Prednisone taper alternative? I've had gastric bypass surger

[Glblgal]

Hello, I've just finished the 5 day solumedrol cocktail, and I feel lousy. Can't catch my breath, mood is all over the map, tin mouth, bloated, etc.... Today I will start the taper on prednisone. I have heard it can bother your stomach, is there anything to help avoid or lessen this? My Nuero is out of the office for 6 weeks, he will freak if I take something that can give me an ulcer, as he is very proactive about being careful about my stomach. I feel like I need to taper off the solumedrol, but the prednisone has me worried. Is the an alternative??? Pharmacist was not too helpful. Thanks,

[lyndacarol]

Hello, I've just finished the 5 day solumedrol cocktail, and I feel lousy. Can't catch my breath, mood is all over the map, tin mouth, bloated, etc.... Today I will start the taper on prednisone. I have heard it can bother your stomach, is there anything to help avoid or lessen this? My Nuero is out of the office for 6 weeks, he will freak if I take something that can give me an ulcer, as he is very proactive about being careful about my stomach. I feel like I need to taper off the solumedrol, but the prednisone has me worried. Is the an alternative??? Pharmacist was not too helpful. Thanks,

Hello and welcome to ThisIsMS, Glblgal.

I do not have the direct answer to your question. I can't imagine that your neuro is out of the office for 6 weeks without making arrangements for another neuro to handle his patients' calls. I urge you to call your neuro's office.

Your subject line says that you have had gastric bypass surgery – I hope your doctor has prescribed lifelong injections of methyl-cobalamin (the cyano form is not as easily absorbed by the body; unfortunately, cyano-cobalamin is the form given in doctors' offices in the US), since a gastric bypass causes malabsorption of vitamin B12 (a.k.a. cobalamin). By the way, I am curious to know if your neurological symptoms appeared before or after your gastric bypass surgery.



11 min. video, Vitamin B12 Metabolism – MADE EASY,
(@1:30) describes three parts of the stomach (fundus, body, pyloric antrum) and the parietal cells which produce Intrinsic Factor (which are absolutely necessary for vitamin B12 absorption).
(@6:00) Causes of B12 Deficiency include dysfunction (or lack) of the parietal cells.

I have no medical background, but I suspect the portion of your stomach containing the parietal cells has been "bypassed."



Diagnosing and Treating Vitamin B12 Deficiency: "Everything You Want Your Doctor to Know about Vitamin B12"

I highly recommend this 52-minute documentary featuring Sally Pacholok, RN, BSN, & her husband Jeffrey Stuart, D.O. (authors of the book, Could It Be B12? An Epidemic of Misdiagnoses); Lawrence Solomon, M.D., hematologist with Yale Medical School; Ralph Green, M.D., hematologist at UC Davis; and Donald Jacobsen, PhD, at the Cleveland Clinic (Homocysteine Research Lab).

@1:23 "The neurological manifestations well precede the hematological manifestations."
@1:46 The Framingham Offspring Study suggests 40% of Americans have suboptimal B12.
@4:50 Pacholok says, "MS is a demyelinating disease and so is B12 deficiency. You can't tell the two apart unless you test for that."

(@51:00)

Risk factors for B12 deficiency:
Vegetarian Diet
Pregnancy
Age over 50
Low Stomach Acid
Celiac Disease
Food Allergies
Eating Disorders Parasites
Use of Acid-Blockers
Use of Oral Birth Control Pills
Use of Metformin
Nitrous Oxide Anesthesia
Pernicious Anemia
Autoimmune Disorders
Pancreatic Insufficiency
Stomach Surgery
Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth
Peptic Ulcer
Transcobalamin Deficiency

[Glblgal]

Wow, thanks for the info. I'll check out all the links and info. I am diligent about my iron, b12, b1, vit. D, C, and others. I never heard about the option of injections, I just use OTC b12.

I was diagnosed with MS 12 yrs ago, and had gastric bypass 10 yrs ago. I discussed it at length with my Nuero before.

I've had a change to insurance due to a job loss, so my last 3 yrs. have been with Kaiser, and they are a bit light on MS resources, and unfortunately my Neuro is out on Paternity leave for 6 weeks, so my recent issue and need for Solumedrol was handled by his backup, who works out of an office 50 miles from me, so the orders and conversation was handled by nurses and done via the phone.... No comment.

Grateful, just the same, but I am feeling like I'm on my own....

Just waiting out the side effects of the solumedrol and counting on things looking brighter next week!

Thanks, again, for the info and I'm going to look at it all.

Cheers!

[NHE]

Hello, I've just finished the 5 day solumedrol cocktail, and I feel lousy. Can't catch my breath, mood is all over the map, tin mouth, bloated, etc.... Today I will start the taper on prednisone. I have heard it can bother your stomach, is there anything to help avoid or lessen this?

It's been 10-15 years since I had a prednisone taper following IV solumedrol infusions. I was given Zantac along with the prednisone. I don't remember what the dosage was though.

[Glblgal]

Thank you, I will add that to my routine, I think that can help buffer any upset. Great idea.