Buying/using empty enteric coated capsules

[Freshairfiend]

there were a couple of posts about this yesterday…..what a great idea to put the preds in them and have late at night. Has anyone else tried this? And with what results?

I wondered if it would be very fiddly to do, especially if there are three or so tablets to put in?

I’ve found several Uk suppliers, but does anyone know what size to buy for three preds at once? I’m just down to 12.5 and the 2.5 is larger than the 5! I can’t seem to find the sizing explained anywhere.

Many thanks

[PMRpro Ambassador]

If you look at the Related Posts there is at least one about the capsules there - might be something there while you wait.

Just looked - there are 2 posts listed there. PMRCanada was the originator of the idea and there are a few others who have tried it.

[Freshairfiend in reply to PMRpro]

Thanks.

[JASpmr in reply to PMRpro]

I've used enteric capsules (PureCaps USA) with prednisone for a couple years. They claim to delay absorption for 2 hrs, then prednisone takes another couple hours. This suggests that the ideal time would be midnight. I take it whenever I go to bed and that seems to work fine (the timing does not appear to be critical). I use size 0. It's a bit small for my 10 mg. pills, which I cut with a razor blade. Attached is a fuzzy table of the capsule sizes:

table of enteric capsule dimensions for different sizes (000—3)

[Freshairfiend in reply to JASpmr]

Thanks, that’s great. I really want to try taking them before bed. Let’s hope US sizes are the same ….Do you not find it fiddly to put the pills in capsules? I’m only five weeks into steroids and I’m using an organiser and put a weeks supply in at a time. So I don’t mind spending a bit more time every Sunday putting them in, but not if it’s going to take ages!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Freshairfiend]

Practise probably makes perfect!!!

[CALGD in reply to Freshairfiend]

I get my enteric capsules (size 0) from Capsuline and can fill them easily with 3 pills, even the 10mg size. I find them to be fairly easy to manipulate. A company in Florida since 2002.

[PMRCanada in reply to CALGD]

Me too! Size “0” allows for both 5mg and 1mg uncoated tablets, no problem. The most important part is to ensure you are purchasing “acid resistant” clear empty capsules.

[Freshairfiend in reply to PMRCanada]

Thanks. I’ve ordered some now. They’re not clear ones, as I went for the cheapest small order just to try them out. They’re white. Yet to check acid resistance, but will just go ahead with my small scale trial for now.

[CALGD in reply to Freshairfiend]

I get my enteric capsules (size 0) from Capsuline and can fill them easily with 3 pills, even the 10mg size. I find them to be fairly easy to manipulate. A company in Florida since 2002.

[Freshairfiend in reply to CALGD]

Thanks, I’ve ordered some in the Uk easily.

[JASpmr in reply to Freshairfiend]

Me too about organizers and the Sunday ritual. I'm doing enough dietary supplements and a thyroid med.—that is AM before food—that I end up with three organizers for different times of the day. As PMRpro says you develop a routine that makes it more efficient and the pred. is just one component of the routine, though a more-complicated component. I'm pretty sure the capsule sizes are standard.

[Freshairfiend in reply to JASpmr]

Many thanks. I used the title of your table to find out about Uk sizes and size zero it is. I’ve now ordered some to try out . Do you take yours with yogurt/ something else or on their own?

[JASpmr in reply to Freshairfiend]

my meals tend to have dietary supplements which may interfere with the prednisone, so I take the capsule separately with a small glass mixed yogurt and milk.

[Freshairfiend in reply to JASpmr]

Thanks and have a lovely restful Christmas Day.

[DogAgilityObsessed in reply to Freshairfiend]

I use those organiser boxes. I find time spent once a week ensuring everything is counted out saves time and worry during the week. Especially once tapering and changing dose daily.