I'm new to the group. I have FM, RA, and Lupus. My latest new drug is Prednisone and I've gained 10 lbs. I'm doing the point system on Weight Watchers. This is my 2nd week and so far no weight loss. I'm limited to what exercise I can do. Is there anyone out there going through this or something simular? I need advice. The Prednisone helps but it also causes weight problems.
rolypoly

I took prednisone for several months due to a collapsed lung from severe allergies. I also have fibromyalgia, but take other drugs for that. All I can tell you is I don't think the prednisone so much causes weight gain, as made me want to eat non-stop. I know while I was taking it, I hallucinated food 24/7. Maybe if you track what you eat VERY carefully and stick to the leanest proteins and unprocessed carbs, you'll be able to weather this without too many problems. I know most docs don't like to keep even lupus patients on prednisone long-term, but just use it to get patients through the worst flares. If you are able to get off it as quickly as possible and onto another drug to control your lupus, it would help.

Try to make the best food choices (healthiest) within the point system- make sure your food is nutritious, not just fitting into the WW plan

Best of wishes,

Mel

I have Central Nervous System Vasculitis which is similar in treatment to Lupus. In fact people with Lupus sometimes get secondary. CNSV. I was on 80 mgs of Prednisone for 6 months then it took another 6 months to taper off.
I also had a couple rounds of Cytoxen. I took 200 mgs of Imuran a day for 4 years. Combine the medicines with 2 strokes and you have me unable to even walk well for 2 years and eating everything in site. I gained 80 pounds! I was already 25 pounds overweight so I was HUGE at 260!

The prednisone causes so much bloating. Gawd I hated that stuff!
Anyway you need to watch out for your blood sugar levels because pred will make them high. It can cause diabetes which sometimes goes away after you get off pred. It will also cause osteoporosis so take calcium supplements.
Here is a link for info on pred
http://www.cnsv.net/cnsv/immunosupp.html

It can also cause major mood swings. I was a total spaz while on it. I also causes fatigue which you've already got with the Lupus.
I started Sugar Busters 2 years ago at 235. I'm down to 206 now and no diabetes.
Drink a lot of water. Watch the junk food! I lived on Doritos so I'm not much help
lol

Thanks so much for the advice, I'll be going back to my Rhuematologist soon, and I'm looking forward to seeing how much longer I'll need the Pred. Hopefully she will put me on a non-steroid medication and the weight will be easier to control. Thanks again for your supportive words. Nan from Nashville "FibroRALupus"

I would express your desire to lose weight to your doctor. I'm sure he/she will agree that would also help your condition. When I did this, my doc cut down my dose of Prednisone. Right now, I'm not taking any at all because the major flare up I was having is over.
Your diagnosis sounds just like mine... FM, RA, Lupus. Some fun, huh? Not easy to exercise but I find walking is the best for me. And a little toning with 2 lb dumbbells. Don't get me wrong, I am still struggling to lose my 100 extra pounds. Planning your meals is one of the best pieces of advice there is I think. That and writing down everything you eat. You should try that so you can be sure it really is the Prednisone that is preventing you from losing weight.
Good luck at the doctor! Hopefully you can go off or at least cut down on the steroids soon.

hello wannablite, thank you for the advice, I have been able to go back to work with taking the prednisone, I was off work for a month because of a severe flare, and that is when my Dr. perscribed the prednisone. I love my job and hated not working, so if it takes the drug so I can enjoy life and work, well I have mixed feelings, I know I can't stay on it forever, and I'm afraid of the pain and the flares without it.
I have been writting down everything I eat and you are right, that does help control what goes in my mouth...
Well like I said before, Let's see what the doctor says on the 25th, maybe I can start tapering off and see how I do. Keep your fingers crossed.
I take it that you also have the same conditions? I couldn't have just one! NO! I got all three. It does make life interesting, and with alot of new adjustments, Like traveling, WOW, that really kicks me in the butt. I have to have a day when I get to my distination to rest and a day when I return. Flying, now that's something else, boy it just keeps me tense and in knots, to fly.
How does traveling affect you?
Thanks for chatting,Nan from Nashville

