible with a PPI. I think doctors just routinely prescribe PPIs these days without even considering an alternative.
Didn't know about those, Floridafan. Will ask GP, thanks.
I advertise H2 antagonists too - the marketing for the PPIs was a bit like the marketing for bisphosphonates: they are the best thing since sliced bread and will cure everything they relate to! As a result doctors think the PPIs are far better than the "old-fashioned" stuff - when in fact the truth is they are slightly better - but the adverse effects are probably worse too.
yes I have heard of them. There is such a list of issues once I finally get on to my GP’s appointment list that this never seems to reach the top.
healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk....
This was the post I did. You may have already seen it though!
They're most definitely still available as I've just picked up latest prescription of them.
Thanks very much Kendrew. As I suspected, it's down to cost not availability. I don't want to start a war with the GP's because they have been good with me so far. However I'm not taking a PPI if I don't have to. Will present them with some evidence of availability and see what they say.
My chemist had to order them for me about a fortnight ago and I had to wait a week or so, but they arrived OK.
You have my sympathies. I had the same 'battle' on several occasions when on pred, and in the end I contacted Ken at Phoenix labs (and had also spoken to someone at the manufacturers, then Alliance, when they were based in Cheltenham before moving to Ireland, this was about 4 years ago) took the email in to my surgery to show them, even giving them the phone number! I felt like saying do you want me to do your job for you??? I got them in the end. So worth persevering. Good luck!
Mine were available a few days after handing the prescription in. This was about a week ago. I have had to wait a couple of weeks in some cases but my phsrmacy has always been able to get them for me so far. If it helps I always use Well Pharmacy
Thanks for that Floridafan. Seems from what pepple are saying that they are definitely out there, just not always readily available. Now I know that I can give the GP some evidence and see what their response is.
Thanks Lonsdalelass. I'm going to give it a good go, but I do sympathise with them because they are very expensive. I've emailed the Ireland office. Going to phone a couple of chemists as well.
You have to get them put on the prescription, as they are (slightly) more expensive than the uncoated. I found that if you don' t have a medical reason why you need them - in my case it was a bad reaction to PPIs - you won't get.
Thanks Treetop33. I've got reflux, problems with tablets getting stuck for hours in throat. My normal GP had already OK'd the gastro resistant, and that's what I get when I have 2.5 or 5mg tablets. However it looks like the cost of the 1mg tablets has gone up substantially. No reason for them to tell me they aren't available though, is it?!
Pharmacies do sometimes muddy the waters, because otherwise they have to prescribe what is on the prescription by law. They don't like doling out expensive drugs, because it affects the profit margin. I guess you could try another one - Lloyds have always been pretty good for me.
Just got them. I was told they weren’t available by one GP. I asked another and she said they were more expensive but as I had diagnosed GERD she would prescribe them. They are in a bottle and they had to send out for them.
Well done, hope I get the same result!
Sorry, I'm a bit late to the party. My experience is that I got a renewal supply of 1mg coated pred about 2 weeks ago with no trouble at all. From Phoenix lab with expiry date of Oct 2023. No queries on cost or availability. Good luck with your quest.
I haven't had any problem getting them, but find I have to order them a good week before running out, so presumably it takes the pharmacist a while to get them.
I’m having the same problem. The doctor prescribed the enteric ones but the pharmacies can’t get hold of them. I’ve been going from pillar to post to try and find some and had to accept the ordinary ones today. The pharmacist explained that there is a global shortage of the raw materials which in turn affects supply and demand. That then puts the prices up and if the NHS only pay the pharmacist £1 for prednisolone regardless of the increase in price then the pharmacist simply can’t afford to buy the higher priced pred in short supply or he makes a loss!
That was my conversation with the pharmacist today. Yes there is a shortage. Seems like the world is falling apart at the moment!
That's interesting JudithWarrior, I had the opposite response today. Pharmacist said they were available but it would cost the GP £30 to prescribe them. Going to see what the GP says tomorrow.
I found some inexpensive enteric coated empty capsules on Amazon and have been putting my 6 mg of pred in them. Anyone see anything wrong with this?
Just managed to speak to GP. She confirms that, despite my being told by the receptionist last week that 1mg Gastro Resistant Prednisolone were unavailable, they are indeed available but they are blacklisted due to cost. However, she agrees that I should have them so has issued a prescription. Thanks for your help everyone 🙂
Good -fingers crossed she has that written on your records for future reference…
Making a note of the date. She is a formidable (but very helpful) lady, and it's her practice, so I guess that if I mention her name next time round and refer to patient notes, it might work! Thanks DL.
Thanks everyone - this is all so helpful. About to email my pharmacist about this now. In the meantime I've managed to get som ec 2.5 mg tablets so I will make up the last 2 mg with non coated but take up the issue with the doctors and with the pharmacist armed with all your useful info. Thanks
I appreciate that these tabs are expensive, so I have told the GP that I will be as economical as possible with the 1mg tabs. Where possible I'll use a 2.5mg tablet to make up the numbers. Good luck. Just make it clear to your GP why you would be much better off with the enteric coated tablets. In my case, this was reflux and a spasm in my throat which means that the plain tabs sometimes get stuck for hours and burn a lot! Plus I understand that PPIs are not good for your bones, and I have Osteopenia. Hope that you get on OK. We have enough to put up with without having to fight for our meds! I would have paid for a private prescription though. Take care 🙂
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