Prednisone moon face?

[Carasoup]

Hi, I just started Prednisone 4 days ago with 60mg a day. Now the 5th day, my doctor only wants me to take 40mg a day. He said I should be on it for about 6 weeks. (Thank goodness not too long) and I really hope he means six weeks.

I took Prednisone when I was 10, and hated it. I gained a lot of weight, and have a huggeggegege Moon face.

That was also 7 years ago. I don't quite remember everything about it.

Questions:
-How long does it take to develop the moon face? I'm only on it for 6 weeks, but I'm on 60mg, and then 40mg...
-How long does it take for the Moon face after it has developed to wear off? (I remember when I was off it, I was like a slug and I was tired and didn't want to eat anything)
-HOW DO I STOP THIS ITCHING? My skin is so itchy, I might just tear it all off.

I've been on it less than a week, and I already feel way hungrier than I have ever been...which is annoying, because before I was NEVER hungry, because my stomach just hurt all the time, so just putting all this food in my body is strange, because it is almost like my stomach can't hold all of this.. ha.

:sign0085:

 

[kyi]

what moon face?im amazing itchy to but i wasd before the meds, iv had tests all normal its annoying isnt it? i was the same with food but i only took them for 7 days bu i couldnt stop eating i even woke in the night to have a piece of toast, which is unlike me =/

 

[Carasoup]

When I took the steroids, my face blew up, and got really swollen looking. Like if I were to stuff 5 grapes in each cheek, and then get mistaken for a chipmunk. Hahah.

But yes, the itching is annoying. I will be on it for longer than 7 days though.

 

[kyi]

hahaha aww shame =( i had the itches before i was diagnosed. still here maybe just something to do with crohns in general?xx

 

[ekay03]

The moon face will go away when you stop taking the pred. I should only take....... Idk less than a week. I wasn't itchy, but if I had been itchy I would have bought some over the counter anti itch cream. Or maybe benedryl (sp) pills. Or ask your doctor about it. I hope you only have to be on it for 6 weeks and I hope you dont have another flare that requires pred. The longer you take it the more side effects you get. I had to put duct tape on the refrigerator door to remind me not to eat in the middle of the night. Good luck

 

[InkyStinky]

I'm back on pred, too - blech. For me, I've found that eating a really low-sodium diet helps me avoid the worst of the moon-face. The food's really boring but it's worth it to me - I was on pred as a kid, too, and I have horrible memories of being fat with a huge swollen face. Not sure if low-sodium slows down the ballooning moon-face for everybody, but might be worth a shot to see if it helps ya!

When I was younger, I would get unbearably itchy skin, usually in the spring and fall. I was so horrible. My mom got me some packets of oatmeal bath treatment (aveeno, I think) and that would help a little bit.

 

[tiloah]

Your skin itching (if this has started after taking the Prednisone) sounds like an allergic reaction. I have been told by many doctors that it is impossible to be allergic to Prednisone (it is used to treat allergic reactions), but you may be reacting to something the Prednisone is being prepared with. You may be able to have the pharmacy make it a different way or through a different manufacturer. Do you have any other allergies? In any case, that much itching is not a normal reaction and I would alert your doctor to it happening.

As to the moon face, it is different for everyone, and often it is different each time you take Prednisone. Some people don't have moon face at all, some people get it from a high dose, and some people get it while tapering. I never experienced it while taking Prednisone.

As with all Prednisone side effects, the longer you take the drug, the longer the side effects will take to dissipate. Six weeks is not that long, but hopefully your doctor is not tapering you too rapidly. Going off of it too quickly comes with its own set of side effects (in my case, pretty severe arthritis).

Anyway, I hope the Prednisone does what you need it to do with as minimal side effects as possible. And welcome to the forum.

 

[AshleyElaine87]

I had the moon face with Prednisone. I also gained 45 lbs, and it won't come off! Arg! As far as the itching; take benadryl.

 

[Jennjenn]

Hi welcome

There is a possibility that you might not get the moon face. I never experienced this when I took pred. I never experienced the hunger either. Maybe try the suggestion from Sabrina above with the low sodium diet. The foods should be bland anyway if you are flaring. Also like others mentioned take benedryl for the itching. You will get sleepy but It might help. Hope the pred works well with you.

 

[Slim Johnson]

I have had the pleasure of moon face, as well as buffalo hump. Often this happens when I am on the juice for more than a couple of months. I welcome the weight gain, increased appetite, extra energy. I do not enjoy the mania, psychosis, and insomnia. I also hate eating when I am not taking medication (which I am not currently.)

As far as the duration, it depends on how much weight you gain. I have had the moon face last from a couple weeks to a couple of months, contingent upon how much weight I gain. The last time around, I was on steroids for about 6 weeks, gaining 10 pounds, and just barely getting the MF. After about a week, the MF was gone. I did not get buffalo hump. That tends to happen when I am on Pred for more than 3 or 4 months.

I also have never had an itch associated with the prednisone, pain medication on the other hand, is another story.

 

[Carasoup]

You liked the weight gain? Lordy, ah I don't. I do like eating more though...it is strange, because I have gone from eating literally nothing, to devouring everything in sight..I feel hungry constantly. I have more energy also a little, but I can't sleep at night, and I wake up randomly sweating...Which is aggravating.

I won't be on it too long, but I seem to react to it quickly, and swell up fast. What is a buffalo hump? I don't think I've ever heard of that.

But i'm also a swimmer, and I'm burning a lot of calories, and so maybe that will help some? I don't really know. I just hope this all makes me start to feeling better sooner or later... I might go crazy from not being able to physically do anything.

BUT thankyou everyone for the advice. I guess I'll just see how it works out, and maybe I won't swell as badly as I have in the past.

