Prednisone Question!

HI--I was on Prednisone and got the puffy face and fingers, lost hair and face was hot from expanding so much. Gained weight also. Not to worry- it does go away! My hair came back and the puffiness went away in a couple of months. I also lost the urge to eat everything in front of me. You will be normal again!

The needing to eat everything in sight, night sweats, sleeplessness etc goes away really quickly, The weight (for me) takes a lot longer to get off, I went off in April, and I'm STILL trying to get the weight off, my face looks a lot less pufferfish-y, but not where I want it yet, and this stupid tummy won't go away!! I hate all the "diet" foods I can't eat.. how are you supposed to get rid of a belly when all you can eat is carbs..I also want to be a 23y/o again!

I have been on preds now since January but have now eventually managed to drop down to 5mg a day, which I have been on now for the past 2 months as the doc wanted me on a maintenance dose atm as every time I stop taking I flare up again,which they are now investigating into why I can not come of it. But good news, even though I am still on 5 mg, the moon face has come down some what and don't look like whale any more, still over weight but was over weight before , but I haven't had to change clothes size at all whilst being on the preds. I know how you feel about not wanting to join in the fun, I had months of just wanting to sit at home , not just because of the pred face but general feeling of depression and not sleeping right , the preds didn't help matters either, but sometimes it is good to go out and be with your friends,even if you are not drinking and dancing round as you would, its more the company you need,maybe see if your friends would go somewhere quieter so you can maybe sit and chat and try and have a laugh to build your esteem up,it always seemed to work for me. This forum is a good place to get your anxieties out too, but you still need human contact, otherwise you will start feeling isolated and that's not good either!
I have now given up on trying to go on any diets as I cant seem to find any that would actually agree with what I can eat, people must accept you how you are and its not what you look like on the outside that counts, its what's on the inside that does!!! As long as you are upfront with ppl and they know you have a disease , and that you are on medication that makes you look like you do, you will be surprised at how people perceive you, most people understand and alot will try and help you get through!!
Good luck on the preds, and keep your chin up!! ;)

mtgman - I have the "plastic" skin thing too! Also, feels like I'm bursting all the time. Very very dry skin.

I'm tapered down to 10 and having problems so I'm discussing with md on Monday whether to go back to 20 and stay there for a month. I DON'T WANT TO. Will ask for other alternatives.

As I have posted here before I can't stand the side effects - no sleep, puffy, eating, skin - and just feeling like I'm in someone else's body.

RedSoxGirl - Good luck! I am not particularly thin in real life, so can't tell exactly how much Pred contributes, but I do find that the non-weight side effects go away very quickly, while the weight gain and to some extent puffiness has taken longer for me in the past

mtgman- Tootsie Rolls are a Fat Free Candy so eat up and enjoy!!

The weight thing is annoying but like you all said it will come off. After reading all this I started to think of all the other side effects and I guess the main issue is I can't weight to be myself again when it comes to my moods! I feel bad for the people around me when I'm in just one of those crazy moods. It comes on out of no where. God bless my mother for putting up with me! I guess I'm worth it as I used to be her little angel. Not anymore!!!
I also have the dry skin but only on my arms so I put lotion on all the time. Not sure what you both mean when you say the plastic skin thing? Just wicked tight skin so it looks like plastic or? I've been playing Wii Fit daily and also walking to help try and lose this weight but it doesn't want to come off. On the 19th if the Dr tells me he wants me to stay on longer like he did last time I'm going to tell him NO or just start the taper process on my own. He wanted me on Entocort as the next med to take but it was going to cost just under $500 a month even with insurance. So not sure what his deal is but I told him several times the side effects just weren't worth it. Oh well guess that's life can't always be wonderful and perfect!

You aren't crazy at all minou! I love it too as it helps so much and lets me have a normal life but at this time in my life I'm not happy about it. I have two weddings that I'm in coming up and not looking forward to being the fat, puffy, bridesmaid! Feel bad for the brides as I'll ruin their pictures. LOL. Oh well.
In time I will admit to loving it just not today.

I have been on and off prednisone for years and the symptoms for me go away fairly quickly. My sister is a nurse for a colo-rectal surgeon and he says the faster you can be taken off the better. It's nasty stuff. I am on it now but I have only been back on it for about a month and my Dr. is already slowly taking me off of it. The biggest side effects for me is jaw and feet cramping. Like major charley horses in my jaw. That never seems to completely go away but gets better after I have been off for a while. The worst drug to be on!! Good luck with everything~