Prednisolone & weight gain

[*yvonne*]

I know this probably comes up all the time and no doing everyone is fed up hearing posts like this so apologies in advance but the weight gain I'm having on my meds is causing me some distress. I know I shouldn't be as vain and I should be happy they're helping me which I am but I just wish they didn't increase my hunger to that of a baby elephant I mean I know I can eat normally but on these pills I can easily eat 3 times what I normally eat in a day and I don't feel uncomfortable.

Since the start of this flare in May I have gained 24lbs (10.5kg) I have struggled with my weight since being diagnosed in 2002 and it really gets me down. I was always thin before getting ill then a combination of the medication and probably some untreated and diagnosed depression I have gained so much weight. I can easily fluctuate between the 4 sizes in my wardrobe within a 6 month period.

Does anyone else suffer badly with weight gain and what's worked for you? Sorry for the rambling post. :yfrown:

 

[DJW]

Hi yvonne, please don't be sorry and I don't believe it vain either.

My flares and such always caused massive weight loss. This current flare (coming up on 3 years) started with a lot of weight loss due to strictures and a perferation. However, since my last surgery in may last year, I've gained a lot of weight. My guess is because the inflammation is located about an inch from the stoma. If I restrict calories to much my chronic fatigue gets bad and all I do is sleep. I exercise and after a week or so of walking I'm in bed...sleeping all the time.

I know how frustrating it is. Sorry, not much help but I do understand. Sending you my support.

 

[alex_chris]

Hi Yvonne, just wondering a bit on whether you have been on pred since May then? This would be a pretty long time to take corticosteriods - as you probably know due to their various side effects people should avoid to take them for too long.

The good thing surely is that you can eat normally without big problems . As to the weight gain, corticosteroids can both cause "actual" weight gain through higher appetite etc. and "fake" weight gain through storing liquids throughout the body (which e.g. cause the "moonface" many people get from pred after a while).

On what long-term meds are you on? Biologics or immunosuppressives?

Are you regularly doing sport? There quite some medical articles and also some smaller studies suggesting endurance sport is helpful with keeping Crohn's patients in remission - and you would have the added side effect of combatting weight gain .

 

[*yvonne*]

Thanks Dave it's hard battle as when I was first diagnosed I lost a lot of weight but I've never lost that much again as we always catch it on time. I do have the same cycle as you I gain try to exercise and then end up exhausted. I once took personal training sessions and the intense exercise may or may not have caused my last flare but I've never been back just in case! I used to love exercising and now it scares me a little bit and that's very sad

Hi Alex no they put me on Pentasa at the end of May and I gained some on that. I've only been on the pred for 3 weeks now so 5 weeks left. Moving into Humira for the first time when I'm well.

 

[alex_chris]

I do have the same cycle as you I gain try to exercise and then end up exhausted. I once took personal training sessions and the intense exercise may or may not have caused my last flare but I've never been back just in case! I used to love exercising and now it scares me a little bit and that's very sad

Have you checked out your hemoglobin and ferritin levels? Exhaustion usually has a reason. Of course, people who haven't exercised for months or even years need to start slow and build up their strength and cardio system over time. 5-10 minutes every odd day for a start can work. If you have a strong flare up, sport makes no sense of course, but at other times it will help you a lot in keeping you in remission. Maybe try something you can do yourself at home without equipment like Freeletics, so you haven't got an excuse for yourself .

Hi Alex no they put me on Pentasa at the end of May and I gained some on that. I've only been on the pred for 3 weeks now so 5 weeks left. Moving into Humira for the first time when I'm well.

Mhmm,, is there a reason they did not start you on Humira right away? After all, the whole point about tapering down pred is that at the same time a long term med like Humira can kick in and "take over" for the pred.

How long have you been on 5-Asa? It is today only used for mild to moderate UC, as it has been shown to only help with the large colon but ineffective for inflammation in the small intestine (where crohn's disease inflammation primarily sits).

 

[*yvonne*]

I'll definitely give something easy a go and build up I know when I was a walking a lot it helped but I'm back at work after maternity leave and don't get the chance to do that much anymore.

They took me off the pentasa 3 weeks ago as he didn't think it was working and he said I needed a boost to get me over the fatigue and pains I was having. The boost doesn't seem to be working much now though and I drop to 25mg tomorrow so it's only going to get worse I think. They hadn't applied for funding for me at my last appointment so he had to go to the board with try request. I've had my information booklet in now so I'm assuming that means it's all been approved but I'll find out at my next appointment which should be in 5 weeks, unless I have to go back sooner.

 

[*yvonne*]

Oh and my bloods have all been ok recently it's only my fecal calprotectin that's in the 800's