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New to PMR concerned about the prednisone side effects

Posted , 11 users are following.

Woodrow
Woodrow

At 56 I came down with this condition.  Quite active with biking and paddle surfing.  Not being able to rollover in bed in the morning with out serious pain was a shock.  The prednisone has helped around 80% after 3 weeks, 20 mg.  Looking to reduce dose Asap to limit negative consequences, diabetes, etc. etc   Not sure my doctors (GP) are familiar with this to any degree.   Thanks to everyone for shareing the journey.

0 likes, 23 replies

23 Replies

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  • Nan7849
    Nan7849 Woodrow

    Posted

    Hi! I am 71 and just Started PMR in the middle of Jan this year. I am now on Prednisone 15 mg. I was very concerned about hair loss and weight gain.

    I met a friend who is with PMR for two years and she said watch what you eat and drink lots of water. She never noticed hair loss.

    My question is anyone else out there with same conclussion as my friend has?

    • EileenH
      EileenH Nan7849

      Posted

      Watching your intake of carbohydrates is very important to avoid weight gain. The big advantage of drinking water is that it has no sugar in it! 

      I didn't lose hair while on prednisolone and now on prednisone - in fact it is back as thick as it ever was. I did find that it went very frizzy when I was put on Medrol and it didn't grow as it usually does but it went back to normal once I stopped the Medrol.

    • Nan7849
      Nan7849 EileenH

      Posted

      That sounds more like her feedback was.

      I do know that many people who put certain subjects on blogs can also blow all subjects like hair loss and weight gain over and beyond.

      I plan on staying fit with excersise andhave a positive outlook, and yes drink lots of water.

      Let's keep positive!!

    • sharon35553
      sharon35553 Nan7849

      Posted

      Hi Nan,

      Ive been on pred for 13 months, definitely seeing hair loss, I have thick shoulder legnth hair and it started thinning after about 5 months of taking the pred. Currently at 10 mil a day, some days 12&1/2 and I did have to go up to 15 a few times then tapered slowly down. Its an up and down game at times but its what we must do.

      As for eating I gained about 10 lbs but was only 100 to begin with so feel better with the extra lbs, my face on the other hand gained fullness and everyone notices it but other than that I do watch my carbs now and drink water more often. Every reacts differently to the pred and some have no reactions at all.

      Good luck to you,

      Sharon

    • EileenH
      EileenH sharon35553

      Posted

      You do have to bear in mind though that that 5 month delay in hair problems could well be the illness rather than starting to take pred to manage it. 
    • Nan7849
      Nan7849 sharon35553

      Posted

      You could be right and I spoke to my beautician who told me she very seldom notices it from the medication! I have always been concerned about balding and severe hair loss because I am also a beautician from years ago.

      My one friend is on blood pressure med and noticed it but her family also inherited hair loss.

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