Prednisone stomach acid

[Crohns08]

Hey guys!

Recently I was brought to the hospital to get IV steroids to get out of a bad flare and since I'm pregnant it's the only thing I can really use right now since I have failed Remicade and Humira and Cimzia. But the problem with Prednisone and I is that every time I take it, it causes me severe upper stomach pain, like to the point I was rushed to the ER on Thanksgiving to recieve morphine it was that bad. When I was hospitalized this past week I was on Dilaudid. Not crazy about being on pain meds while pregnant but I couldn't handle the pain. Anywho, every time I stress to any of my doctors about the stomach pain that I get while on prednisone they basically act as though it's not possible and that I am being a big baby. Granted, I do have fibromyalgia as well so that could be intensifying my pain levels, though I am taking Gabapentin for it and trying out L-Glutamine. Have any of you guys experienced severe upper stomach pains before? I'm on 40 mg of Prednisone and tapering down weekly. I pop tums like candy and break up the doses all throughout the day and I'm taking protonix but later in the day so it'll be more active when my pain is the worst. Any tips or tricks you can give me would be greatly appreciated. I am just trying to tough it out right now and hope this doesn't affect my baby too much. It's the thing I worry most about.

 

[DJW]

I wish I had an answer for you. Has the doctor run any tests to see what the cause is?Sending you my support.

 

[Crohns08]

No, just bloodwork but that is coming back normal because of the steroids aside from my anemia. I had a bleed somewhere because my Hemoglobin dropped from 10 to a 7.5 and so I received an iron infusion and will probably receive more to get my numbers up as I really don't want a blood transfusion if at all possible. They won't do any real testing on me because of my baby. Thank you for your support though

 

[theOcean]

I'd be careful about the tums, just because taking it too often can cause, of all things, rebound acidity. Maybe there's a GERD medication you could take in the meantime, or that you could ask your GP/GI about?

I haven't experienced this with prednisone either, though... I hope someone else who has had a similar experience can hopefully reply to you.

 

[Davis_]

If they have switched you to tablet form Prednisolone after giving you the first 40mg IV form called hydrocortisone then ask for an enteric coated tablet form of Prednisolone. This will help if it is causing gastritis in stomach which may be the pain ? This coated version is usually red and by passes the stomach.

Here in the England at our hospital they sometimes give you the first IV Prednisolone of 40mg Through the IV and then the rest of the course on tablets, though esch case is obviously different .
Also consider a proton pump inhibitor, this will reduce the acidity.
I had increased acidity, pain in stomach and vomitting when put on Prednisolone a few years ago.
Switched to enteric coated Prednisolone because the non coated white tablets were causing gastritis- which is the medical name for an inflamed stomach lining and the pain and symptoms dramatically reduced.

Also had cyclizine which is anti nausea.

So as a summary ask your doctor about :
Enteric coated Prednisolone
Proton pump inhibitor (hyper acidity) such as lansoprazole

Hope his helps.

 

[Grumbletum]

I had been on 40mg of Prednisolone when I was admitted to hospital for Crohn's complications. I hadn't been having gastro issues because of the pred but they prescribed Omeprazole to 'protect my stomach and lining' and were suprised it hadn't been prescribed before.