Prednisone and puffiness under eyes
Posted , 15 users are following.
ever since I've been on prednisone, my face and eyes look puffy...like I'm a sick person (which I am, right?). I developed pmr in August 2016 and started pred September 2016. I don't have moon face but my eyes always look "sick". Like I'm suffering from an allergy.
about the same time as the pmr, I developed corneal edema (mild case) and cataracts--never ever had any eye issues before, only wear reading glasses occasionally. (I blame pmr for these issues but that's another story probably). Anyway, yesterday I saw my eye doc and asked about the bags under my eyes...will they go away when I get off prednisone? To my utter amazement, he said no! That once the soft tissue becomes fluid filled, it loses elasticity and won't go away. His solution: ice packs 3-4 times a day for the rest of my days. I sorta started blubbering--not because I'm so vain, it's just that another annoying side effect has befallen me from this whole journey. Yes, I know there are a lot more horrible side effects, but still....he said I could see a plastic surgeon, nope, never.
so today when I saw my gp, I told him my sob story--he concurred--in fact, he, too, had seen a plastic surgeon for bags under his eyes; the plastic surgeon told him the same thing, plus the surgeon said he preferred to never do surgery because it wasn't recommended, he said.
anyone else have puffiness under their eyes? Anyone ever have it go away? Sometimes mine is worse than others, caused by fluid retention from the prednisone. I hope you don't think I'm vain, I'm kind of an earth woman, not much makeup or bling, just curious as to yet another seemingly never-ending turn of events along this pmr journey.
2 likes, 27 replies
anne05078 Twopies
Posted
Hello, I too have puffy eyes and they feel as though I've been crying for a month. Also big fat areas at the side of each corner of eyes. I've noticed they water a lot now too. I was hoping that the fat would go as I decrease steroids, also due to PMR and GCA.
Do you belong to the PMR/GCA Forum ? It's brilliant, and so many ladies with loads of
years experience of both of these diseases. You're so lucky that your PMR didn't turn
to GCA like so many of us it did.
So now I must put cold packs on my eyes to try and help with the swelling. My optician
told me it was fluid. My pressure were up on my last appt. He's checking them again
in December. I worry a lot about my eyes as I lost the sight in my left eye many years
ago due to bacterial meningitis. If high dose of Prednisone isn't used asap once Giant
Cell Arteritis shows it's ugly head, potentially it can cause blindness within 24 hrs.
One lady on the forum went completely blind and a few others have lost the sight in
one eye. So I must be vigilant !! Currently down to 11 mg from 40 mg. The side
affects haven't been at all pleasant. Shaky all day, awful mood swings and grizzly,
nails are all rough and ridges and also have numb toes....that could be due to
Vasculitis
Regards
Anne
Anhaga anne05078
Posted
Anne, do you mean the HealthUnlocked forum? I agree. Lively and interesting!
anne05078 Anhaga
Posted
Yes, Healthunlock are brilliant have helped me so much. I joined the Patient forum yrs ago when I was suffering from Eustachian Tube Dysfunction (blocked ears) However, since taking the Prednisone for Polymyalgia Rheumatica/Giant Cell Arteritis my ears have never been so good. Having suffering ETD for over thirty years I've never managed to have more than a couple of days in a row of relief from it....horrible condition to suffer and that's what caused the meningitis. The mucus sat in the eustachian tube too long, it couldn't drain, and it set up a very bad infection that went to my brain. It was called Pneumacocal (sorry that's spelt incorrectly). That's how I lost the sight in my left eye.
Anne
Anhaga anne05078
Posted
You have had a hard time. I hope you have more good days than bad. ❤️
nancy3k Twopies
Edited
i go on prednisone periodically for Adult Onset Stills Disease. I usually start out on 40-50 mg and then very slowly reduced until I am off. This is the longest I have been on and I have puffiness under my eyes for the first time ever. I also have discoloration under my eyes. It looks really bad!!! I was searching the web to find that side effect and finally found this site. I have other side effects that are not listed...like very sensitive teeth, especially to cold water or cold air. But I have been very concerned about my eyes because this never happened before. I am very hopeful regarding the responses you have gotten. Thank you for posting this side effect. My normally very thin face looks better with a little puffiness LOL but not my eyes.
The prednisone has definitely ages me. My skin everywhere in my body now looks like I am 100 years old!!! Prednisone is a miracle drug but the side effects are terrible.
Anhaga nancy3k
Posted
You may find that taking a Vitamin K2 supplement will help your sensitive teeth. Would take a few months. I find my teeth have gradually become less sensitive over the time I've been taking Vitamin K2 (part of my effort to maintain good bones).
Twopies nancy3k
Edited
hey, hang in there. im at 6 1/2 mg pred and my eye puffiness has all but disappeared! on bad days when im bloated or have my usual bout of severe allergies, the puffiness comes back but for the most part, the bags are gone. best to you! (sorry for the delay in responding--most of the time this forum doesnt recognize my passwords, so irritating. ive given up on it, used to be my go to place for help,
nancy3k Twopies
Posted
thank you for that good news!!! It gives me hope!
Guest nancy3k
Edited
Hi Nancy3k!
I know your post is older, but can you tell me if your eye puffiness has gone down in the meantime after tapering pred and how long it lastet?
I developed also puffiness (from water retention) under my eyes while taking a very high dose of prednisolone for 17 days in January for vestibular neuritis (it doesn´t work). Eye bags are still there after 7 months and I suffer also a lot, because before I had like you never ever swollen eyes and now I look always ill, ugly and much older.
It´s definitely due to prednisolone (after eating a lot of salty food, no doctor told me to avoid salt and carbs) and I have also had this confirmed by several doctors. Some say it could last 6 to 12 months, so I still hope.... but mine have worsened a lot in May (now I have double eye bags) and also now again during great summer heat. I am afraid, that it could stay forever and that I have to avoid sun and heat for my whole life.
I will now try lymphatic drainage, special diet didn´t help.
Would be happy to hear from you!
Many greetings from Germany!
nancy3k Twopies
Posted
i have been on and off Prednisone for 10 years. but for well over a year I have not been off.
For the first time my face gets red and puffy and I have under eye swelling (eye bags). At first I thought maybe my face lotion (for extra sensitive skin) was causing it or the mask (due to Covid19) was causing it... but I changed lotion and sometime do not need to go anywhere, so I don't use the mask for over a week. No change. I am very upset by my eyes looking like I have bags. Although I am old enough to develop bag, this does not run in my family. My parents never had them and my 94 year old aunt doesn't have them.
Wondering if a natural diuretic tea might help. has anyone tried anything like that?
Anhaga nancy3k
Posted
Why don't you head over to HealthUnlocked, where nearly all of us have gone when this forum became difficult to use and follow. The PMRGCAuk community.
EileenH nancy3k
Posted
Have you tried cutting carbs and salt - particularly in processed foods? Both carbs and salt tend to cause fluid retention, especially when you are on pred and several on the HU forum Anhaga mentions say that helps the puffy face problem - I hide mine behind my glasses, especially sunglasses.
And a link you might find useful:
https://healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk
See you there