prednisone weight loss | Arthritis Information

I have been on prednisone for a long time and in that time I have gained 80 lbs. I have modified my eating and still gaining weight, I know this extra weight gain has added more stress to my joints already bombarded with RA. Has anyone had lapband surgery? I am hopefully, now being tapered off of the preds and need to lose this weight. Any one out there had lap band? I know this is your own personal experience, but just to get an idea of what to expect and your progress. I also have MS, and when I try to do some kind of activity my body temperature increases which then I get an exerbation. So, I am hoping that medical intervention will help me to lose this steroid weight. Or if you know any real websites I can go to for info. Thanks in advance.

Smhiles

I went off of Predisone this year after taking it for about 6 years and I lost 70lbs. The doctor told me I would lose weight but never expected this. My apetite changed as I was going off the med.

Thanks

Carlene

I've been on prednisone for two years now, but I'm hoping to stay at 5mg from now on. I had to go back up to 15 this past winter and it took forever to taper back down. I'm also on weekly humira and injected mtx.

I can't believe how much weight I gained, I think about 35 pounds -- I had already gained about 20 pounds on mtx when I took it orally.

Anyway, when I re-started the mtx, I got nauseated and lost about 15 pounds. Then, when I was back down to 5 mg on the prednisone, I joined Weight Watchers. Its been one month and I've lost another 11.4 pounds.

I have trouble with exercise because of pain, so I was worried I wouldn't lose the weight, but its actually coming off pretty easily now that I'm down on my pred. dose.

Hope everything is working out for you.

Jennifer

I have been on large amounts of prednisone for four years now. I am finally on thirty mg a day and I am now loosing weight. I had gained almost one hundred pounds from the constant IV bombarbment and oral bombardment. I have lost 85 of that over the last two years slowly. I use the Nutrisystem diet about three to four days a week and it has taken the weight off slowly but surely in spite of the prednisone. My desire to eat with the prednisone is lower now. hope hat helps

Thanks for all of the input from you guys, I really appreciate it. I have finally been tapered to 5 mg of prednisone, and on rituxan and 13 other meds (multiple chronic illnesses). I am trying to get my dh to get me a treadmill or elliptical so I can workout w/low impact to use on my good days, since, I don't leave the house much at all. I hope I can lose the weight like you guys did, you are an inspiration! Keep up the good work!

Smhile Hi,I was on pred for over 15 years and my weight seemed to yo-yo.
I really tried hard to curb my eating as I am quite short in height and would look terrible.
I went up to a UK size 16 at one point and I looked completly awful.
I have been off them now for 2 years and I am now a UK size 6.
I do feel a lot better in myself,I would give yourself sometime before having any surgery and just see how your body changes.
Good LuckI lost 38 pounds since starting Pred, MTX and other meds but I think the reason I lost weight instead of gaining it was I started eating a lot of Fat Free Giant Brand Yogart. 120 Calories each I eat six a day and drink more water than I did before. I stopped all fast food no more McDonalds / Burger King. I can no longer exercise so my activity level is very low but so far the weight has stayed off for the past year. I look better than before the RA started but feel very bad always in pain all joints in hands are swollen red and twisted. Just started Remicade hope it kicks in soon.

Bearbeall Hi Smhile, wow I understand how you may feel. That's the problem with steroids they just make you "blow up"... I just got off prednisone also 5 mg (low dose) and lost about 11 pounds -- now I need to lose more of my stomach -- you know one other side efect of this drug is an extended stomach -- I never had a stomach before I started taking this med. So I do sit ups when I can, use a hula-hoop, water aerobics is very refreshing and is "low impact", walking is good for anything.

