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Pmr and cushiongoid

Posted , 12 users are following.

Crystalcave
Crystalcave

hi all, over the last few months I had a really bad flare so had to increase my pred to 21 mg. The flare eventually went away and I am gradually reducing again, currently on 14 mg.  I decided to split my dose and found it worked better for me.  Unfortunately I have put weight on ( my diet hasn't changed, I'm very careful) and my face feels puffy a lot of the time.  I have read a little about being cushiongoid and wondered if a anyone else has suffered from this aweful side effect of being on steroids.

0 likes, 22 replies

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  • diana21296
    diana21296 Crystalcave

    Posted

    Try cutting out sugar, salt, caffeine and only have very little bread.  Lots of water and herbal teas, fruit, protein and veg.  Nothing processed. This will help the weight.
  • EileenH
    EileenH Crystalcave

    Posted

    Weight gain and a puffy face isn't being Cushingoid - it is far more than that! On Medrol I did become Cushingoid with a delightful dark beard, typical Cushingoid features and massive weight gain. It hadn't happened with prednisolone and it went away with a form of prednisone. Everyone is different.

    It isn't a case of thinking "but my diet hasn't changed" - you probably NEED to change your diet when you are on pred. Steroids change the way your body processes carbohydrates so restricting them, especially processed foods and sugar, does seem to have helped quite a few people on the forums. Some didn't put on weight in the first place and others have been able to lose weight. For me it was a combination of changing to a different form of corticosteroid that worked better for me and allowed me to reduce the dose steadily and reducing my carbohydrate intake drastically. 

    • Crystalcave
      Crystalcave EileenH

      Posted

      Hi Eileen, when I say my diet hasn't changed, I'm diabetic so have to watch what I eat anyway.  I'm just saying I haven't been ' pigging out' to gain the weight.  My face is the worst really, just feels so puffy.  I know it will go eventually, but it's just uncomfortable.  It's interesting to hear other people's comments, and I thank you for yours, always so informative.
    • ptolemy
      ptolemy Crystalcave

      Posted

      Crystal, It is rotten having a puffy face. When I was first diagnosed I heard that cutting out gluten and simple carbs would stop the moon face. It did actually work in my case. I also found that I had to reduce the amount I ate to stay the same weight, as steroids seem hell bent on making you gain weight!
    • EileenH
      EileenH Crystalcave

      Posted

      I know that's what you meant - what I meant was that part of what I had to do to avoid the puffiness was changing my diet.

      And as ptolemy says - you may not have been "pigging out" but the horrid truth remains that it is still possibly more than your body wants now with pred in the mix. I eat very little - I should be losing more weight, other people would. Life ain't fair.

    • Anhaga
      Anhaga Crystalcave

      Posted

      I'm underweight, haven't really gained back anything since starting pred, but even so my naturally round face, which had become what I thought was pleasantly sculpted when I was starving pre-pred, is now back to its usual roundness,   Flesh certainly does seem to redistribute itself after a few weeks on pred!
    • Elijo
      Elijo Anhaga

      Posted

      Lucky you with no weight gain!  My appetite has increassed, but I'm so careful now and have tried to cut most carbs out.  My weight gain goes from 4 - 6 lbs. apprex. but I can't let it get out of control.
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