Red pred.: I am on the dreaded pred... - Asthma Community ...

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Red pred.

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I am on the dreaded pred again this week but I find they upset my tummy abit. I have the white ones this time. Do any of you ask for the red ones with the coating on for this reason? I am wondering whether to put it on my repeat pres to have the coated ones or will I have to ask the Dr in person. Thanks.

S.Mama

26 Replies

i've had white & pink ones, cant say white ones do anything other than make me feel a lil bit sick.

the enteric coating ones - red ones are less likey to make you feel sick - cos of coating. but if its not written on ur script as ;

prednisolone 5mg tablets ec

then they will always dispense the yukky white ones as they are cheaper, prob thats why they tend to make everyone feel so sick ;)

so for the red ones, speak to gp and get them change them on your script to the above or otherwise you continue having white yuk ones each time - good luck!!

x x

Thanks for the replies. I might try writing ec on my repeat prescription & ask the pharmacist about it too. Then if all else fails I will go to my GP. Take care : )

I always ask for the red ones as hate the white ones!

The red ones are like gold dust!!! Always end up with white ones from my doc and hospital.Did have red off A n E.x

lol i dont think it will work if u write on the script urself haha, good try tho ;)

x

I get the red ones from my GP - had to insist and strop a little (nicely of course...!) but the white ones make me sick which is no good at all. The red ones are a LOT more expensive though, which is why they tend to prescribe the white ones.

KateMoss profile image
KateMoss

You will have to request Prednisolone Enteric coated from your GPs surgery.

Chemists won't dispense EC if it just states Prednisolone on the scrip.

Don't try to write it on, won't work and it may invalidate your prescription.

My surgery defaulted mine back to uncoated, didn't know until I picked up my meds from the chemist. Had to get surgery to change it back and reissue.

Kate

I know most of you are going to say I am a nutter but I find the soluable ones are easier on the stomach and whilst tasting nasty still it is one gulp rather than the white ones all dissolving at the back of your mouth. GP has now put soluable pred on my repeat, I think of it as a bit of a compromise as they are cheaper than the e/c although more than the white ones.

Saying this, have also now got problems with getting it though as the pharmacist says suppliers aren't supplying it anymore

Thanks all, I have not heard of soluable ones before. I wont write on the prescription but the pharmacist & I make notes on my repeat requests. They usually come back then with whatever changes we ask for. : )

S.Mama

angievere profile image
angievere

GP recently prescribed the white ones for me - didnt know they were white until pharmacist said so. Pharmacist wouldnt give me the red ones - told me to go back to GP for prescription to be altered. GP was annoyed and refused to change prescription. Went to another chemist and she was more sympathetic, gave me the red ones and said she would send the prescription to my surgery to get them to ok the alteration. It was such a lot of hassle, I will just accept what I'm given next time!!

Sympathetic pharmacist said surgeries are now under instruction to prescribe the white ones because they are cheaper. Maybe it's ok for people on a short dose of pred but not good for people like me who have long standing tummy problems.

Are the soluble ones the pink fizzy tablets, I don't mind them too much if they are the things I am thinking of, I was once told that they get into your system quicker...not sure if that is a myth or old wives tale.

I am allergic to the red colouring in the 5mg tablets brings me out in spots, yes they are red ones!

I find the white ones yucky and have restorted to taking them with sprute or other fizzy drinks as they don't seem to stick so much with that. Have tried with yogurt too but that nearly choked me might have been the big lump of strawberry in the yogurt but I am blaming the pred.

sprute is new fizzy drink i just made up - i think I meant sprite!

Yeah they are the pink fizzy ones (obviously linked to another post this makes it much easier for me!) I just find that you can just gulp it and get over it but the white one really stick and dissolve and are just vile.

I have been told that I am not allowed the e/c ones because they don't get into your system as quickly too but thought they were using it as an excuse. My success at getting these once again conmes down to the awesomeness of my asthma nurse, still take omeprazole with them, but I tend to worry more about the cost to the NHS than she does. As I say, 'oh but aren't they more or isn't that really expensive?' Her opinion is that i have the right outlook about getting on with living my life and therefore her job is to do whtever is necessary to make it as comfortable and quality as possible, she has actually very sternly said to me before, 'For goodness sake, why should you struggle or suffer thatwhen you could just have this?'

