PredniSONE and weight watchers

I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in 2003, have been treated with Asacol ever since, and was in remission for nearly 5 years. I flared in December of 2007, and had my first experience with prednisone; I was on 40 mg/day for nearly 6 months. I gained 35 pounds, got the moon face, double-chin, tummy fat, muscle aches, extreme mood swings, excruciating headaches, night sweats, and UNCONTROLLABLE hunger. I, too, noticed the sensitive teeth, and now I feel like my enamel is really thin...almost see-through. Anyway, I've been off prednisone for about 5 months. The moon face went away for the most part, but my cheeks still seem a little chubbier than before, and my double-chin is a lot smaller, but still there. I've lost about half the weight, but only after joining weight watchers and working out 6 days a week. I feel like I can't lose any more weight to save my life. Does anyone have any suggestions? I never struggled with weight prior to taking this stupid drug. I'd appreciate any input.

I have been taking prednisone for dermatomyositis for the past 4 months. I am on 30 mg a day. When I try to taper, my rash and muscle pain/weakness come back so we are trying 1mg lower every 5 days now to see what happens. Other than thirst and a rapid heartbeat if I drink cafeine during the day.....no side effects at all. I have not gained weight (but I have been on weight watchers 5 years and have maintaned my goal weight through that and as much as exericise as my disease allows) nor have I had gotten the moon face, etc. However, my best friend who is on only 20mg daily for the past 12 months is now diabetic, gained 45 pounds, got the moon face and rash. I would not know if I had the rash or not as my DM causes a very nasty rash. I know this medication has many horrible side effects and can be devastating ... but without it I would not be swollowing, teaching my special ed classes daily, hugging my grandchildren, or taking care of my own needs right now. I am 54.
cheryl

I have been taking prednisone off and on for years due to my asthma. This past week I started taking a high dosage, about 120mg a day and slowly tapering about 10 mg off a day. I am member of weight watchers and am worried about my weight. I know I have been eating a little bit more than usual but I have gained about 8 lbs in a week, which is driving me nuts. And due to my inflamed asthma and infection, I have not been able to work out. Is this normal? Should I be worried?

I've been on Prednisone for a couple of months and am now starting to step down on the dosage. After ruling out several different maladies, I was diagnosed with Polymyalgia Rhumatica. Knowing the possible side effects, especially weight gain, I was reluctant to go on it, but my family said they'd love me anyway even if I did look like a chipmunk! Initially, I loved the stuff. Within a few days, my pain went away, my energy level was soaring, and I felt like I was 20 years younger. I started doing things I hadn't done in years like my art work. I felt like I was born again. Then came the time to start cutting back by 2 1/2 mg. every two weeks. I did that twice and now I'm dragging again. I'm up and around for 4 - 6 hours and then I have to go to sleep. I need to get completely off the Prednisone before I can have some much needed knee replacement surgery. Some people with Polymyalgia Rhumatica find it necessary to go on maintenance doses of Prednisone. It looks like that might me me, so I'm going to be some miserable person for a couple of months until I can have my surgery and go back on it. In addition to the possible weight gain, I'm also fearful of the osteoporosis. To offset the negatives of Prednisone, I have signed up for Weight Watchers and take water aerobics twice a week. For the hours that I'm up and about, I try really hard to keep moving like walking the dog, working in the garden, etc. I don't hate the Prednisone, I hate the condition which has necessitated my taking it.

Wow! I've just read through this whole horrible list with relief. Relief that every single symptom I had catalogued for my former neurologist, and was informed was all 'in my head' or 'just depression' is listed here by other people who were on much lower doses than I was. I am 41, have MG, am 5 years post-thymectomy on 300mg daily Immuran, 60mg Q/4 Mestinon, and prednisone of 15mg for break-through symptoms. My highest dosage of prednisone was 90mg every other day for 18 months, before being tapered down to 60mg for another year. Between the MG and the prednisone I have gaines 60 pounds in 5 years and have had deliriously bad experiences trying to get it off at Weight Watchers (forget them if you have a non-diebetic medical problem unless you enjoy emotional flogging). My quirky, upbeat personality vanished after 3 months at 90mg. doses, and odd sweating, fragmented sleep patterns, bloated face, crying jags and clinical depression set in. Neurologist said it wasn't drug related. I became suicidal (hello! I am a former university professor, a real people person, funny, bright, just trying to get this recently diagnosed MG under control) and finally checked myself into a psych ward because I knew something was so, so wrong with me. Much blood work, and many therapy groups later I've discovered that I was at toxic levels! That such high sustained dosages can actually cause psychotic 'breaks' (no, I didn't have one, just severe depression). It never occured to my Neurologist that I probably needed anti-depressives to counteract the poison he was pouring into me. Am now a patient at the MD Clinic at U of C Hospitals, which specialize in MG, and are looking for an alternative (like my recent IV/IG) treatments for breakthrough symptoms. Don't get me wrong, prednison is the BEST, BAD drug at Walgreens, but if you start to get mood swings and need to take this long-term, (or chronically) GET BACK TO YOUR DOCTOR right away and let him/her know that you need mood stablizing medication. If you are living with a chronic disease you need to direct you own 'quality of life' care, and for better or worse, prednisone is a drug that many of us cannot function without.