 

[Slim Johnson]

I do like the weight gain! I only wish I could keep it on. It is not unusual for me to lose tem pounds over a week. Gaining it back is another story... The buffalo hump is a side effect similar to the MF, except it accumulates between the shoulder blades, on the upper side. It too is temporary. Sort of looks like a hump back.

I have night sweats whenever I am flaring (which is often lately) I call it "manopause". :wink:

 

[InkyStinky]

But i'm also a swimmer, and I'm burning a lot of calories, and so maybe that will help some?

I used to swim - yeah, that's great exercise! But if you need to gain some weight don't be afraid too! (Easier said than done when you have memories of being overweight as a kid, I know!!!!)

As for the not sleeping at night - are you taking the pred in the morning? I was told to take my full dose as early as possible in the morning to help with being able to sleep at night. (Unless your doc gave you other instructions - in which case, do what your doc said!)

EDIT: don't make a big change in the time of day you take the pred without asking your doc how to safely do that - pred can really mess you up if your body misses a dose it's expecting!!!!

 

[Wizbit]

I got moon face when I was one 60-30mg / day for a number of months. Once my daily dose had dropped to around 15-20mg, it seemed to diminish over a month or so.

The itching may be caused by thinning of the skin, maybe?

 

[Slim Johnson]

I was told to take my full dose as early as possible in the morning to help with being able to sleep at night. (Unless your doc gave you other instructions - in which case, do what your doc said!)

EDIT: don't make a big change in the time of day you take the pred without asking your doc how to safely do that - pred can really mess you up if your body misses a dose it's expecting!!!!

+1

I also heard it is better for minimizing side effects. Something to do with metabolism..

 

[Carasoup]

I take 20mg in the morning around 8am, and then around 10pm I take another 20mg of prednisone. That is what the doctor told me to do. (I started taking 60mg for 5 days) but then he told me to go to 40 after the 5th day.)

And yeah, I swim, it's good. I don't think I'm scared to gain weight in my body, but just in my face I am! Cause' that is what seems to happen with me. It isn't a pretty sight ha. But yeah, I suppose i'll stick with a low sodium diet. Sounds smart.

 

[Slim Johnson]

20mg of Prednisone at bedtime is why you aren't sleeping! That is like smoking crack, and going to bed... Not going to happen.. Maybe you could ask your doctor about his opinion in taking the entire dose at once, to minimize your insomnia. It will also help in the long run, if you have to stay on that stuff.

 

[tiloah]

Yes, like Slim Johnson said most doctors will have you take the entire dose in the morning. This minimizes the effect it has on your sleep and I believe our bodies absorb it more readily that time of day as well, making it more effective. Give your doctor a ring as ask if you can take the whole dose in the morning, it will probably help.

 

[lifesover]

I'm just home from hospital, it took about 4 to 5 weeks for moon face to show up, it looks ok on me, every one here is holding their hands to their face and saying how well I look lol, they don't realise what it is.

I have been tapering down from 60mg a day to 30 mg this week but today have gone back up to 60mg again as I have had blood for a few days now, fingers crossed it stops it.

The side effects are not good, I seem to get lot's of little hard spots anywhere on my body, knees seem very tight, I am very relaxed and feel like a heavy weight is on me, sweats are worse, it can drip off me at any time of day but usually as soon as I nod off. I'm up at 5 am every morning, not keen on that either. There's a few more nasty drug but it does seem to work well.

I lost 3 stone in weight so the hunger thing does me ok too, I have put a lot of weight back on in 3 weeks being home, although most of it is on my tummy though.

I can't wait to get off it to feel alive again but I am getting used to handling the side effects, or at least hope I am, maybe tomorrow I will regret going back up to 60mg, problem is I don't see the doc untill the 18th Oct so have no one to ask what to do.

I hope to reduce more quickly maybe tomorrow 45 mg and next back to 30 mg where I was at yesterday. I have reduced over a week at each dose, does anybody know if my tapering idea will be safe? Thanks

Just to add. I take 30mg in the morning and 30mg at night, and yes I'm up at 5 am every day awake at 4 am no matter what time I go to bed even if it's 2 am

 

[Slim Johnson]

IMO dropping your dose 15mg overnight is a BAD idea. There are several reasons that we have to taper slowly. That being said..

Whenever I have to taper off, I have found that dropping 5mg every three days, rather than 10mg every week does better for my body and mind. For me, any time I change my dose, I go through mania, anxiety, and psychotic behavior. Usually I take ativan to help mitigate the s/e.

Also, remember that this is an anti-inflammatory drug, the blood may be coming from inflammation, causing your digestive woes. To drop that much, that fast; could really backfire (or not allow for such...) causing you to need more pred., for a longer duration.


Whatever you do PLEASE be careful. Prednisone withdrawals can be fatal.

 

[tiloah]

lifesover - It is important not to make changes to your drug regimen (especially Prednisone) without discussing it with your doctor. At least give your office a call and see what they think.

 

[jess]

i was on 100 mg in the hospital after my surgery but went down to 60 mg when i went home. I definitely got the moon face (although my family kept denying that my face looked any bigger) about two weeks in. Everyone kept telling me I looked great because I'd gained so much weight, which was frustrating since it was just my huge face! I tapered 5 mg each week and just took my last dose 4 days ago. My face has gone down considerably but it still seems a bit bigger than usual. I'm hoping it will go down some more.

 

[Jonny C]

My doctor told me to avoid eating starchy and high-fat foods while on Prednisone. He said this is what causes the moon face. It has been tough to lay off pasta (because it's so easy to cook and I'm Italian) but I'm thinking he may be right because I have only seen a very slight effect on my face and I'm 5 weeks in.