Dieting with Obstacles Those with special health concerns such as diabetes, fibromyalgia, pregnancy, etc can post here for extra support and help.

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Old 03-13-2005, 04:29 PM   #1  
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Default newbie with prednisone takeover

Helllo, this is my first posting. What a great find! This whole site from 3fatchicks is fantastic! I have been battling chronic disease for years. I have sarcoidosis. Have it in lungs, liver, joints, eyes, and skin. I've had periods of remissions and exacerbations. I have not been able to work for over a year, now. I am an LPN. Although, I believe my nursing days are over. My doctors have agreed that I will probably not be able to return to the field. I am currently on disability and hoping to retrain in a home based job, once I am stabilized with my health. I have a good husband that helps me. He does most of the grocery shopping, laundry, and housework. I have been on prednisone since 1999. Although, I had a taper dose down to 5mg last summer. I was actually starting to lose weight. However, recently, my dose was increased up to 80. : I am currently at 30 mg. I am still having a hard time with the 30. I have turned into a human garbage disposal. I am repulsed by my overeating binges. Why do I do this to myself? I am like a drug addict with food. I hate the way that I look in the mirror. My face has the moon shape. (Cushings) I have been reading many of the forums on this site and checking out the diets. I am thinking about trying the Mayo Clinic (grapefruit diet), just to get a jump start, then follow a sensible plan. I wish that I could follow a high protein diet, but I really love my carbs. I don't know if I could handle giving up fruit and yogurt. I, also, do not like meat very much. Just the thought of eating a dead animal grosses me out. I would never last on Survivor, or that goofy Fear Factor. Once, upon a time, before I was ever put on prednisone, I was actually too thin. I had no appetite. I am not sure, if it was due to my disease, or if it was due to the medication that I was on. I think it was due to Methotrexate. I had to discontinue it because I have develolped cirrhosis of liver. Doctors are not sure if I have auto-immune hepatitis, or if cirrhosis is from methotrexate. Only, time will tell. I just wish that I could get off of prednisone. I know that it is saving my life, but it is also makiing me fat.... Well, I need to get over this, and start to do something. Does anyone have any inspiration for me? Losing any weight while on prednisone?
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Old 03-13-2005, 05:06 PM   #2  
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Welcome to the forum, rictmom!

I'm so sorry you're going through so much. Life just doesn't seem fair, sometimes, does it? I've been through a lot with my health, so I understand. I've been on & off of steroids, so I know the feeling of gaining weight.

Don't beat yourself up for the eating binges. It's the prednisone. I thought I could beat the temptation of eating, when I was on it. Fact is, there's something it does to the system, that you're actually hungry, no matter how much you've ate. I would get so hungry, I'd get weak, & give in. This is something you can't help. As you said, it's saving your life!

The question of if you can lose while on it, I really don't know. I didn't even try, until I was off of it, then it was a real struggle. I'm not wanting to discourage you, just don't want you to expect too much right away. Try to drink a lot of water....I've heard that helps. I know it helps with a regular weight loss effort...so it won't hurt.

I'm on Methotrexate shots & Remicade intravenous treatments for RA. I also have OA. I'm on various other meds for different things. I know a lot of them retain fluid, as well as the RA. I hate the Methotrexate! I have just about every side effect it can have!

Just remember, you're not alone. I felt that way, until I found this forum. There's not many people that understands RA & the seriousness of it. I don't have anyone to talk to, except my friends here. Even if I never lose another pound, I look forward to talking with my friends here, who understand.

I'm on "Friends with RA & OA" if you ever want to drop in. Wishing you a lot of luck, & hoping someone here can help you!
Charlotte
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Old 03-14-2005, 08:27 AM   #3  
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Hi I was on prednisone for Asthma and I gained a lot of weight from it, I then got pregnant with my youngest and I have not had to use any of my inhalers or be on prednisone since then (2001 was the last I took it) I am just now loosing weight, I was going to do Atkins but I thought more and more about it and realized I love so many of the things that he doesn't want you to eat alot of, yogurt, milk, BREAD, pasta, rice, fruit etc....so what I am doing is counting my caloires and keeping track of my carb intake, as well as fat and protien, I bought Performance Diet Software by HealthKeeper and I just LOVE it, I fill in alot of my food (just by reading the lables) and I measure and weigh everything, I have been doing this since Feb 21 and have lost 14 lbs so far. I think the best thing for alot of people is just counting calories, it does make such a difference If you cut out 500 calories a day from what you normally eat, you'll loose a pound a week...3500 calories = 1 lb.
This forum is such an awesome place, you will love it here and get so much support Good luck, you will do just fine.
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Old 04-10-2005, 08:00 PM   #4  
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Wow, I just read the list of medications that others have used here to treat R.A. and other illness. I am not alone, I have had to stop taking many medicatons (Plaquenil, Prednisone, Sulfasalazine, Losec, Fosamax and Methotrexate. In addition to these prescription medications I have been taking Glucosamine, Omega 3-6-9, Calcium, Vitamin D, and a multi- vitamin. I was taking medication to deal with the side effects of the side effects.

