Ok...I GIVE, weight gain (4 me) seems inevitable

Posted , 14 users are following.

Hi folks. I help, words of advice, but mostly some words of encouragement! I'm finally coming to terms with the fact that I will most definitely gain weight on prednisone. I've been kinda a Carb Junkie my entire life, more so starches than outright sugar, but still. Anyway, fortunately and very thankfully it's never been a problem for me weight wise. However, over the past few weeks, I've gained 13lbs!!! I KNOW!! Odd thing though, my clothes have gotten looser and it's really only showing on my face, arms and of course the scale! Since I'm not a big veggie eater, and CRAVE my breads and taters....well, I'm just not sure what to do. Should I expect more lbs? I can deal with what I've got now, but sure don't want to "balloon up"! Help, and please be Gentle!😕

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  • Posted

    I've said this before and will say it again.  When you crave food it's often because your gut microbes are telling you what to eat.  A few days, a week, ten days, something like that, of simply not eating anything which feeds those critter, but instead eating loads of things which are very healthy, packed with fibre (kale salad anyone?). Eat protein, healthy fats, lots of leafy vegetables and a few fresh fruits, like an orange a day, and no "white" carbs (no sugar, no grains, even whole grains for a few days, sorry this has to be done) this strictness for only a few days should actually rebalance the gut ecosystem so that your cravings subside.  Then you can judiciously introduce a small amount of whole grains but always best to avoid sweets and white carbs except for the rare and truly special times, not as a daily treat.

    • Posted

      Thx Anhaga, you definitely are right! In fact, everyone on this whole dang forum is Right! It's me. I'm the one standing in my own way as far as getting with the eating program. It's just Very different than how I've lived my whole life and not had to worry about it. In case you don't know, I also have Crohn's disease, so my digestive system is already often messed up! Not fun. I'm confident I'll get my mindset turned 'round, just need to be patient with myself. I'm my own worst critic! Btw...I'd asked this before but haven't received any answers. Since it took a few months, and it happened quickly (2 wks), is this weight gain something I can keep looking forward to, or perhaps was that it?? Also, what about the baggy clothes even w/weight gain? Very confusing to me!

    • Posted

      No answer lynda - some people will just keep gaining, others will gain some and then not gain more. In 2 months I'd suspect there is a lot of fluid retention contributing to that weight gain but even that isn't certain.

    • Posted

      A little bit of a tangent, perhaps, but in conversation this morning my companion remarked that she'd heard that sugar addiction is a thing, and harder to break than cocaine addiction!  So you may need more than "willpower" to overcome your desire for carbs.  That's why I suggested you try to depersonalize the issue.  It's not your fault, don't blame yourself.  But what you can do is get to the root cause of your cravings and cut off the supply.  it's like when Eileen describes a pred dose being just a little too low, and like a dripping tap filling a bucket to overflowing, so the gradual build up of inflammation eventually overflows and causes return of symptoms.  Just so, trying to curb the weight gain by limiting carbs won't really work because you will only be overwhelmed by the craving again.  You have to cut off the supply altogether, just for a few days, so that the microbes which are demanding the perpetual carb feast themselves become outnumbered by creatures which prefer a healthier diet.

      When I started pred I was really worried about pred weight gain, plus my blood sugar rose quite dramatically quite soon, and from nearly the beginning I cut out all carbs.  It astonished me how much my diet had relied on wheat in various forms.  I made sure to eat plenty of protein and vegetables and never felt deprived.  During the winter of my first year on pred I found myself craving leafy green salads, and was thrilled to find a little prepackaged kit available at our local market.  I didn't use the enclosed dressing, just olive oil and vinegar, and a day without something like that being part of my supper seems incomplete.  It had never crossed my mind that I would ever crave something like leafy greens!  But as I have read more, and learned something about the microbes in our gut and the importance of prebiotics (fibre) and fermented foods I begin to understand.  My gut is now populated by creatures which want leafy green vegetables, and I do not feel virtuous, or deprived, or anything like that, if I eat them.  I still like the taste of something sweet at the end of a meal, but even a small square of dark chocolate is more than enough.  

    • Posted

      Thank you Anhaga, that's good info. and I too have heard that sugar is more of an addiction problem than cocaine! Who Knew?? I grew up in the late 60's and 70's and never did drugs. Who'd of thought I'd now be struggling in my 60's with an addiction?😭 Anyway, I'm gonna try harder to turn my mindset around as quickly as possible! Ughhh..."keep on swimming, swimming, swimming"!

    • Posted

      I know.  I was never going to get sick.  I was going to be as healthy as could be until I died peacefully in my sleep at a very advanced age.cool  Funny how things don't work out as planned!

    • Posted

      Me too! I was never going to get sick. I was going to be one of those people running around, fit and healthy, never have a hospital appointment and live to a ripe old age! I tell my fit and healthy friends and family to enjoy the moment as we don’t know what’s around the corner...!
    • Posted

      Amen to all of us!! There really IS something to be said for the saying "live in th the moment, embrace the present", we JUST don't know what's around the corner, (both BAD and GOOD)! That's not to say we should disregard the future, it's just we're not promised tomorrow! Oh boy....such philosophic info. on an early Wednesday morning!! 😁?

    • Posted

      Oh yes!  And I forgot to add that I would still be in full possession of all  my faculties!
    • Posted

      You my dear Anhaga, are in full possession of your faculties. Anyone with a good sense of humor usually is! Keep me laughing!!
    • Posted

      Definitely! Every faculty fully intact and functioning at top speed. 

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