New to Forum - Cat with IBD and Diabetes on Budesonide

Neko, my 13 y.o. cat, was diagnose with diabetes 2 months ago due to Prednisolone use for over a year. She was recently prescribe budesonide along with an inhaler for asthma to get her off the prednisolone. The most severe of her medical issue is her Inflammatory Bowel Disease, so I am wondering if anyone has experience using Budesonide 1mg/day long term. Any information you could give would be great. thanks

 

I have used budesonide 1 mg SID on my civi Spot for over a year with success. I used it with success for Bailey for over a year with success (1 mg SID then upped to 1.5 mg SID). My Mitten is on budesonide, first 1 mg SID non 1.5 mg SID for over a year. I just started my civi Lightening on it 1 mg SID.

I get mine from Canada ($68 for 100 3mg capsules) and divide it up in capsules myself.

 

Thanks for the reply. My fear is that the budesonide will cause diabetes again just like Prednisolone. We are trying to lower her dose to 1mg every other day but she threw up after 4 days on that schedule. I am trying to minimize her drugs as much as possible. She is already on Prozac 2mg SID, Pepcid 2.5mg BID, Budesonide 1mg SID, Prednisolone 1.25mg SID and Flovent SID.

 

I have not found the budesonide to have any adverse effect on BGs. It stays in the GI tract.

 

Was the diabetes caused by the Prednisolone? Harley's brother Scooter has been on this since January '11 due to low weight and the vet wants him to stay on it. Should I be saying no!

Pattie

 

What is "this", pred or budesonide? My civi Spot was on budesonide for life. Bailey started on budesonide and the switched to pred until I said goodbye to him. I expect Mitten to be on budesonide for life and civi Lightening too.

 

The "this" that Scooter is on is the prednisolone. Harley is on the budsonide and has no problems. I was wondering if the prednisolone caused the diabetes mentioned above.

Pattie

 

My cat Boomer (ga) took pred for IBD and we think that's what gave him diabetes. We switched him to budesonide and he was able to go OTJ.

My cat Merlin has mild asthma and uses a flovent inhaler 2x a day and it has not caused us any issues.

 

Neko was on prednisolone for 1 year before she started to develop diabetes. She had a lot of inflammatory problems (enlarged spleen, lung inflammation, IBD and colitis) when she first was diagnosed which makes sense with using prdnisolone. If IBD is the only diagnoses I would think that budesonide would be a much better choice. When Neko started on Prednisolone she gained like 3lbs. which is a lot for her frame. I feel like now it's a race to see if we can stabilize her so that she doesn't need to go on the juice while we taper her off the prednisolone while we do the switch to budesonide and flovent.

larryandkitties: so you were able to give you civi 1mg budesonide SID without any issues? When did you have to switch to prednisolone with your last kitty?

Thank you everyone for you kind replies. Sometimes I feel like we're so alone on this path. Most of our friends just put their kitties down at the start once they stop eating.

 

Bix also had IBD and did very well on Budesonide. The vets had me switch cold turkey over from the Pred to the Bude. I always wondered about that (it sounds like they are having you taper? perhaps for other reasons, or different starting dose?), but I checked with the specialist and that was her recommendation also, just switch over and no need for tapering. I don't know if the Bude affected Bix's BGs b/c I switched his meds before home testing, but he got good #s on the Bude and responded well to it.

 

Im sorry to hear about Neko. Sounds like you guys are juggling a lot. I hope the budesonide works out. Every cat will react differently. Some cats still have issues with the budesonide and some wont. Just keep an eye on it with home testing and you will know. It may be that you choose to continue with a steroid (either one) and manage the fd.

Latte was had steroid induced FD. She was on prednisolone. I weaned her off and tried leukeran hoping for the best, but IBD/lymphoma symptoms got VERY bad even though bg's were better. Budesonide was a possibility, but no one thought it would be enough for the severity of her symptoms. We attempted to manage FD while using prednisolone.