I've been posting on the Fibromyalgia board and just now saw this board ... didn't know it was here. I gained a LOT of weight on Prednisone back several years ago ... 56 pounds to be exact. I thought I would NEVER lose that weight. And, as a matter of fact, a little of it still clings yet today. There are so many of those drugs that cause the 'weight gain' side effect and the doctors don't tell us about that until it's too late. We have to dig the information up on our own and when they first gave Prenisone to me, I didn't have a computer so I had no idea it would make me eat everything in sight. I have Rheumatoid and Osteoarthritis as well as Fibromyalgia and have had surgery on both knees so all I needed was a huge weight gain on top of all that.

But ... the Prednisone DOES make the pain go away! So, what to do? If I had the whole thing to do over, I wouldn't take it continuously. I would take it as I do occasionally now ... eight pills one day, 7 the next, then 6,5,4, etc. I, too, have a Dr. in Nashville (At Vanderbilt) and he dispenses it to me like that when I'm having a flare-up. Then, if one week doesn't work, I may take a break and then take it for another week. You can also take a Medrol Dose Pack, instead of the Prednisone. It works about the same way the Prednisone does but isn't quite as strong. I hope this helps.

Hey MEME, You are so right, the prednisone doesn't cause the weight gain but does cause me to be really hungry. Yes it helps with the pain, but now I'm a BIG PAIN !!! I'm **** ON WHEELS, I feel like I could bite someones head off. I even feel like I'm fighting within myself, does that make sense? I'm not me at all......I really want off this stuff, but I'm scare I'll have a flare up and have to stop working again.....I love my job and really need the extra income. I'm going to call my Doctor today and see if I can start tapering off the PILLS from **** !!!! I have gotten to a point where I feel like I'm under control with my conditions. I just hope my doctor agrees. I'll let you know how it goes..Thanks for your advice. Keep in touch. Nan from Nashville.

I've been on prednisone since 1995 because I had a kidney transplant. I'm on 5 MG now every day. I gained a lot of weight on it but I eat a lower carb (not no carb) and restrict salt. The prednisone with the salt just bloats me! And when I get my period....aye ay ay! LOL I want to lose more weight BUT I can't exercise right now. I have a very bad broken bone in my ankle. The prednisone also makes your bones weaker. But I want to keep my kidney so........LOL

Yes, you can exercise. You can do isometrics, Callanetics and deep breathing (called Oxycise) and even upper body weight lifting and leg lifts can be done from a chair. All of those will help build muscle and raise your metabolism. Also, if you will cut out sugar, most of your white flour and drink tons of water it will help with weight loss - and don't eat after dinner at night.

Isometrics (for those who don't know) is simply a technique of tensing, holding and releasing a group of muscles. It builds muscles without actually having to move around and it really works. Callanetics works much the same way but deeper. It's a deep muscle exercise routine developed by a woman named Callan Pinckney. She has a book and tapes you can buy (or get from the library). She has positions you get in and hold for different muscles groups. I once lost 15 inches doing Callanetics so I KNOW that works. I've had 2 knee surgeries and a bad back so if I can do those most people should be able to. There are a lot of the positions I couldn't get into because of my knees so I just skipped them and I still lost the inches. I love Oxycise ... it's painless! You just get in a stretching position, take a deep breath and hold it. It also works. You lose weight, inches and tone up. So there is help out there, you just have to know where to look for it. You can find the Oxycise tapes at http://www.oxycise.com ... I suggest you start out with the first one. That's the best one and the easiest one for people with health problems. You can find Callan Pinckney's tapes and books here: http://www.callanetics.com/booktape.htm ... you can buy a booklet on isometrics here: http://www.trafford.com/robots/02-0449.html . I wish you much luck with your weight loss ... but it takes more than luck. It takes renewed determination each morning when you get out of bed and enough will power to last you all day long everyday ... and even more for those of us with health problems and the added problems of medications. We just have to rise above all the temptations out there and keep reminding ourselves that our lives are not just about the FOOD! I have a 12 week self-improvement program on my site you might like to look at: http://www.memeart.com/12weekhome.html

Just try one or two of the exercise above, gradually, and add a couple of extra bottles of water a day, cut back a little on the amount of food you are eating and see if you don't feel better about yourself in a few weeks! Let me know how you're doing!

