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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 1/13/2010 9:27 PM (GMT 0)
For about a week now I have been on 40mg a day of pred.  What I have noticed the last few days especially at night is the desire to just eat continuously.  Now I know this is not odd because of the steroids but my question is what might be the best things to eat at these times.  It's weird because it starting to seem like I never get full.  I don't think I would have a problem eating three separate huge dinners.  Any snack ideas that might be more filling or help with this? 
Posted 1/13/2010 11:07 PM (GMT 0)
One of the side effects of prednisone is increased appetite.  Be careful that you don't just give in though.  I gained 24  pounds while on prednisone which is okay if you have a huge weight loss to begin with but it isn't really healthy weight in my opinion.  I was on prednisone for 7 months the first time, off for nine months, and am now back on it, going on month 2........I am watching my caloric intake very carefully, still eating healthy, exercising and I am still seeing the scale increase. 

With that being said, increased appetite and weight gain are two of the LEAST horrible side effects of this drug. 

Good luck. 

Posted 1/13/2010 11:34 PM (GMT 0)
OH YA.. the appetite syndrome... I also would notice that I could eat HUUUUGGEEE meals when on Pred... My highest dose was 50mg and boy would I be hungry! BCgirl is right... I think you can sort of control the eating part if you have good self control and watch what you put in your mouth.. but it's hard when you feel like you are starving! You will probably gain weight from water retention, I don't think you can do much to avoid that. That's just part of being on Prednisone.. But it will help to cut down on salt and drink lots of water.. This also depends on how long you are on them too... Short time Pred use you might not notice much, but I was on them for the same time BCgirl was and gained 30lbs.. Just try and make healthy choices.. Everyone with U/C is different in what they can tolerate so I'm afraid to suggest anything that worked for me because it might not work for you... Just know that once you are off Steroids, you can get your body back :)
Posted 1/14/2010 12:57 AM (GMT 0)
protein,protein,protein!!! Shakes or bars...I have found them to be the only things that will give me a feeling of "fullness".
I am down to 20 mgs so I am passed my "fridge raid" nights but still have the protein before bed since it helps promote cell growth
when you sleep also.
Posted 1/14/2010 1:06 AM (GMT 0)
I was on Prednisone for three months. My average dosage was 25 mgs. My highest dosage was 40 mgs. I got many of the short-term side effects, such as increased appetite, moon face, and leg cramps, but they go away. It's the long-term side effects that upset me. My teeth are now more sensitive, the joints in my hands will cramp up after typing on the computer for awhile, my eye pressure has risen to just below borderline (prednisone is known to cause glacoma), and I keep getting bladder infections.
Posted 1/14/2010 1:13 AM (GMT 0)
I was on prednisone for more than 2 years and - subdued, for me those weird side effects did finally go away, the hand cramps, etc. I hope you find this to be so, too, eventually.

My hip issue may be related - two docs have said the joint looks "consistent" with what it would look like 20+ years after someone had been on pred for a couple of years....

But I was talking to someone last week who was on it for more than TEN years because in the late 60's that's all her doc could do! She's having some vision issues now, in her late 70's.
Posted 1/14/2010 4:29 AM (GMT 0)
I was on it several times usually staring with 40 mg. My phamasist told me to take a zantac with the pills to help with stomach pain. I didn't gain a pound due to the drug.
Posted 1/14/2010 6:50 AM (GMT 0)
I am recently very hungry too. I am at about the same point as you, on pred for a week, just went down to 30mg, hoping and worrying... I am very uhngry lately. Luckily, while I was flaring badly, I didn't eat much of anything so my body is pretty slim and food deprived. A little over-eating is probably good for me. I do have to keep an eye on my consumption though, I could eat everything in the fridge in a sitting.
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