Prednisolone and Losing weight

[LouiseB22]

I have been on 40mg of prednisolone daily for the last 7 months and have consequently put on a stone and a half!
I seem to be fighting a losing battle with dieting and exercise! Has anyone else been successful in losing weight whilst on these steroids or is it best to wait until you are off them??

Louise x

 

[D Bergy]

A lot of the weight is likely from water retention. Steroids often cause the body to bloat up with extra water.

I would guess the excercise is at the very least, keeping you from gaining a lot more weight. It is good for your general health, either way.

Seven months is quite a while for that medication. Are you going to be weaning off soon?

Dan

 

[2thFairy]

Like D Bergy said, most of it is water. Try to avoid salty foods and drinks as much as you can.

 

[UncleChuckSucks]

That is so frustrating! Yes, I went through something similar. Prednisone messes with everyone one way or another. I stop sleeping and my skin becomes so translucent I look like the Hulk because every vein shows blue. It is. The. Worst.

If you've never had a major issue with weight until the pred, it's probably that. Just be kind to yourself, eat well, and exercise. When you're ready to go off it, I'm sure it will get better.
(ps, not sure if you are on birth control, but I changed mine last year and gained 10 lbs basically overnight. Birth control can seriously mess with weight, too!)

 

[2thFairy]

Welcome to the forum, UncleChuckSucks!

 

[moogie]

The only time I look healthy is when I take pred LOL

The good thing though is that when you stop you usually loose the weight.

I use to weight 235 lbs and for the last 6 years I have lost weight and I am now at 175. If I go any lower my GI will kill me.

 

[LouiseB22]

Thanks for replying

My consultant has just started to wean me off of them last week... I am down to 30mg!! But I have not been feeling particularly well so I am not sure if I will have to go back up again :-/

I have that too unclechucksucks! I find it hard to sleep and my skin is pretty translucent! Not to mention the steroid acne..

I never really had an issue with my weight before so I am just hoping I will lose most of it easily when I come off of the medication! Thanks for the advice

 

[sarahsoda29]

Is there any truth to Prednisone staying in your system for several months? I went off it at the beginning of Sept, and was hoping some of the weight might come off since it's supposedly "water retention", but I"m calling Shennanigans on that...because it's not October and the weight is still here, and I am not stuffing myself. Someone told me recently they heard it stays in your system up to 18 months????

 

[LouiseB22]

I hope that is not true!! Although I need to get off of it completely first!!

 

[sarahsoda29]

me too...it would certainly explain why I can't get the weight back off, but I hate if that's true!

 

[UncleChuckSucks]

added link

Is there any truth to Prednisone staying in your system for several months? I went off it at the beginning of Sept, and was hoping some of the weight might come off since it's supposedly "water retention", but I"m calling Shennanigans on that...because it's not October and the weight is still here, and I am not stuffing myself. Someone told me recently they heard it stays in your system up to 18 months????

OMG--I wonder if that is true. I was on a round in the winter and later broke out in horrific acne out of nowhere. I'm still struggling with that now. I wonder how long it does mess with us?

This link says 2 weeks to six months... Maybe my skin will heal soon!
http://www.prednisonefaq.com/how-long-does-prednisone-stay-in-your-system/

 

[KRT]

When I'm on steroids...which is MUCH of the time..I gain like crazy..it's driving me nuts.

 

[sarahsoda29]

When I'm on steroids...which is MUCH of the time..I gain like crazy..it's driving me nuts.

Me too and I'm tired of it!!!! Gaining the weight stresses me out!

 

[2thFairy]

For some people, there is a lingering negative effect of weight gain, moon face, acne, thin skin, etc., that can take a year or so to go away, though I think most people lose the bad stuff within 6 months or less.... It somewhat depends on how long you have been on it.

I was only a short course of predisone and had major moon face and transparent skin. I lost the moon face about 3 months after stopping the meds, but the transparent skin took much longer.