Thanks

My Rhumie put me on Prednisone for the RA. The thing I didn't like about the medication was that it put a tremendous amount of weight on me. That is the weight I haven't been able to take off. From what I understand, there are a lot of different side effects to this medication. Dotti51 [QUOTE=smhiles]

Smhiles

Have you read the free report Julianne Kennedy is giving away at her site? It's for morbidly obese people considering Weight Loss Surgery considering Lap Band Surgery. but it’s really IN-YOUR-FACE to non-obese people. She kind of attacks them or society at large for persecuting the obese. I'm 'big' so I really enjoyed it - LOL - she says all the things I want to say but don't have the nerve to. Anyway, its a really good argument she makes about why modern society is setup for obese people to fail, she gives 7 reasons which are very strong. I had to give my email address to get the report but I thought it was good, its here if you want to read it: http://www.weight-loss-surgery-secrets.com/controversial/fre e_wls_report.htm

Wow I was wondering if the prednisone was causing this bloated stomach!

It looks like those pictures of starving children they used to show you.

My appetite is out of control. It's not even that- even when I'm full, stuffed even- I feel compelled to put more food in my face.

I have polymyalgia reumatica diagnosed in July of 07. When I first went on the pred I was ravenous and when dh made a comment about trying to control what I ate I told him that if there was food behind him and if I had to knock him over and step on his throat to get to it I would. I had just finished losing 25 lbs when I was put on the pred and I have gained that back plus another 15. Very discouraging. I finaly surrounded myself with tons of raw vegies and fruit and got things back under control and I am not constantly searching for something to eat now. I have reduce the pred to 10 mgs but have such a lot of work to do when I am finished.

Wishing you all lots of luck.

Hello all. This is my first time at this but I thought it might help. I have had JRA/RA since I was 8. I am now 33 and my husband and I are trying to have a baby. My dr. has taken me off methotrexate and enbrel and put me on prednisone. I have gained about 10-15lbs and I miserable. I try to exercise when I am not in pain but its rough. I guess my question is, does anyone have experience with pregnancy and RA??? Hi i take prednisone and remicade and i have put a lot of weight on and i am glad that you are losing the weight on the Nutrisystem plan and i have to go on a diet also so i am thinking about going on it too. So i hope i can do this. Lynn.I to put 50 lbs on this past year from predisone. Sometimes I swear the god I get very sore muscles from the predisone. Can this be? All I am on is predisone 20mg for 2 years now and percoset 5mg thats all they give me cause I am allery to all the meds they have trying. So this is it for me I guess. JoanHello,
Have also COPD, diagnosed in 99, was able to finally shed 30 lbs last year. For muscle pain (muscle spasms) I take Magnesium and Potassium. Keeping active (have to push myself) also helps me alot. If you have access to a Pulmonary Rehab Program, try it, had a total positive affect on me. Please contact me if you wish to exchange more info. Also would appreciate learning anything you have done with positive effects...thank you and

Take care and better breathing to you...

First off, think about the lifestyle chage you will have to make if you did get lapband surgery... you have to cut out the bad for you foods then anyway... and can only eat tiny portions, so I figure, just do that part without the surgery. That is what some docs say anyway. I get how frustrating weight gain is too... when anyone asks about that to docs on show like Dr. Oz on Oprah, etc... they always say,well there isnt much you can do when on pred. I wish they would take on that issue and chronic illness in general!!

But... I have trouble too... I have been on Pred. for 12plus years... and gained about 35 lbs. When I tapered to a lower level, I actually gained 10 lbs in ONE month!!

Anyway, has anyone else NOT lost weight after tapering down?

YES! Even when I got down to 2 mgs and I no longer had the appetite the stubborn weight would not come off!

Now I'm back up to 10 mgs and the appetite is back and well....I refuse to step on a scale.

I've taken prednisone but only in a week or two week dose at a time i've never taken it continuously. I get it when my asthma is especially bad and its notmally 30gs a day. I've never noticed any weight gain on it at all but I expect I've never taken it long enough to notice. What sort of calorie level are you on at the moment? COuld your doc suggest anything else to take instead which wouldn't make you gain?
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