Losing weight, or trying thereof

Hi Debbie, no it's not a stupid question. Weight increase is one of the side effects of prednisolone but having said that it doesn't effect all of us and even if it does weight reduction can be achieved, it's just hard work!

i was already about 3 stone over weight pre PMR but I have not gained a pound whilst on it. I've not suffered from the increase in appetite which is a side effect of pred. However, I am trying to lose this additional 3 stone whilst on preds and so far I have lost 9 pounds! I have slightly smaller portions, have drastically reduced my carb intake, although I do still have carbs but only 1 per day, so if fir example I have bread at lunch time I cannot have any potatoes, rice or pasta for my evening meal. And, I have cut back on all processed carbs, eg, cake. I also am sort of doing the 5:2 diet in that if I have breakfast I do not eat again until evening meal, and on the other days I have brunch, and evening meal.

also, I am exercising everyday. Walk the day everyday and bop around the house for about half an hour to my favourite music every other day.

however, I'm more concerned about your existing pain levels whilst on 18mgs. What has your tapering regime been like since your diagnosis of PMR? GCA? One and a half years ago. Regards, christina 

Hallo Debbie.  Many, many put on weight (even more than you have). The weight doesn't necessarily stay on as long as you take Pred.  I was one of the lucky ones.  I only put on 4 kgs in the first 2 years and, after that I LOST 10 kgs.  So keep hoping!

Most try cutting down on calories and snacks, but it often results in yo-yoing. Eileen will be along to suggest you try the low carb diets.  Many have had great success with those.

Good luck!

 

And Eileen is along to suggest low carb too!

I've lost nearly 40lbs by drastically cutting carbs. I didn't eat a massive amount anyway but I still put on weight - first because I couldn't exercise properly because of the PMR in the 5 years I had it before it was diagnosed and I was given prednisolone. Then the weight stayed about the same, maybe a couple of pounds more, but it redistributed itself to my face and middle, typical pred weight places. Then I was put on Medrol and the weight went on bigtime! 

I was later put onto prednisone and then tried to lose weight but despite being on maybe 1100 calories I really struggled. Then I cut carbs A LOT and since then I have lost weight even though still on pred. I'm now down to 5mg - but even now, if I eat more carbs than usual I don't lose weight that month. Like Christina I have cut all processed carbs out - anything in a package basically - and almost no bread, pasta, rice,  potatoes. Salad leaves and veggies that grow above ground and only small portions of meat and fish, not more than 4oz is the right size portion. The lack of carb also helps the cravings for food - there are fewer peaks in your blood sugar that trigger insulin which makes the blood sugar fall and create a yoyo pattern with blood sugars so you feel hungry, eat something sweet, then the blood sugar falls again - rinse and repeat!

But as someone else has said - if it is PMR you are supposed to have and 18mg isn't managing your pain fairly well I'd be asking if it really is PMR you have. The PMR we talk about here should be managed by 15-20mg as a starting dose and then you reduce slowly to find the lowest dose that gives the same result. It should be much more like 10mg or less. 

How are you trying to cut down the pred and what is the pain problem you have?

Hi Debbie

Yes - I have put on wieght - no I haven't lost it yet... still on pred. - down to 8,75mg now so I am getting there slowly!

I am one of the ones that have cut out the carbs. the low carb/high fat diet works for me, I lost 3 kg but now I am stuck there.

It does make me think that if I hadn't changed my diet I would probably have put on more weight than I have. I have the moon face and the bloated sensation - lovely!! but I am living in hope that it will gradually disappear as my pred. dose gets lower/stops?

So I have dropped bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, white sugar -I eat more leafy greens and lots of full fat - butter, cheeses, yoghurt - and eggs, meat, fish.

Good luck. 

I have gained 35 lbs. (16kg) in 1 year. 17% weight gain

1 year ago, worked out every day, road bike 20 miles.

Then PMR.

Even with prednisone, fatigue, some ache, but sedentary. 

Is prednisone the real culprit here, or is it my sedentary lifestyle brought on by these symptoms, without drastic reduction in caloric intake? Does the prednisone change blood sugar, affecting the gut nervous system to trigger eating in excess of caloric needs?

Your case sounds just like mine.  On pred for year and a half and have

gained about 25 lbs.  Pretty discouraging.......I don't diet but I don't

stuff myself either.  I can't get in any of my old clothes and a friend

that went through pred regimen swears I'll lose most of it when I can

get off or way down in dosage.  Actually I'm losing a little weight.

I had a horrible long lasting bout with sciatica and had to put the

dosage way back up.  My sed rate went back up to 60.   So doc

put dose up to l7mg.   I've lost a little (5 lbs, then 2lbs) when I went

in for blood test.   I don't know....seems every day is trick or treat

with this disease and dealing with it.....never know what's going to

happen......Let me know what works for you.....

Thanks for the words of support - they help.  I had gotten down to 10mg but then had pneumonia and jumped up high in SED rate and terrible leg/back/shoulder pain.  I am having such a trouble reducing since then (last Jan.).  On 18mg my legs and arms are hurting; on 20 I felt pretty good.  I feel hopeless, but will stick it out somehow.  My dr's method of reducing is interesting: 20 one night/16 the next for two weeks, then 20 one night/15 the next for two weeks and so on until I'm taking 15mg combined total.  Then I see him again.  I hope I can do it.

I have tried hard to have at least one salad a day, but I'm not fond of it!  I'm into comfort food for my depression, I guess.  So, for now, I think I'll just keep the calories down and see what happens.  Today I walked around the half acres yard a couple of times with the dogs and hope I can keep that up, too, along with my usual homemaking and errand running and volunteering!  I feel like I try hard to do what I like and what is good for me, but feel like it comes to sadness at the end of the day.  I'm sure my emotions make my pain feel worse.  Round and round it goes.

Thank you Eileen and Christine and all of you, good to get feedback.  I printed out the slow reduction and will try it, despite the dr.  I think he will be ok with it, if it can get me down on the pred.  I didn't think I am overdoing things, but maybe I am.  I lie down on the couch to rest many times in the day.  My activities are such that I'm doing something in town about 4 mornings a week, just one thing, like shopping on this day, volunteering on this day, group therapy, and so on.  Sundays, like today, I just help my 92 year old mom to get a lunch for my brother who comes over.  I do some for my mom who lives with me, take her to dr's, etc.  (and so does my brother).  If I didn't do stuff, I would get very down and think too much about my pain, so what to do?  My mom and I have one luxury: we have a friend who comes twice a month to clean the whole house!  Ahhh, that is nice!  Now I just need someone who can shop for us!