Coated or Uncoated

[sm97]

I recently was put back onto pred because I was having a flare up.
However my consultant prescribed me the uncoated tablets which I have never taken before, I went along with it but it irritated my crohns even more. My GP has denied prescribing them as the PCT's have said no because of extra charges.

Im stuck on what to do, and I only have 2-3 days worth of prednisone left. I'm also taking 2 tablets of lanzaprasole every day and that didn't help it.

 

[littlemissh]

Are you saying your GP wouldn't give you the uncoated?
You should be taking uncoated as the coated ones aren't always absorbed as well in Crohn's according to my consultant.Coated tablets actually cost more anyway. If there is a good reason why you should have a particular preparation of medicine and is prescribed by a consultant then your GP should give you the correct type of pill.

I know there have been supply problems with some coated prednisolone so they are not available in 5mg.
Do you take your pred with food? You could try swapping to omeprazole instead of lansoprazole as it works better for some.

 

[sm97]

Recently I was experiencing pains in my chest, and I was taking the uncoated tablets and it was irritating it even more. From then I got some coated tablets on a private prescription and they seemed to help. I had a cholonoscopy on Monday and it seemed that I have some mild crohns in my gullet.
My consultant advised me to keep taking the coated tablets and lansoprazole twice a day. However the ward I was on is refusing to write a prescription for the coated tablets so I'm stuck with my private prescription.

I'll ring my consultant on Monday as I just told my GP to write another private prescription, but I just thought if there was anything that I could eat or drink to line my stomach a little better.

 

[SarahD]

I'm nearly always given the coated ones - I was told they're easier on the stomach. Is the cost difference really that big? It's very short sighted as if they give you the uncoated ones and it makes your Crohns worse then they'll then have to give you even more medication which probably costs even more.

 

[sm97]

I'm nearly always given the coated ones - I was told they're easier on the stomach. Is the cost difference really that big? It's very short sighted as if they give you the uncoated ones and it makes your Crohns worse then they'll then have to give you even more medication which probably costs even more.

This is exactly what I've been trying to tell my doctors, and around 1 year ago, coated tablets costed around 1p which is basically $0.016 so around 2 cents in the US.
However now tablet have gone up to 22p which is around 30cents in the US.

So the price has risen pretty durastically.

 

[SarahD]

Is that price per tablet? That is a big jump. Are you UK based or in the US? I just found a website stating that 28 coated tablets (5mg) costs £8.69, but the same quantity of uncoated costs just £1.03 (Nov 2011, http://www.iow.nhs.uk/uploads/MedMa...atient_info_-_Prednisolone_Ec_to_uncoated.pdf), so from a very simple cost saving point I can see why they'd be keen to get people onto the uncoated pred, but if they're irritating your stomach I can't see how they can refuse you the coated tablets.

You also have the problem that if you run out and have to stop taking the pred suddenly, without tapering, your body will not be happy.

I've had a similar situation when visiting the GP where he seemed more concerned with cost than giving me the most appropriate medicine - it's a shame it's come to that!