Stomach Pain, is it the meds?

[Sjap0655]

I have a question for everyone? Has anyone experienced stomach pain, nausea or vomiting from prednisone or any other meds.

I just had a RTX infusion last Saturday that took me from 5mg prednisone to 60 mg prednisone daily. I also take folic, protonix ( twice daily) and methotrexate on Fridays and bactrim double strength.

I typically take the prednisone in the morning at 6am before breakfast at 9 or 10. I'm thinking it's causing me a upset stomach from not taking it with food. Yesterday my stomach pains have been very painful. Does anyone have experience with stomach upset from the meds?

[NikkiNicole]

I was told that I absolutely needed to take the Prednisone with food so ... I never tried it without it. I get very weird stomach pain in general. It's like someone shocked my stomach and I feel these jolts all around as if I can actually feel my entire stomach. I don't know. MTX in pill form made me very nauseous so I do injections now. I was nauseous today but I think it's because I might be getting a flu bug ... noit sure.

[SpaceflightAddict]

I was told that I absolutely needed to take the Prednisone with food so ... I never tried it without it. I get very weird stomach pain in general. It's like someone shocked my stomach and I feel these jolts all around as if I can actually feel my entire stomach. I don't know. MTX in pill form made me very nauseous so I do injections now. I was nauseous today but I think it's because I might be getting a flu bug ... noit sure.

I was told the same by my doctor. The prednisone will wreck your stomach if you take it without food. The protonix is there for prophylaxis to protect your GI tract (unless you already have an ulcer) so it is not the cause of your stomach upset.

I suspect the bactrim to be the cause of your troubles. It is a powerful antibiotic and has probably done a number on the good bacteria in your stomach and intestines.

What has worked for keeping me "regular" is a steady stream of pro-biotics. My pharmacist (who has come to know me very well over the past month lol) recommended that I take them usually no less than 2 hours after I take a dose of antibiotics (I am on bactrim and Augmentin at the moment) so that they are not immediately killed by the antibiotics. He also suggested to take one right before going to bed at night, so that it can sit in my GI tract all night uninterrupted to do it's thing.

With the amount of antibiotics I am on, it is likely that my gut flora is being obliterated on a daily basis, so the pro-biotics are not "maintaining" my flora, but rather replacing is killed off every day.

My pharmacist recommended two products to me: Florastor and Lactinex. Florastor can be found on the shelf with other pro-biotics in most drug stores, but Lactinex is kept in a fridge behind the counter at the pharmacy, and come in either pill or granule form, so you will need to ask for it.

I am conducting biological warfare on my GI tract between taking my doses of antibiotics.... I will take a Lactinex 2 hours after my prednisone, CTX, and antibiotic breakfast of champions, snack on some low calorie pro-biotic yogurts during the daily steroid hunger rage , take a Florastor with lunch, more yogurt between lunch and dinner, and one more pro-biotic and a nice tall glass of ice cold kefir (strawberry banana flavor) right before bed.

I have no proof that this actually works, other than my personal experience over the past month, so take this all with a grain of salt and talk to your doctors and pharmacist about your issues, but for myself at least, I believe this has kept me "regular" from both ends if you know what I mean.

I wish you the best with your stomach issues, and highly recommend talking to your pharmacist about them. He had great advice for me about upset stomach and bowel issues since my chat with him.

-SpaceflightAddict

[Sjap0655]

I woke up early and made me some oatmeal and ginger tea to relax my stomach. Prednisone will definitely be taken with food from now on. I'm moving the time I take my prednisone. Yesterday vomiting and upset stomach was too much for me. I have probiotics here at the house and will take those too. I hope that me moving my meds around and keeping a good schedule will help balance my stomach out.

I'm thinking: eat breakfast take prednisone, folic and bactrim protonix. Take probiotic and calcium and vitamin D pills in afternoon. Then at night before take another probiotic and protonix. Methotrexate in Fridays.