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Posted 1/17/2015 10:37 PM (GMT 0)
I've been on Pred since the beginning of November now (currently tapering, on 25mg down from 40mg). The dreaded moon face started to appear while I was on IV, and has since got worse and worse while on oral. I'm not sure how much weight I've gained as I don't own scales, but I can tell that I've definitely put on quite a bit... 10lbs at least, which really shows on me as I'm usually fairly slim. My face is huge (as is my double chin!), and the stomach weight/bloating has caused pretty bad stretch marks to appear. I feel awful... I must admit that I didn't eat well at all while in hospital/over the Christmas period due to being scared of veggies/high res foods making the flare worse, but I've been eating completely clean since the New Year and exercising again now that I have strength back, yet I still feel like I'm rapidly gaining weight.
I don't really hold much hope of shifting any weight while still on the Pred due to past experience, but resisting all these cravings is feeling a bit pointless when it doesn't seem to make a difference! I'm very happy it has put me in to some form of remission, but I just can't bear to look at myself in the mirror; it doesn't even look like me anymore. Maybe I'm being over dramatic.
Does anyone have any advice as to when I might be able to start shifting this weight?! It seems like I'm going to have a lot of work to do to get back to feeling 'me' again.
(I'm tapering by 5mg a week so should be off completely by Feb 17th).
Posted 1/17/2015 11:46 PM (GMT 0)
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I feel awful... I must admit that I didn't eat well at all while in hospital/over the Christmas period due to being scared of veggies/high res foods making the flare worse, but I've been eating completely clean since the New Year and exercising again now that I have strength back, yet I still feel like I'm rapidly gaining weight. said...


I can relate to feeling awful on a Pred taper...I'm sure you look better than you think you do! You just feel down on yourself (depressed) from the drug. From what I've read on HW you will eventually drop the moon face. I think the weight will have to be lost the good old fashioned way, though, so keep at your exercise. Are you eating higher residue now?

Posted 1/18/2015 12:03 AM (GMT 0)
What is your mtnc game plan? Pred only works while you are on it. Once tapered low or off you will get worse again unless you have a mtnc plan that works.
Posted 1/18/2015 3:38 AM (GMT 0)
Oh it's really difficult. Believe me. Last time I was on pred, I ate and ate and it was tough to lose the weight. Luckily I was motivated, I would hike 6 miles and just get lost with my dog in the mountains. If I hadn't, who knows what would have happened. I think the key is to try to remember your not actually hungry, you just feel like you're hungry. Try to slow your eating now. When I was on 40mg, I was still too sick to pig out, when I got to 20, I was feeling ok and all I wanted to do was eat and I was thankful to be able to eat at that point but I didn't know when to stop. It is when I got on the lower doses that I really noticed the weight. It's the worst. This time around, I've been more careful. I eat at home a lot. Eat salad for lunch and if I am still hungry, I eat an apple or avocado or I just deal with it. Keep healthy snacks around.
Posted 1/18/2015 9:51 PM (GMT 0)
Hiya, I had awful moon face last time I was on Prednisolone. It does eventually go back to normal, once you have stopped the steroids. My memory is awful, but I think it took a few months. It's fine now, just a normal face.

I'm afraid I can't help with the weight loss. Last time I was on steroids was just after I turned 30, so really bad timing. After I came off them, other things happened in my life, which led to me being less active, and I am still fat now.
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