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Anyone take Budesonide instead of Prednisone

Has anyone ever used Budesonide to control a flare in crohns instead of Prednisone?.
If yes, what were you side effects if any?

Compared to Prednisone, which is better?
 
My daughter is just finishing another course of Budesonide. She has more energy on it, better appetite, sometimes trouble sleeping.
It targets the end of the small intestine and right side of colon. It has less negative side effects than prednisone.
Hope it helps you!
 
I have finally gotten off of Budesonide (this week fingers crossed) but only because we added Methotrexate. After being on the Budesonide for over a year I began having the same symptoms as Prednisone (moon face, always hungry so gained way too much weight) My Dr stated it is rare, that most people do not have steroid symptoms with it because it is such a low dose but it does happen. I had to take high doses of steroids when I was first diagnosed so definetly know what thats like! Not sure if this helps but hopefuly the entocort works, because prednisone really sucks!!
 
I've been on Budesonide for a few months now, so less experienced than a lot of people here - at first I found it really effective, then things got worse and it wasn't controlling the inflammation (FC 376!). I will say I've had almost no side effects though!
 
Hi,

I am on Budesonide and have been for 5 months, but my Doctor is hinting that he is going to take me off it soon. The side effects for me were great. I don't get any Arthritis pain at all. My Pscoriasis all but disapeared and I am eating well. I still get some Diahhorea every day but usually only two poos a day. One thing that looks a bit worrying, but give no pain is swollen feet and ankles, which comes and goes.
I am due for an annual Colonoscopy soon and the Doc will decide what to do next, but he has already given me a list of future drugs and they include :- Azathioprine, and if that doesn't work move onto TNF, what ever that is.
My understanding is that the Budesonide is less harmfull to the organs than the Prednisol.

Good Luck,
 
Hi,

I am on Budesonide and have been for 5 months, but my Doctor is hinting that he is going to take me off it soon. The side effects for me were great. I don't get any Arthritis pain at all. My Pscoriasis all but disapeared and I am eating well. I still get some Diahhorea every day but usually only two poos a day. One thing that looks a bit worrying, but give no pain is swollen feet and ankles, which comes and goes.
I am due for an annual Colonoscopy soon and the Doc will decide what to do next, but he has already given me a list of future drugs and they include :- Azathioprine, and if that doesn't work move onto TNF, what ever that is.
My understanding is that the Budesonide is less harmfull to the organs than the Prednisol.

Good Luck,
I was on budesonide for quite a while and talked my Dr into letting me ween off as I was having side effects as if on prednisone (moon face, always hungry, couldnt lose weight, moody) But now that I have been off for 3-4 months, My joint pain is coming back. I have a call in to GI to probably get back on. I guess steroid symptoms arent painful, so I may have to deal with those.

Not sure this helped. It's just my situation
 
I have stumbled onto something which has changed my health so much that I have to write about it here. On YouTube, I opened a video of a Dr Gundry talking about Crohns and how he could cure it. He had launched a book called "The Plant Paradox", so I bought a copy and after reading some pretty amazing stuff about how the food we eat affects our gut health so much, I just had to give it a try.
After doing a 3 day cleanse, and moving onto Part 2 of his suggested eating plan, within a week, my diahhorea stopped!! I kid you not. After having the diahhorea for at least 15 years, I started having only one poo per day.
After about 2 months, my Hayfever, I had had since I was a kid disappeared. My Psoriasis cleared up. My doctor was amazed at the changes, and although it is hard sticking to the foods I can't eat, it is certainly worth it.
I now take only some Paracetamol for some joint pain, but my Doctor says even that will clear up in the future.
All I can say is buy the book and read it and have a go, you may be surprised.
 
I was on it and I love it! I was on it for 8 weeks and felt so good. I asked my IBD nurse if I could continue on it and she said no. I am now covered in a rash, exhausted, joint pain and feel like rubbish. I don't know why they wouldn't let me continue as it was so obviously working.
 

Scipio

Well-known member
Location
San Diego
I was on it and I love it! I was on it for 8 weeks and felt so good. I asked my IBD nurse if I could continue on it and she said no. I am now covered in a rash, exhausted, joint pain and feel like rubbish. I don't know why they wouldn't let me continue as it was so obviously working.

They don't want anyone to stay on corticosteroids long term due to side effects - Cushing's Syndrome, adrenal insufficiency, osteoporosis, increased risk of Type 2 diabetes, etc. Even though budesonide's side effects are generally not as severe as prednisone, if you stay on it long enough you will still eventually get many of these problems. That's why it is used as a temporary measure to knock down the inflammation to allow a safer long-term remission maintenance drug to kick in.
 
I understand that. I was only on it for 8 weeks though. I'm now left in limbo until I have the results of my MRI scan and if that's clear another pill cam which could take months and months. It's sad that it makes you feel so much better and then they take it away from you!
 

Lynda Lynda

Member
I started taking Budesonide 3 weeks ago along with Methotrexate and Folic Acid.
I am happy with the improvements in my bowel movements so far.
I now have one BM a day and it looks of a good color and form.

I am not enjoying the increased swelling of my feet / ankles / calves ( I already wear compression socks all day long ) and even more of a dry mouth / throat ( with a cough.)
I have irritability and aggitation with the Budesonide, but not as much as with the Prednisone.

I read Prednisone was a corticosteroid and Budesonide is a glucocorticoid.
Aren't these 2 different things ?
 

Scipio

Well-known member
Location
San Diego
I read Prednisone was a corticosteroid and Budesonide is a glucocorticoid.
Aren't these 2 different things ?
Prednisone and budesonide are different drugs but they are related cousins, so to speak. And both of them are both glucocorticoids and corticosteroids. "Glucocorticoid" is just a more specific term for a certain type of corticosteroid.
 

Lynda Lynda

Member
Ok. I started Budesonide daily on May 6th, MTX once a week and Folic Acid. I am still taking Humira, but will soon get the Stelara Infusion.
How long has anyone else been taking their Budesonide ?
 
They don't want anyone to stay on corticosteroids long term due to side effects - Cushing's Syndrome, adrenal insufficiency, osteoporosis, increased risk of Type 2 diabetes, etc. Even though budesonide's side effects are generally not as severe as prednisone, if you stay on it long enough you will still eventually get many of these problems. That's why it is used as a temporary measure to knock down the inflammation to allow a safer long-term remission maintenance drug to kick in.
what would be a remission maintenance drug?
 

Scipio

Well-known member
Location
San Diego
what would be a remission maintenance drug?
For milder cases maintenance drugs could include immunomodulators such as azathioprine or methotrexate. More severe cases may require a biologic for maintenance such as Remicade, Humira, Entyvio, Stelara, or others.
 

Lynda Lynda

Member
Well, still on Budesonide for 2 years now. They tried to taper me off of it and my terrible diarrhea came back. Now starting Stelara every 6 weeks instead of every 8 weeks to try to get my.Stelara level higher.
Still on methotrexate too.
And yipee, had a thyroidectomy 2 weeks ago.
 
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