I was just going to post a question about Prednisone. Had an asthma attack at the start of the week and the doctor prescribed me a weeks course. Was determined to stay on the diet rather than my usual 'Oh I'll start when I'm off the steroids' stance!

I find the affects of prednisone differ each time I'm on it! The worst affect I get is the raging munchies where all I think/dream about are food and nothing fills me up! I literally can eat until I pop! I just feel bloated this time!!

Having plenty of snacks tends to help and also telling yourself it's the steroids causing the hunger.

Hope you get through this ~ I certainly know what it's like!

Good Luck!

Surely there must be other people here besides LIly and I that are on long term prednisone use. Every time I have to go up in dose even if it is just a little I get so hungry. That's just hard to deal with. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

I have been on and off prednisone and other steroids for FM, asthma, and an as-yet unidentified autoimmune disease (apparently some type of vasculitis/connective tissue disease affecting my sinuses, lungs and the cartilage of my nose. Not enough damage has been done to to identify the particular disease).

Several of my doctors told me that steroids do a triple-whammy on weight loss efforts. It causes excessive, ravenous hunger, as well as fluid retention especially in the face, and it can slow metabolism and trigger or worsen insulin resistance. A lower carb, whole food diet does help me a lot with the hunger, but when I'm on the higher doses it's a struggle just to maintain my weight.

Prednisone isn't something most doctors like prescribing, because it can cause as many health problems as it can alleviate, but when it's the only thing that will help, it's a wonder drug. I definitely have a love-hate relationship with it. On it, I feel great and can resume a semi-productive active life including regular exercise (though I don't get much sleep and am obsessed with food 24/7). Without it, pain, breathing problems and exhaustion are pretty much omni-present, and I feel (and pretty much am)utterly useless.

Thank you so much. I guess it is just nice to know others are dealing with this and need encouragement often. It always amazed me that as kind as doctors can be they just don't seem to offer any help when it comes to prednisone. I lost a lot of weight just before I went on it again. I wish my dr. would have said, "Maybe you should get to Weight Watchers or whatever right away to find a way to control the food obsession." I think anyone put on prednisone should be given some advice right away. I have been on and off it for 30 yr. and told myself I wouldn't go on it again but it was that or dialysis. Recently I thought fiber was helping but when my dose went up it didn't help at all. I think low carb helps but I'm a little afraid of it since my kidneys are affected. Lily is my hero because she lost all that weight and is keeping it off with low carb.

Thanks Carol, but I'm not a hero. Yes, I'm still on prednisone and I struggle to keep my weight off. I did reach my goal and have faltered at times. I'm currently back on plan though and within 2 lbs. of goal again.

I've been continuously on Prednisone for about 5 yrs. now. At times I was on 60-80 mg. a day. Then on 40 mg. daily for a couple yrs. Slowly tapered to 20 mg. daily for a couple yrs. Currently on 10 mg. daily. I have a liver disease that requires me to stay on prednisone to keep the bile salts from rising to the skin causing me horrible rash. I had gained over 50 lbs. since starting prednisone and I wasn't thin to start with. My hepatologist (not so politely) informed me that Prednisone makes you ravenously hungry, but what you choose to put in your mouth is what causes the weight gain. For me he recommended Low Carb as a way for me to lose the weight and it worked. Basically I eat leaner proteins, salads, green veggies and some fruits. I stay mostly away from flour, rice , potatoes, salt, white bread, and sugar. Since I'm also Insulin Resistant, other weight loss methods are not as effective for my body.

I was told by my doctor to walk 20 mins' a day 4 times a week. This was more than I could do to begin with. But, as the weight came off, my exercise tolerance has increased. I'm now exceeding his exercise expectations for me.

So my belief is that though Prednisone does pose an extra challenge for us, it is not impossible to lose weight and enjoy improved health while having to take this medication.