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How long will I be FAT..... Thank you Prednisone!!!

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Posted 9/3/2009 5:11 AM (GMT 0)
Hey all.... I'm feeling depressed tonight.. I'm tapering off the pred (I know... probably why I'm feeling depressed) and I am really bummed about how FAT it has made me get... I know you can try not to eat, but it's just not that easy when you are on this drug to not put food in your mouth.. it's like you HAVE too or something... Anyhow, I've gained about 25 lbs and my face is so fat and swollen looking.. Also I have a hunchback... and a BELLY...  MAN... the pred made me FEEL so good when I was at 50mg. But I've been tapering by 5mg a week and  I'm going down to 15 tomorrow.  I no longer have the energy blast I had and I'm feeing sad about how I look, even though I know I shouldn't....  I have always been thin and felt somewhat attractive, but now I just feel like a cow... lol... and an ugly cow to boot... lol..

  Just can't help it... It's all part of the process I guess.... but it still sucks...

Posted 9/3/2009 6:49 AM (GMT 0)
First of all, you are NOT fat. You look like it that doesn't make you fat. The side-effect of pred is water retention and what you call fat is nothing but water. (From my personal experience) It takes about 6 months once you are off Pred to shed all that water. I am in same shoe as yours, started Pred 2 weeks ago (current dose 20mg) and my belly is looking like Homer Simpson's belly. First time, my feelings were exactly like yours but this time, I am fine as I know, I am gonna shed it very soon.
Don't know your age but go exercising or may be jogging, will feel bit better.
Posted 9/3/2009 9:45 AM (GMT 0)
hi susiebuddy,

i feel ya - i'm in the exact same boat.  i have gained a ton of weight and also used to be a size 4.  nothing fits me.  my moon face is huge, and my stomach is huge (looks preggers), and i am swollen everywhere. it makes me extremely sad too.  i can totally relate.  this disease bites!!!  i hope you are back to your original self soon!

Posted 9/3/2009 10:47 AM (GMT 0)
I was 115 lbs now I am 155 lbs
I am getting thinner every day but it takes TIME!!!!

I am also so afraid to working on getting my old self back but then I would have to go back on pred.

This is me before and after 4 weeks on pred I got much worse.

thordisb.blogspot.com/2008/12/hva-gerir-sta-stelpu-skrmsli-4-vikum.html
Posted 9/3/2009 1:54 PM (GMT 0)
Hi i feel your pain i am back on pred after stopping it just 3 months ago so i know how you are i have not lost the last lot of weight yet and know im just going to put a ton back on again although on a lower starting dose of 30mg last time it was 50mg as also started 6mp but am doing a slower tapper 5mg every 2 weeks only started them today so will be waiting for pred munchies to kick in i wish you all the luck as mmy will power is not good and the food is lol.
Posted 9/3/2009 2:04 PM (GMT 0)
I gained about 10 pounds when I was on pred for 3 months.  Most of it turned out to be water retention.  I just DID NOT let myself eat too much.  It took major will power but it helped.  I also worked out and drank a TON of water.  The weight came off for me after being off the pred for about 6 weeks.  Hang in there, it is possible to get the weight back off!
Posted 9/3/2009 4:12 PM (GMT 0)
LOL! I am feeling the same way! But I am so thankful to be out of the bathroom, that I don't care if I do look like a big moonface bobble-head doll!
Hang in there Susiebuddy! :)
Posted 9/3/2009 4:28 PM (GMT 0)
isergodur,

oh my gosh. my weight right now is exacly how you looked before you started the pred. im just started the pred two days ago. im so scared to get this moon face :((((( i hope im lucky and don't get it! :(
Posted 9/3/2009 4:44 PM (GMT 0)
Get yourself motivated enough to start working out regularly is all I can say. Im in the same boat as you but I had a bad GI before who put me on pred for 5 years straight (took anywhere from 80mg a day to 5mg a day). Im tapering off and trying new meds now but the fat feels like it never wants to come off especially around the face and lowergut.

I got depressed after being on pred so long with the moonface/mood swings/anxiety that finally I told myself Im going to stop feeling sorry for myself and start working out/ try to get off prednisone. I started eating healthy and start exercising daily. After 5 months Im still not where I want to be weight/look wise but its a work in progress and my mental state is 100x better then when I wasnt doing anything to counter the Prednisone.
Posted 9/3/2009 9:50 PM (GMT 0)

I really know what you mean.  I was on pred for 2 (yep 2) years before I could get off completely.  I went from 120 to 172 lbs.  But once I was off the pounds went away as well.  I now weight 138.  I also had the moon face and it was horrible, not only how I looked, but it really hurt to smile because my cheeks hurt.  Yep, I got the hunchback too!  I felt like a monster and was depressed as well when I started coming off of it. 

Hang in there!  It is a wicked drug but one that probably saved my life.  I know it is easy to say when you feel this way, just wanted to let you know you are not alone.

Posted 9/4/2009 9:31 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you everyone... It is nice to know that I'm not alone dealing with this... I swear.. I can't wait till I'm off this stuff and can get back to a somewhat normal life.

I am 46 and 5'7.. I normally weigh 155, but now I'm up to ALMOST 190... EEK!!!! I think the worst part is my face... My cheeks are so inflated that I can actually feel that they are in the way when I talk. My neck is also fat.. I have 2 chins now... lol... I know I will get over it when I am off this stuff.... BUT.. I am in remission so far! No bleeding and normal poopies.. I hope the Apriso keeps me there once I'm off the pred fore good.

Thanks again everyone... I really REALLY do appreciate that I have company during this hard time!!!
Posted 9/4/2009 11:51 PM (GMT 0)
I can relate too.  I've been on pred for about two and ahalf months now and I've gained 25 pounds.  I hate it.  I don't need to gain anymore weight.  Still trying to lose the baby weight from my three kids.(ha ha).  I'm slowly tapering down from the pred (very slowly 1 mg a week until I'm done, I started at 20mg.)  I have moon face this time.  The first time I was on pred I didn't get moon face but I was only on it for about a month.  I get crazy too.  I'm so moody.  I go off about the stupidest stuff.  I will say though.  I like pred because I'm not stuck in the bathroom all the time.  I only go about 2 times a day on it with no urgency.  Hopefully the remi will kick in by the time I'm done tapering. 

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