I really think it all depends on how lucky you are with who you get.

sounds like you have great asthma nurse...

I did wonder if the pinkness made them more bearable for you ;)

Of course it does! lol I am gutted that my symptoms have got the better of me again as it probably means they are going to wrench my fostair away from me - bye bye pink inhaler! But maybe they will also take away the icky orange and green too and give me back my purple comfort blanket.

Well, you've got to find the positives in it where you can haven't you?

Up until now never realised you could get soluble prednisolone... I guess its just another icky way of having it...

Nickynoo Absolutely...:)

I have a purple snail - my seretide accuhaler.

Never had a pink inhaler...sounds pretty. I did once have a black accuhaler for using when on a night out! I kept losing it in my handbag and someone kept borrowing it thinking it was a make up compact. That was ages ago though.

No, it isn't so bad. Nowhere needs as bad as the white ones, you can get 60mg down to one very small gulp and much easier on the stomach. It is a definite compromise on the funding side of things and have been told they are the most effective way of taking it but don't know the truth in that?!!

I have said many times and to my surgery that my asthma nurse is worth her weight in gold. In a totally random way I am very fortunate that, apart from people who don't comply with their meds, I am her most uncontrolled patient so she has the time for me I guess and wants to push to see me back where I was when I was a kid and it was just a steroid preventer. SHe really has watched me from a wee bairn to the pain in the butt that I now am.

I was on Seretide for years and really believe it stopped me being admitted so was a bit tentaitive when they took it away last year and gave me flixotide, fostair and spiriva instead. Actually thought I was going to get admitted, fortunately not so, still got what I was taking and more in different forms I guess.

Imagine if you you buy or get the shells to be as you wanted them with resettable counters and the scripts were just the canisters? Would surely have good cost implications. I would have pink with pink designs on it, pink with purple designs on it, pink with orange design on it and maybe pink with blue designs for ventolin!

KateMoss profile image
KateMoss

Someone needs to design a Neoprene cover for Accuhalers, bit like puffa Pouches.

I have a black puffaPouch that I have added feet, beak , wings and head feathers to make a rockhopper penguin!

Pred, I get given the fizzy pink stuff in A&E.

I have problems with the white ones...... but I am sure it is cheaper to prescribe the EC ones that to prescribe other meds to sort out the problems from uncoated ones, or even having an Endoscopy!!!

I still take Omeprazole (Losec) daily anyway.

Kate

I take omeprazole daily and dairy free super bug drinkie thingies! (if you know what the heck I am talking about well done to you becaus I don't!)

I find the soluable very tolerable but will not just put up eith the white ones if get them by mistake as the effects are horrid.

I am in awe of your creativity Kate, don't think I could be so good. Also looked at the puffa pouches and the pink is a bit eugh isn't it? :( I do think I might save all my fostair shells and bling them up and just swap the canisters into them!!

Nickynoo, where've you got dairy free super bug drinkie thingies aka probiotic drinks from? Recently figured out I'm lactose intolerance so would be handy for pred. times esp.

Kate Moss, would also like neoprene cover for accuhaler too, feels more protective as thicker. There's a halerholder website being launched by an asthma nurse, wonder if she can do anything?

Haha, you actually got that?! I am impressed, I think that is what they are, to be honest I notice the difference with and without. I take the Benecol Dairy Free ones, first thing I take in the day. There is also Actisun by Projasun but mnuch much harder to get.

Let us know about that inhaler cover site when you hear more.

Thanks Nickynoo,

First saw it on here on the pufferpouch post under parents and carers website asthma.org.uk/applications/... halerholder.co.uk Launches this Monday with some pics already up on the website, looking forward to seeing the full range

They do look great TJ, do you know where the post is, maybe should bump it up seeing as they are starting trading on Monday. Now wondering if I can afford to treat my four mini asthmatics in my class, will after all make my desk drawer look prettier and make school trips and PE easier.

Post bumped, it's under parents & carers here on the forum

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