I am only taking Enbrel by injection at this time and I feel like a cloud has been lifted. I have more energy than I had before and only slight discomfort alternating in my hands and knees. I too had the "moon face' and gained a great deal of weight. Since last June, I went from 135 to 265. If I had gained 5 more pounds, I would have doubled my weight. There was never a feeling of eating to satisfy an end, there was NO end. I couldn't get enough to eat. When I look in the mirror, I see a stranger.

I walked past a huge glass window at Easter and saw that stranger. I was disgusted at how she looked, I would never let myself go to THAT degree!!! I turned from the glass window to look right at this stranger but she was gone. I turned back to the window and there she was again. I was mortified, she was me!

I feel like I am among friends here.
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Old 06-10-2005, 11:01 PM   #5  
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Smile Prednisone

As someone else said you shouldn't beat yourself up for weight gain while using prednisone. It's the drug not you. My dog who is always underweight had to use prednisone and he was eating leaves and things out of the compost! He looked like a barrel. But once he was off it, he went back to his normal underweight size. I've had several doctors tell me to not even bother to try and lose weight.

You can lose weight while taking prednisone, I've done it. I lost 40 pounds but it was really hard. I had a rule that I could binge and not feel guilty but once I had eaten a certain food, I couldn't go back to that food for that day. You usually eat the bad food first so if you take a handful, you're done for the day. I ended up eating A LOT of carrots. LOL. I also tried not to have fattening food in the house. And worked up to exercising 45 -1 hour a day. Sometimes in 5 minute increments.

I hope your doctor told you to take calciuim supplements with Vitamin D. Long term steriod use lead to osteoporosis. In the last four years I have fractured several different bones in my feet and have since gained all my weight back and then some. If I fracture one of the bones again, then I will have to have a pin put in the bone. I also have osteoporosis in my lumbar spine and my hips.

But you said an important thing. That medicine is saving your life, although that's hard to remember when you have that awful fat face that makes you want to cry. I learned to just not look in the mirror. : )

Best of luck.

J
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Old 06-13-2005, 11:16 PM   #6  
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Among several health problems, I may or may not have an autoimmune disease that may or may not be in remission (Don't you love when you get firm answers from medical professionals). Basically I was told that if I'm lucky, I will never know, and if not I will find out based on what else goes wrong with my body. I was on prednisone (between 5 - 30 mg) for several months, and it was the only thing that relieved the pain and fatigue of my fibromyalgia enough to give me a semblance of a real life. I would probably still be on it if there were enough "proof" that I have an identifiable autoimmune condition. I don't know if I had been on it long enough to have caused the foot fracture I walked on for 5 - 6 months before diagnosis, but it seems likely. Prednisone is definitely a double edge sword. On one hand, I'm glad that I'm no longer on it because of the side effects and long-term risks, but on the other I miss having the energy and almost "normal" life I had while on it.
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Old 10-24-2005, 09:06 PM   #7  
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Default Prednisone sucks!

Hey all!
I am new here and I am sooo happy I found all of you! I have been put on prednisone for what will noe be an 8 month regeim. I had leukemia in Dec 2004 and had a stem cell transplant of which resulted in graft-vs-host diease thus the prednisone to keep it at bay. I am on 35mg every otherday and so far the effect are not as bad as they were the first time I was on the (100mg everyday)...I just wanted to say that I found this book "coping with prednisone..." by Eugenia Zuckerman. In this book she states, among many other very very useful things, that it is a good idea to watch the salt intake as it will cause more water retention (and this stupid drug already does that) she also said to watch the starchy and refined carbs, like potatos white bread and candy/sweets. also, drink TONS AND TONS of water...she also said to WORK OUT AS MUCH AS YOU CAN!
hope this helps!
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Old 12-06-2005, 12:35 PM   #8  
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Hello, my steroid sisters!

I wasn't on pred, but I did have six months of decadron while going through chemo, and I joked that I would kick your a** and THEN I'd eat your food! It was just a hunger that could not be satisfied. I'd worked so hard to lose 80 pounds last year, only to regain about 25 on the decadron. It's an evil, evil thing.

I'm sorry I have nothing more offer than my sympathy, and encouragement that if it's a long term maintenance drug for you it would be a good idea to partner with your physician on a long term solution to the weight gain. Exercise will definitely prove critical, obviously......and I guess you're going to just have to figure out some way of substituting healthier, lower cal foods for those that pack more of a wallop......unless there's another drug which would prove equally effective in managing your Sarcoid. I know there's another woman here who has sarcoid and she's been steadily losing -- she's a moderator over at the exercise forum, so you should check her out, as she might prove to be a helpful resource!

My best to you --
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