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Tapering now on 5mg. of Prednisone! THANK GOD!

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 5/24/2016 2:54 PM (GMT 0)
FINALLY tapering to 5mg now on this necessary evil. So, still VERY bloated all the time...you know, budda belly. I feel spongy in my mid-section and hips and certainly WILL NOT get on the scale. LOL My pants do not fit like they did before the flare, much tighter. WAA! mad My mid-section looks so different, no definition and just wider on the sides/back-(this is not my normal, generally a flat tummy with a little padding but not like this! SIGH!) YUCK/GROSS! I have my next GI appt. in a couple weeks. One good thing, this steroid has helped a lot which I am so thankful for. BM's just a couple a day for the most part and formed. Of course, we have those times it is mushy and sometimes you do your "business" then get up and it hits again, got to get rid of some more. (ROLL EYES)

My question is.....will I NOW start seeing my body go back to the size it was AND the bloat go away or do I have to be OFF of this medicine for good for it to get out of my system before I see anything? AND or will this stay with me now and I have to just fight the flab? LOL Yes, EVERYONE is different but on average, what is expected?

Have an awesome day everyone! smilewinkgrin
Posted 5/24/2016 4:42 PM (GMT 0)
Congratulations on getting to 5mg. I think the weight situation is different for everyone. I personally didn't get rid of the weight until recently. It certainly didn't fall off, like I hoped it would. it took a lot of determination, exercise and diet to minimize it. The bloat and puffiness gradually decreased after I got off prednisone entirely, I wasn't one of the lucky ones who had it start disappearing after 10mg. I went until zero and beyond with a fat face and a double chin. It was weird. I got my skinny body back after surgery.

What are you taking for maintenance of your UC? Going a couple times a day and soft would have me stressed - but i am a worry wart... Definitely take your time tapering. I know you want to get back to your normal figure, but it's not worth giving up your shot at remission to taper too fast. Go slow and steady.
Posted 5/24/2016 5:42 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Taben, I believe you've asked this question a few times, as you seem kind of anxious about weight gain due to prednisone. The good news is 5mgs is a low dose and you're nearly done with prednisone. It's unlikely you'll see any decrease in your weight until several weeks post-prednisone. Some water retention weight will drop, the puffy face will subside, and some bloating will decrease once you're off of it. Everyone has some weight that stays on, as prednisone appetite is unstoppable force. For that healthy eating, moderate excercise, and time should take care of. Patience and persistence are key. Hang in there a few weeks and you'll likely be pred-free. Good luck, it does gets better, you'll see :-)
Posted 6/27/2016 9:09 PM (GMT 0)
UPDATE! So, been off of the Prednisone now just a bit over 3 weeks. Some of the bloated belly has gone away but still feel "spongy" in my hips and legs...my ab area is still VERY flabby but more than normal. HA HA

With that said, I am doing much better since I had to take it...was on it close to 3 mos. starting with 40 mg. Been on IMURAN 100mg a day for a couple months too so not sure HOW long doc will keep me on that med. Would think for a while. I go back next Friday for a follow up and one last round of blood work.

So, I wonder IF my SIZE now is actual FAT I have to deal with or will I still SLOWLY go down a bit more? My waist doesn't look the same, wider now and kinda shaped weird. LOL How do you determine the difference after you get off Prednisone? I am back to working out 3-4 times a week and try to watch my food intake and drink a lot of water. Maybe this 3 weeks is not near enough time to get back to where I was...thought Prednisone stays in your system just a couple days after you stop taking the 5mg. dosage-perse.


Your thoughts and thank you all for ALL of your input and kind words. Means a lot! : )
Posted 6/27/2016 9:19 PM (GMT 0)
Glad you're feeling better and off of the prednisone.

Imuran is your new maintenance medication, so nothing will change there, plan to be on it longterm.

After 3 weeks off of prednisone, all bloating and water retention is now gone. What you see now is what you gained from prednisone appetite. Keep up with your exercise regiment and healthy eating and you should loose that extra weight gain in time. No fast pass, it'll take time and persistence.
Posted 6/27/2016 9:25 PM (GMT 0)
I also stopped prednisone in the summer, and it took me more than 3 weeks to get rid of the retention weight. I am still dealing with some "extra baggage" from the way I ate on prednisone (was on low residue and ate enough food for a family, each day)

walking really helped me drop the pounds as well as limitng salt and sugar and increasing water intake.
good luck!
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