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Moon face from prednisone

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Posted 4/23/2012 5:12 PM (GMT 0)
Hey guys,

So, I started my taper from 40 MG to 35MG the other night and I started noticing moon face already from the steroids. For those of you who may not know what moon face is, it is the swelling of your face from the steroids. I have a question for those of you who have experienced this side effect. How long did it last after the taper or after stopping the steroids? I really hate this side effect. Thanks!
Posted 4/23/2012 5:51 PM (GMT 0)
Mine didn't start to go down till I was completely off of pred. Significantly less after a week. Others have said theirs starts to go down while they are tapering down. Its the side effect I hate the most.
Posted 4/23/2012 7:25 PM (GMT 0)
I absolutely hate it! The reason I'm asking is because I make extra money on the side by modeling occasionally and this moon face thing isn't going to work for me!
Posted 4/23/2012 8:41 PM (GMT 0)
It goes away!! I was on it for 4 years and it took about 6 months for my face to get back to normal. However, when I would decrease pred, it would decrease as well, it would take a few weeks to a month after lowering the dose for my face to catch up.

If you haven't been on it that long, I would say it would take a month or so to get back to normal and that as you taper down it will go down as well.

best of luck.
Posted 4/23/2012 8:42 PM (GMT 0)
Mine drops off substantially as I get below 10 mg pred, but it does linger a little bit after I am down to zero. Going very minimally on salt while on pred helps minimize moon face, and I also try to sweat it out in the gym with good cardio.
Posted 4/23/2012 9:00 PM (GMT 0)
You may find the book Coping With Prednisone helpful:
www.amazon.com/Coping-Prednisone-Revised-Updated-Cortisone-Related/dp/0312375603/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335214738&sr=8-1

I found a copy at my local library. Great book to help you ward off, or at least cope with, pred's many side effects.
Posted 4/23/2012 9:15 PM (GMT 0)
I have never had moonface but I am terrified of it...sort of:) However, the longest I have ever been on pred is 1.5 months so maybe that is why, short courses. Though I have seen that many start experiencing this effect after only three weeks. Anyhow, I am curious, do those of you who have had moonface also find that you gain overall weight on pred? Because it is my understanding that the moonface is a result of redistribution of fat.
Posted 4/23/2012 10:34 PM (GMT 0)
My moonface was horrendous this time around. My cheeks were so big I could see them when I looked straight ahead. I noticed less fullness when I got to 20mg and significantly less by the time I got to 10mg. Mind you, they are still very chubby but with the 20lbs I gained on pred I am just fuller all around. I wish I had more energy to work out but I have fatigue and joint pain as I taper. Not to worry, this is not a permanent side effect and as soon as you get off completely you will see a difference. Good luck!
Posted 4/23/2012 11:31 PM (GMT 0)
It starts fading when you get to 10mg.. It stops getting noticeably worse at around 17.5mg.
Posted 4/23/2012 11:53 PM (GMT 0)
Moonface is one of the worst pred symptom I get, and my least favorite being a mildly image conscious girl. Unfortunately for me, it takes months after I've tapered for it to go away completely. For some reason I'm super susceptible to it.
Posted 4/24/2012 12:27 AM (GMT 0)
You guys are the best :) I don't know where I would be without your support. I wish we could all just get together one day and have a UC party LOL!

I mean my moon face isn't terrible, it's just annoying. I hate having to explain to visitors because they think I'm just gained a bunch of weight from laying around. I don't have enough energy yet to go to the gym :( I'm getting better but I still need more time.
Posted 4/24/2012 12:31 AM (GMT 0)
It's tough! Once it does come off, though, everyone will be telling you how great you look. That can be annoying, especially if you're still feeling crappy, but for those who know your struggle, they're often relieved to see a "normal" face since it means you're at least off the steroids. I tried to make a lot of jokes about it when it was particularly bad this summer. Some coworkers mocked up a "moonface" business card for me. It also helped me vent my frustration to complain about it a bit, and if you can do it in a lighthearted, funny way it can also make those around you more comfortable.

Then again, I am the inventor of the drinking game 'Take a shot every time I go to the bathroom' for my friends. (I'm not taking the shots, of course!). So, I like having some fun with all this crap, where I can.
Posted 4/24/2012 12:36 AM (GMT 0)

mkl11 said...
It's tough! Once it does come off, though, everyone will be telling you how great you look. That can be annoying, especially if you're still feeling crappy, but for those who know your struggle, they're often relieved to see a "normal" face since it means you're at least off the steroids. I tried to make a lot of jokes about it when it was particularly bad this summer. Some coworkers mocked up a "moonface" business card for me. It also helped me vent my frustration to complain about it a bit, and if you can do it in a lighthearted, funny way it can also make those around you more comfortable.

Then again, I am the inventor of the drinking game 'Take a shot every time I go to the bathroom' for my friends. (I'm not taking the shots, of course!). So, I like having some fun with all this crap, where I can.

Ha, that's funny! My fraternity brothers would like that game. Honestly, the only thing that keeps me sane through all of this is humor. My roommate at college (my cousin) and I would always make jokes about how I would not make it to the bathroom and such. It was just a good way for me to not get depressed about it. Thanks for the input!
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