Who is that person in the mirror?

[Mrs. V]

After 4 separate go's on prednisone in the last year while trying to get meds that work for my Crohn's... I am beginning to wonder who that person is in the mirror.

I am pale. My face is round. My eyes look tired. My back has fat pads on it. My arms, large and wiggly. My neck - the size of a wrestler.

I know that my body is working on healing on the inside... but it is getting increasingly hard to accept the way that I look on the outside.

I can not wait until I am better and can come off this freaking drug.

I am also on Imuran but only 3 weeks in.

I long for the day when I look like myself and feel like myself again.

 

[xX_LittleMissValentine_Xx]

I'm sorry to hear you are having a tough time on Pred. I have just started it again and worrying about similar things. But the last time I was on it was almost three years ago now, and once it is all out of the system all of the nasty side effects do go away! So hang in there, its rubbish, but it wont be forever!
x

 

[AbdoAlien]

Sorry to hear about the prednisone...awful med..I hear ya on not liking what ya see in the mirror..after I got diagnosed I was put on Imuran and Budesinide (steroid). I am still on the Imuran (since May '10) and now finally off of the steroid...I had ballooned 40 lbs in the span of 2months and I didn't even have to eat anything!!! I was frustrated and wanted to get back down, but I felt awful and I looked awful...puffy, grey and my hair was falling out (I'm only 32 yrs old!!) and some days I looked 6 months pregnant!!!..so I went to see several nutritionists and finally I had found one that helped...she put me on the candida diet (which I thought was hoopla...but it's working...) and also different vitamins (natural ones so there's no preservatives in the pills)..anyway I have now lost 15lbs of the 40 and my hair has had to be cut twice! I don't have bags under my eyes and things are settling down!! I don't know if this will help you, but it is helping me..I know everyone is different...and I still have bad days, but it seems to only last a day or two as opposed to a week or so...anyway just a thought...good luck!!

 

[Doglover]

Perhaps we're all siblings separated at birth .... LOL! It does suck how this disease can alter your appearance. The sad thing is, I'm not even on steroids and I look awful and feel like I aged 20 years. It does give me a giggle wondering if people are looking at my 1/2 swollen face and trying to figure out what "in Sam Hill" is wrong with me. ;-) I look forward to the day when I have eyes that don't have bags the size of luggage underneath them. A girl can dream, right?

Doglover

 

[Josephine]

Hi Mrs.V,
I am sorry have hard with pred, personal I gave up on it because I try for 10wks last summer with no effect. I hope you find relieve soon.

 

[ameslouise]

Hang in there, Mrs. V. We all love to hate pred, but it is so helpful when it is needed and it works.

Hopefully your insides will be looking beautiful and your outsides to match!

-Amy

 

[Astra]

Hi Mrs V

I totally empathise! I was on it for 11 months last year and looked like Jabba the Hutt!
It all seems so long ago now, like it never happened! Pred saved my life!
Pred or Dead?
Now here I am, in remission and I look like me again! All those horrible side effects, all that misery, all that anguish! All gone now!
Just keep reminding yourself in the mirror, 'It's not me, it's the Pred'
Hang on in there!
xxx

 

[Mountaingem]

:hang: Know that you're not alone Mrs. V-I'm in the same boat,too! I just went off pred, finally weaned off of it after 6 weeks...and I look completely different.

When I finish pred, I try not to look at myself, and head to Weight Watchers, it's helped me lose the extra pounds MANY times.

The people who truly love you are just happy to see your health return, so try not to be too hard on yourself. And I'll try to take my own advise too :biggrin:!

 

[bella]

I know everyone has said it, but ill say it again...I HATE PRED! Hang in there though!

 

[tummygirl]

I remember feeling like that. A good friend even asked if it hurt - my face was THAT swollen. And the stretch marks... gawd I hated seeing those for the first time.

I feel like I could have written your post. I did not recognize myself. The scale said a number I never thought I'd see. It was awful just getting up every morning and trying to find some clothes that still fit!!

The important this is that I was not having pain and my body was healing. That is the goal. Stay focused on that.

Also, now that I've been off Pred. since September, my face is normal again, and I've lost 14 of the 20 pounds that I put on. And the best part is... I haven't done anything! I just don't have the same appetite as I did on Pred and the pounds are dropping off.

You'll get through it! And feel free to vent away because a lot of us have felt the same way!!!

 

[MADiMarc]

The last time I took pred I gained 80 pounds. I looked like a weeble. It saved my life but made me fat, grumpy and hairy. Oh and such lovely stretch marks even though I have never carried a child. On the bright side for the first time in my life I had boobs! The weight (and the boobs) did fall off after pred. It sucks to go through it but it does it's job most of the time.

I hope you are feeling more yourself today.
Michele

 

[luvincookie2001]

I feel ya for sure. When i was on pred last time I got serious moon face. Now I'm on it again and I can see it starting. How can I have such a chubby face and skeltal body.. ? Currently on 45Mg/day and start tapering 5 mg per wk so this time around will be a long haul. I think I should work really hard to get really fat just so i match up this time?
Hang in there, as long as you're feeling better inside.. the rest is just time.

 

[vince]

Right now I look emaciated since my flare up. Hopefully that will change soon.

 

[MADiMarc]

Right now I look emaciated since my flare up. Hopefully that will change soon.

Vince,
Sorry to hear that. It sucks, up/down, never feeling like yourself or looking like yourself.
I hope you are looking more like yourself or at the very least feeling a bit more like yourself.

Michele

 

[MADiMarc]

Mrs. V,
Hope you are doing better.
Michele