My journey with Prednisone(photos)

I think I'm finally ready to show the world what Prednisone put me through. I was on Prednisone two different periods of 6 months at 40mg almost the entire length of both of them. Both periods of 6 months were within two years. I gained 40 pounds the first time, lost 20 pounds in between, and gained another 40 during the second time.

Here are some pics of my journey. Just to show people that you can get through it and your moon face will go down. Also, I refuse to ever go on Prednisone again because it has just ruined my body, but it's a personal decision. Next time I flare I'll either be doing a clinical study or getting the surgery.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/40159353@N03/sets/

     Don't blame you.  I was never on that high dose for a long period of time, but whenever I would finally taper off, I would flare once again.  Waiting to schedule my permanent ileostomy.

Thanks for sharing
I'll share mine too

This Mother's Day (no prednisone)
http://i718.photobucket.com/albums/ww190/planich/IMG_6927.jpg

Mother's Day last year (5 months of Prednisone)
http://i718.photobucket.com/albums/ww190/planich/IMG_5349.jpg

Thank you :)
I was always overweight also, but my face was never fat before. If you saw pictures of just my face, you would never guess I was overweight. I gained a lot of weight in general while on Prednisone, too

Christine1946 said...
Don't blame you. I was never on that high dose for a long period of time, but whenever I would finally taper off, I would flare once again. Waiting to schedule my permanent ileostomy.

What made you decided to get a perm ileo instead of a j-pouch?

kops2da said...
I would no doubt feel different about prednisone if I were diagnosed young and been through what some of you have. I will be 70 very soon (hate that idea) and have only been fighting UC for about 2 years. I have had IBS for a long time however. I got so sick on mesalamines and some others that prednisone was great when it helped my skin - nice and smooth, fingernails grewand boy, my arthritis was so great while on it. NOW - since the aches and pains are worse. You see why I would not hesitate trying it again. Have been in what I call 95% remission since last October.
ElaineNY

Well, I wish I felt that good on it haha. Course with the age difference I understand why it helped you more. I am glad you're feeling better and I hope it continues that way!

Thank you for posting the pics...it is so great to know we are not alone with all of this. i am currently on 10mg prednisone and will be tapering to 5mg next week and then done!!! I have been off and on for a year now. Got the moonface when pregnant and was on it but atleast i could blame it on the pregnancy. Now the moonface came so much quicker....i hate it!!! I can't wait to be off of this med and for it to go away! I won't even take a pic of me now...thanks again!

I'm only 8 pounds overweight on pred., but it feels like a ton. I can't fit into my clothes and I'm so broke I can't afford new clothes. I stopped eating bread and other carbs and it's helped a lot. Probably stopped the weight gain.

Wow Sweetmelody! I went through your exact story pretty much, only I took 1 round of Prednisone, 50mg for almost 8 months and doubt I'll ever do it again... UGH... I gained about 30 pounds.. I have a myspace link at the bottom of my signature and if you look at some of the photos I put up, one group in particular says "Team Penning, Nov 21, 09.... That was when I was at my heaviest weight, (193 ish...) and was trying to do my best, but I was so jacked up from the steroids and being so overweight from all the food eating that it made it difficult to ride to the best of my abilities. Well I still competed, but didn't place too well.. I had my moon face and moon neck on my mind too much I think.. lol.. OH, and by the way, I had tapered down to 2.5 mg by that competition. Then into the next month, "Cowhorse Clinic, 12/05/09, I had lost about 10 pounds for that practice session at my friends ranch... The riding was good and I felt better, but this darn right sided pain started shortly after stopping the Pred and it hasn't gone away since then.

I just thought I could show some of you who are interested our Prednisone Faces.. ..BEFORE... and.... AFTER.... So check out my myspace link and look away :)

     Sweet Melody.....just reading these posts again and in answer to your question as to why I chose a perm ileo instead of j-pouch.  That was on the surgeon's recommendation.  I saw Dr. Robert Fry, head of colorectal surgery at Pa. Hosp in Philly.  He also trained at the Cleveland Clinic and has years of experience.  I did my homework in looking for a surgeon.  He told me that the j-pouch was very risky in someone my age.  It could be done, but he didn't recommend it.  He said it was even riskier than heart surgery.  I told him I had no problems wearing a bag.  That decided, on with the surgery.  It is scheduled for June 28th.  He wants me to have a stress echo ahead of time and that is scheduled with my heart doctor for June 1st.  I have high blood pressure and maybe he saw that as a possible complication for the j-pouch.  I remember that the very first time I had a colonoscopy back in 98 in the hospital, when they started the anesthesia drip I got a very bad headache, my blood pressure soared to 210/110 and they had to abort the procedure.  That is even before I was diagnosed with high blood pressure.  When I was young it was always 100/60!!!  After I went through the change of life is when it got higher and that was when I was 44.  I will be 64 in August.