PMR, Prednisone now Thrush what can I do?

Bones, joints and muscles
1

i tried to search PMR group since I know someone mentioned thrush, but couldn't see how to do that... So I'll start new thread.

I did NOT know what Thrush was... My throat is irritated, blood work for my PMR was done for Rheumy visit on Wednesday, she said my liver levels were elevated. So, I said I'd stop drinking the wine. I don't take anything else except thyroid meds. And I eat well. And she is sending me to GI doctor.  Well, I looked at my throat with flash light and Geez, it looks awful. Looked at symptoms online and it described Thrush and corticosteriods and immune system can be cause and can be in esophagus and liver!!!  Dang!!! 

So, do I need to still go get scoped possibly by new GI doctor or just go to my Primary doc? 

Last week eek I told Yall my dentist said I had lots of plaque for first time in my life...is that related to thrush? 

Did someone here say that Apple Cider Vinegar helps?  Or do I have to get a drug...ugh.  And yes...I'm now brushing 3 times a day!!! AND starting pill form probiotics...previously I ate yogurt but doctor took that out of my diet...STUPID she didn't recommend pill for probiotics HUH?!   

2

How long have you been on preds.? Yes wreak havoc on immune system

3

I think your doctor is a bit OTT with the diet! Nystatin or fluconazole are the medications for thrush and yoghurt often does work pretty well if you want to ignore your doctor's obvious fixation...

Not really up to speed enough with the US system - you wouldn't be faced with so many options all at once in the UK or mainland Europe! Which isn't always bad...

4

I've been on pred for over 6 years now - never had any immune system problems at all! It depends - for some people they can cause problems but by no means for everyone.

5

Phyllis,

6 months on Pred. I'm at 8 mg. 

I had chest tighness for hours in afternoons when I started Prednisone, 20 mg in January.

I thought it might be the massive Calcium I now take, or Curcumin, I stopped the curcumin (anti inflammatory supplement), but no change. My throat area started getting more funny feeling over these months, but I just kept going. Doctors didn't seem concerned. 

Then I thought sinus infection??? But white blood counts normal she said. 

 

6

Hi Eileen ye. I have a terrible problem with Thrush. can you get that medication without prescription thanks

7

Ask your doctor how much calcium to take.  You can get some

bad effects from taking too much calcium.  Kidney stones for

one.  Your body doesn't throw off excess calcium.  i got

some plant based calcium on Amazon.  Kind of pricey but

I don't need any more problems.   It sure seems like it's

just one thing after another with PMR.

8

Just thought I would let you know that I get thrush quite often and my doctor has written a script for fluconazole with 6 refils so I don't have to see him everytime it appears. Thank goodness. I've been on pred now for almost two years and I'm down to 8 so maybe soon I will be down to 7. Good luck to you.

9

Hi, well I got thrush the first month I was on prednisone 15 mg. and still have thrush 7 months later.  It caused me to lose all sense of taste for food or drink.  Everything tastes like cardboard or worse.  I was given nystatin liquid ( an antifungal drug) to treat it.  It has not cured it, but has reduced the amount of build up. I take this medicine 4 times a day still.   I share this personal issue because I want you to know you are not alone.  I find this side effect of prednisone very distressing. If you have any questions feel free to personal message me by clicking on the little envelope under my star.   

10

It depends - the link to miconazole from this article

https://patient.info/health/oral-thrush

suggests that small packs are available OTC but that larger packs are prescription only. Nystatin is prescription only as far as I know. The article on this site and its links are well worth reading by the way.

Thrush is a particularly bad problem if you have been on antibiotics which destroy the normal (healthy) bacterial population in the mouth. Part of the problem with PMR may be that you also have a dry mouth due to the autoimmune part of PMR - if it is very bad it may even be due to Sjogrens syndrome, an autoimmune disorder in its own right. Mouth hygiene is very important in such cases as a dry mouth can lead to all sorts of problems.

And did you know that if you have had an infection of most sorts you should change your toothbrush when it is cleared or you risk transfering the bugs that caused it back into your mouth.

11

If you have systemic candida (ie all through your body) then topical treatments for oral thrush probably won't work for long as you are finding and a tablet formulation might work better. Ask your doctor and do read the articles on this site I referenced - it may help with ideas.

12

Thanks Eileen for that, havn't been on antibiotic, so probably the pred, 

 

13

Thank you Eileen!  I started "swish and swallow" Nystatin.  AND changed my tooth brush!!! I've had so much on my mind lately forgot to change my brush.  Wow, the things we learn after the fact. 

Thank you everyone else for sharing your experiences!!! Bless you!

My doctor did atleast recommend refrigerated probiotic pill form, but sure am disappointed she didn't recommend this from beginning.  

Eileen, I do sneak in my plain yogurt occassionally and even tried coconut yogert with the active cultures (though one wonders how good products are, ugh)...