So yes, Pattie....prednisolone can cause FD in some cats. You know how to test, so that is good. The steroid will usually make cats eat better. Do you think you could try an appy stim or some higher calorie foods? Just seems to me there are options out there with less risk to help Scooter eat.

 

Could someone please tell me how much the Budesonine should cost? My vet told me that the pills were $600.00 for only 60 pills and that they would have to reduce to liquid form. My cat Sampson had diabetes do to the prednisone and he now has a bad flare up of IBD again. He is no longer diabetic but continues to be weak and has not gained any weight back. He is 17 years old. I have been trying to use flagyl to help him but it doesn't work consistently and I don't want to give it to him every day.


Thanks,

Vicki & Sampson

 

I think I paid $70 for 100 3 mg capsules from a Canadian pharmacy. I divide each capsule in three and put each in a #3 gelcap. Thriving Pets has them in 1, 2 and 3 mg capsules.
http://www.thrivingpets.com/index.php/b ... f-100.html

 

I paid about $70 for a 2 months supply of the liquid, from Golden Gate Pharmacy (includes shipping cost).

 

I paid about $57.00 for 60 - 1mg capsules from Golden Gate Pharmacy including shipping.

 

Sampson has had a lot of diarrhea and vomiting over the last couple of days. We started on the budesonide last Wed. and he hates it. As I said previously he won't take it unless I mix it in with his food. I ordered the chicken flavored from the vet and we will try that one. However, I wonder how long before the budesonide will show improvement? He had a short acting shot of prednisone several weeks ago which helped for about 4-5 days but his bg's went up. Do most of you give the liquid form by syringe orally?

Thanks,

Vicki

 

With Bix I saw improvement within a couple days, about the same timing as when I've seen Pred work for IBD.

 

Today I posted this because my cat may have either IBD or cancer.
viewtopic.php?f=28&t=46824

Does the food really make a difference? The food they gave me was 2$ a can, and long-term this will be a nightmare.

Please help! I know this isn't the right forum for this, but if you can reply to my post I will GREATLY appreciate it.

 

I am worried that Sampson my have the same problem. I know that it is either a horrible IBD this time or stomach cancer, which the vet's I have visited say that they can't tell for certain unless they put him under the knife and at 17 years of age I won't do that to him.
What kind of food did they give you? And had the budesonide helped at all? I give Sampson Fancy Feast different kinds, turkey, chicken, beef, tuna some with gravy some not. One or some of these may be causing the flare ups I am watching what happens shortly after he eats to eliminate some of the possible causes. I know that this is difficult but hang in there. There may be other options that are cheaper for you. What kind of food have you been feeding him.'

 

I think it's worth trying Wellness canned food. It's grain-free. My current cat Merlin has stomach issues and eating Wellness cleared it up overnight. Raw food is also an option. I tried Nature's Variety but it he wouldn't eat it reliably, but I know of people with cats with IBD that had good luck with raw food such as Nature's Variety.

 

HI my cat Sitka has (we think) Inflammatory Bowel disease and diabetes (from long term steroid use). I saw we think IBD because my vet saw her intestine wall was thicker then it should be but advised that we couldn't be sure without doing a scope. Sitka was 18 and also has CRF & seizures so I decided against a scope and trying budesonide to see if she improved. She did improve and has been on budesonide for over a year now. Budesonide is known for staying mostly in the GI track and being easier to regulate blood sugar with then prednisolone or prednisone. Steroids in general are well known for causing diabetes in people and animals. Sitka's been well regulated for 3 months now so I would say overall she hasn't had a problem with using both budesonide and insulin. I know she will be on budesonide for the rest of her life. Jan

 

I believe Sano may perhaps be promoting a drug on this board and not actually a cat owner. ( troll )
I would love to be proved wrong, ( and Rebecca will deal with them if that is the case ) but please disregard the negative tone in that post. It is harsh and unacceptable and simply not true.

cats live and thrive with diabetes and this board can help in so many ways to see that happen.