Steroids - puffy face

[Maya142]

My daughter has been on steroids for the last couple weeks for her arthritis. First 40mg, then 20mg for a week and now will taper to 15 mg for a week, then 12.5 mg for a week, then 10 mg for a week and so on.

She has a nice, round, puffy steroid face that she is NOT fond of. I told her that it's going to take a while to go away, but she insisted that I asked the forum how long it takes. She wants to know if it'll go away at a low dose (say 10mg of Prednisone) or if she has to wait till she is completely off steroids.

Anyone have any idea? She is usually put on much lower doses of Prednisone for her arthritis (10 mg or so), so we're not quite sure.

 

[Mehita]

If I remember correctly, DS didn't lose his puffiness until after he was off steroids completely and then it took a couple weeks.

 

[Eridon2002]

I get the steroid moon face when on Prednisone(but not when on Entocort). For me, I don't see a change until completely off them and it wasn't till a few months later(it gradually went down over 2-3 months). When I am on prednisone for shorter periods of time or lower dose the moon face isn't as bad. So I would say it might get a little bit better on the lower dose but won't go away till she is completely off(and even then it might take a while)

 

[Maya142]

Thanks - that's what I thought. She won't be pleased to hear that!

 

[CarolinAlaska]

It took a month off prednisone to start slimming the face down. Right now we're over two months off and she still has a double chin. It's kinda weird since she is otherwise thin.

 

[my little penguin]

Yeah a week or two off steriods
The longer on the steriods the longer off them to lose moon face .
Hugs

 

[Tubes]

The 1st time I was taken off steroids I was 13 on a pretty high dose for about 6 or 7 months I put on over 100lbs. When I stopped taking them right at the beginning of summer break the weight flew off quickly over the summer I lost 70lbs in under 3 months but the moon face remained for about a month longer and over the next few years whenever I've been taken off steroids the moon face in always the last thing to go.I was the skinny kid with the fat head.Hopefully your daughters face shrinks faster.

 

[Optimistic]

For mr crohns child,2-4 weeks after completely off steroids the moon face was finally gone.

But...dr said length of time on them and how quickly you wean makes that vary. My son was on them for at least 4 months.

His sister took them for 4 weeks at same level as your daughter for another issue and I think it started to decrease slowly while she weaned. Let's hope for that!

 

[Maya142]

I calculated 8-10 weeks or so, if we wean by 2.5 mg after she gets to 10 mg, which we typically do. It also depends on how her joints respond - it could very well be longer.

She has had the typical moon face before when she was on IV steroids inpatient then oral steroids for 3 or so months.

It's not quite as bad this time (especially since she's so thin), but she's older and more self-conscious now. Fingers crossed it disappears quickly!