Hi everyone. This is my first time posting. I need some answers and wanted to see if anyone else is experiencing the same. I seem to be having difficulty losing weight. I don't really have an appetite and really don't eat much, but can't lose any weight. I'm wondering if perhaps all the meds for the RA are affecting my metabolism. Is anyone else having similar problems?Yes, I have the same problem. I think it's because I'm not as active as I used to be. I gained a bunch of weight on prednisone and have not been able to get it off. I'm unable to exercise because I have too much pain and my RA isn't controlled. I have been having the same pproblem. I used to (as recently as last year) be able to drop wieght without much effort. Basically just eating healthy. Now I eat healthy and walk in the evenings and it doesn't come off. I think maybe the meds do mess with your metabolism. Are you on pred? I gained almost 30 pounds on pred. I am on a lower dose now but I am so careful now. It makes you crave carbs and sweets bad. I lost my last pred weight doing water aerobics. I am really fighting to not gain it back. Lack of activity also contributes. Just one more thing people do not understand is a problem with RA. The one thing I can tell you, since I lost the weight, my mobility is better. Try swimming.
[QUOTE=Challenged]Hi everyone. This is my first time posting. I need some answers and wanted to see if anyone else is experiencing the same. I seem to be having difficulty losing weight. I don't really have an appetite and really don't eat much, but can't lose any weight. I'm wondering if perhaps all the meds for the RA are affecting my metabolism. Is anyone else having similar problems?[/QUOTE]
Honestly, the fact that you "don't eat much" is partially part of the problem in not being able to loose weight. When you don't bring nutrients and calories into your body at least every few hours your metabolism will slow down to a very slow pace and hold onto fat in an effort to survive. I know the concept of eating more often to lose weight sounds wierd but it works! Now I'm not saying you can eat "junk" more often and loose weight. For best results you should keep your diet based on whole foods consisting of healthy fats (omega 6's and omega 3's), complex carbs and adequate protein. I've lost 30 lbs using this approach and I put together I diet for a good friend who following this approach has lost 70 lbs over a 10 month period.
The meds could probably have some effect on your metabolism. However, until you start eating right more frequently you'll never know if it's the meds or your diet causing the issue.
Hi, I was never small, but when I got RA I got bigger...and bigger...and... you get the ghist. While still able to walk comparatively well, I kept the weight down, but before I had my knees replaced, about eight years ago, the pounds piled on, as I couldn't move. I recuperated well with the knees but then my back went and that was operated on about 4 years ago and has never really been right. But I think the worst period of all was the 18 months before April of 2006. During that time I had a cortisone injection nearly every 6 - 8 weeks and I gained about 2 stone, (sorry that's English weight,) 28 lbs. Since I went on my triple cocktail last April, I have slowly lost weight and have now lost the whole 28 lbs. I'm still heavy, but it's on it's way down. I think that you have to find your own eating plan based on eating healthy foods and no junk, and I find that having a decent breakfast of porridge oats, muesli or other cereal with fruit and maybe yoghurt, with a light snack midday if I feel like it and a dinner that is meat/fish and vegetables or salads with few carbs, and not too late in the evening , works for me.
Good luck with the struggle.
It is very hard
I am also very frustrated with weight. It just seems to keep going up gradually. I am not as active as I was before the pain set in not to mention the fatigue! I haven't had as much of an appetite since starting the plaquenil 6 weeks ago but haven't lost a pound. Maybe even gained a few. Not happy about it at all!