So, Ive been back on steroids this past week for my RA and I am retaining tons of fluids. I have stayed on this WOE but those darn steroids add the water weight! ugh! I'm thinking of just dropping out of the BL challenge that I am doing as my doc said I may need to take steroids again later this month if the joint swelling is still there and it isnt fair to them if I'm not losing and if I actually gain. While it isnt really weight gain I'm experiencing it still makes you feel like your gaining and it shows up on the scale. Maybe I will do like some of you and forget about the scale for a while!

Oh, steroids are so evil. I'm sorry you are stuck dealing with them long-term. Putting the scale away sometimes helps me when I can't control the number. Not always, but sometimes.

I'm so sorry, Leslie. It sucks that you have to take those and that you have to deal with such a painful disease.

I really empathize with the frustration of water weight gain too. Still can't take my wedding rings off to save my life and my eyes are all puffy. It's so uncomfortable to be carrying those extra pounds of water.

I guess you can look forward to the time when those water pounds will whoosh off at least....

I think it would be the smartest thing to do, to just put the scale away for a couple of months until your body gets back to normal.

I'm curious, does your doctor check your blood Vitamin D levels? I read something that said there was a real strong link between RA and Vitamin D being too low. That people had fewer flares when they had good levels of Vitamin D and that the RDA as it stands now is way too low. I dunno. If you google it I think you'll be able to find articles on it if you are interested.

Hope you feel better soon!

I'm sorry you're up against steroids. It would be very hard not to get discouraged in the face of that. Maybe you're right about dropping the challenge for a while, since you have enough pressure as it is. Give yourself a little break, until you are steroid-free.

[QUOTE=HealthierLori;3139920I'm curious, does your doctor check your blood Vitamin D levels? I read something that said there was a real strong link between RA and Vitamin D being too low. That people had fewer flares when they had good levels of Vitamin D and that the RDA as it stands now is way too low. I dunno. If you google it I think you'll be able to find articles on it if you are interested.

Hope you feel better soon![/QUOTE]



Thanks Lori! oh yeah.....I'm way ahead of you on the vitamin D lol my vitamin D level is low and i take vitamin D3 but no it really doesnt help the RA symptoms. Most people in the US have low vitamin D levels cause of how the sun is positioned but also cause when we ARE out in the sun we use sunscreen. People living in Costa Rica for instance get more vitamin D from the sun than we do. I wish vitamin D was the answer to my feeling better but it isnt .....although I will continue to take it as my body doesnt absorb like it should. Wintertime is always hardest on my RA .....i feel better in warmer weather! Cant wait for spring!

Thanks so much!

Shoot, that really blows that you have to use steroids...I'm guessing prednisone? What a bummer when you're on a diet.

How long are you usually on them each time? Including the weaning-off period? And do you normally drop a lot of water weight when you stop them?

You know, I remember learning that steroids can cause diabetics to mobilize and release sugar into the bloodstream and raise their blood sugar. But I don't think that applies to non-diabetics...though not totally sure. However, if I think about it, we shouldn't have any stores of glycogen to mobilize any more...so maybe it wouldn't be an issue anyway.

I would definitely bail out on the challenge. I agree....why even aggravate yourself? You have enough to deal with, being on Atkins and on steroids. The last thing you need when trying to lose weight is any negativity surrounding it...as little as possible.....in order to stay positive and motivated. Totally not worth risking it bumming you out and then discouraging you or even putting you in any sort of negative mode, IMO.

deena

Thanks Deena! yes its prednisone and I just had to take them for a few days. I have a love/hate relationship with them...as they make it where I can function more but then they pack on the fluid and sometimes weight.

Yeah...diabetics have to be careful with steroids and even non-diabetics can end up on insulin short term because of steroids. Thankfully, I've never had that problem even when I wasnt doing Atkins.

I think I will drop out of the challenge. You are right...I dont need be in a negative mode. I'm sure they will understand. I just dont even wanna face the scale right now....it takes my body a while to get back on track after prednisone. Meanwhile I'm glad I'm not carbing out like I did before!

I read recently that the link between autoimmune diseases and low vitamin D levels may actually have more to do with the autoimmune diseases causing the vitamin D deficiency than the other way around.

Probably so...or the fact that those of us with RA, lupus, fibro, or other just aren't as active as others and in the sun as much cause of what were are enduring. Still, most people in the US are vitamin D deficient. I think everyone should be checked in a routine physical exam.

Hi Leslie,

So sorry you have to take steroids. Hope you feel better!

Toby