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Overcoming Prednisone Obesity

Posted , 13 users are following.

ricky23486
ricky23486

I finally forced myself on to the scales after nearly 2 and a half years of total denial and stubborn refusal........ and was horrified to find that I have gained nearly 3 stone since I began taking prednisone at the onset of  Pmr.  Clearly I have been eating myself into a roly poly Michelin lady..... but  3 stone!   I now understand why I look and feel like a beached whale......   so in a couple of hours I have an appointment with a physician / naturopath who will probably put me on a diet of lettuce leaves.......  oh well.....  maybe I will overcome....or maybe not....  I do so love to eat :-(

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  • FlipDover_Aust
    FlipDover_Aust ricky23486

    Posted

    You lucky girl!!!

    I've managed to gain 40kg (6 stone???) in three years!

    I simply can NOT convince myself to DECIDE to fix it. I feel completely over whelmed by the idea of having to deprive myself for a year to get back to a normal weight!

    I tried "paleo" for a while last year - for the health benefits - but I did manage to lose a few kilos over a couple of months. But cripes, it's so hard - so time consuming. I just don't have it in me by the time I work full time and have a life (four daughters and 3.5 grand daughters!)

    I KNOW what I have to do, i just can't get my head in the right place - even seeking help though a pyscologist that specialises in pain management.

    • Silver49
      Silver49 FlipDover_Aust

      Posted

      Good to see you back. I can understand what you are saying. I once read that as we get older it's better to carry some extra weight. I told my now retired GP. He said he liked that as he was carrying quite a bit of extra weight. My grandchildren say I'm nice and cuddly. There's always a positive.

    • EileenH
      EileenH Silver49

      Posted

      The consensus is that a BMI of 27.5 or thereabouts is the level that is best for over 65s. But even that is in my dreams! I lost a load but am totally stuck at present - without giving up even that which I have so to speak!
    • Silver49
      Silver49 EileenH

      Posted

      Thank you,Eileen, I spend my time kidding myself that I need the extra to fight any illness. I certainly don't need the amount I have. There have been times in my life when I needed the extra but I wasn't carrying the amount I am now and looked more unwell when I lost weight that I shed through illness. 

    • sandy08116
      sandy08116 Silver49

      Posted

      Agree. My six-year-old grandchild (now 25) also said grandma you are too skinny. Grandmas should be fat and cuddly. I will do anything for her!! And have! Put on a tonne (with GCA) and told doctor I can't stop eating everything in sight even though tastebuds are shot. Doctor says blame it on prednisone and not to worry - appetite will decrease in time. 

    • FlipDover_Aust
      FlipDover_Aust sandy08116

      Posted

      Unfortunately 40kg will not fall off without serious effort on my part!!

      I feel like this is another blow - first a chronic illness and now morbid obesity. Competely unfair both of them!

    • Rimmy
      Rimmy FlipDover_Aust

      Posted

      There are so many good ideas and much encouragement on this thread - but the one thing that really helped me when I first got the diagnosis and realised I'd have to take Pred -(although rather horrified at all the possible side effects) was that I may be able to control just ONE thing - ie my weight.

      I've always been on the heavy side - even as a child  -so I have struggled like most women have done with various diets and yoyoing weight throughout my life. Anyway I gave up on all that and threw the scales out when I was about 55 (a decade ago) and my weight actually stabilised - but I was still in the 'overweight' range. Anyway I didn't care as I was completely 'over it' and the incentive to constantly worry about it was gone !!

      This changed when I found I had PMR/GCA though as I realised that diabetes and big weight increases could be looming. So I took the low carb advice - (strangely one 'diet' I had never tried -I must have done ALL the others) and it has worked really well. I went from 89 to 78kgs - I am tall and now have a 26 BMI - which I am reasonably happy with. Like others have mentioned here if I eat too many carbs my weight will creep back up but since hitting this point it seems to have stabilised - even with a few 'treats' now and then. This approach to eating is pretty good as you can consume mountains of veg and a reasonable amount of protein and fat. I eat a bowl of full fat greek yogurt in the morning - an egg and one slice of toast round lunchtime (we have our own pampered chooks) and often a big stirfry with fish or chicken for dinner. Think the 'secret' is to eat large amounts of veg (not much fruit) and after a few days you will start to crave vegetables even more.  

      Aside from at last being anywhere near a 'healthy' BMI for my age ( I use the 'Smart BMI' range which is also age related) I have at last felt some sense of 'control' over this rotten and yes 'UNFAIR' disease !! - which has lifted my spirits when a lot of other stuff has felt chaotic.  

      Best wishes to everyone

      Rimmy

    • EileenH
      EileenH Rimmy

      Posted

      It has been said in the last year or so that the ideal BMI for over 65s (not sure if you are there yet but I am nearly there) if 27.5-ish.

      Haven't got there yet - I've gone back above the lowest I got to but seem to be stuck here. At least it is stuck in both directions - don't have too much trouble going up now. Just going down is a "fail"!!

    • Rimmy
      Rimmy EileenH

      Posted

      'Near enough' is really close enough I reckon Eileen - we ARE human !!

      X

    • Silver49
      Silver49 Rimmy

      Posted

      I like the way you have worded this. It's the bit about control. I shall think of it in a different way. Thank you

    • Silver49
      Silver49 sandy08116

      Posted

      I can say it definitely decreases but it's dropping the bad habits that is the difficulty following the increased appetite.

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