NEWBIE

[Hope164]

Hi everyone, I’m a newbie and am on steroids. I have an unbelievable appetite 😩

Has anyone any helpful suggestions to control this manic hunger please?

Hope this gives you all a smile, as its my kitten in COVID-19 mode!!

[bubblyalex]

Kittens are hot topic for me 🥰 I’m trying not to buy ‘bad for me’ food 😔 on 30mg pred here with a face so huge I can’t believe it. If you find a solution will you let me know... I’m just hoping these meds start working so I can get close to being able to stop them.

[Hope164 in reply to bubblyalex]

Hi, thank you 💕

[Hope164 in reply to bubblyalex]

🥰

[springcross]

Aww, what a little beauty and a good sport too. Welcome to the forum Hope. I was the same as you when I was on Pred and my dose wasn't even high but I wanted to eat almost everything. It eased off when I weaned off the Pred, thankfully but not before I'd put on a few pounds. Self control is hard but does work (and is boring). x

[Hope164 in reply to springcross]

Thank you. 💕

[Lolabridge]

Hello Hope and welcome. Love your pic. Lots of discussion about kittens at the moment on here.

Yes steroids do make you want to eat and it’s so hard to stop yourself putting on weight or lose it after.

I wish I knew the answer! Perhaps keeping up your fluid intake by sipping water all day would help.

Good luck!

[Hope164 in reply to Lolabridge]

Thank you 💕

[Hidden]

Hi welcome .. I love your photo.

Hate steroids I become a sugar mad women so bad I’m frightened I’ll become a diabetic. Self control and fill up on fibre lots of water helps but only goes so far what ever works for you . Good luck 😉

[Hope164 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you 💕

[nomoreheels]

Hiya Hope, welcome. It is often a side effect of corticosteroids unfortunately. I have no experience to offer I’m afraid as fortunately they don't affect me that way but I know others here have battled appetite issues with them. Not helpful but I can only think of willpower, which can be nothing but difficult. Try your very best to keep to your regular healthy meals with no snacking between, I feel awful saying that because it must be so difficult when all you probably want to do is do just the opposite. I hope you don’t need to be in them too long & the problem solves itself.

Love your pic, what a cutie pie!

[Hope164 in reply to nomoreheels]

Thank you 💕

[oldtimer]

From previous experience I know that this is a problem that becomes enormous (sorry!).

I found that these things helped a bit: eating very slowly, concentrating on the eating so not eating while doing other things like reading, weighing food and restricting amounts, having snack food with low calories that take a long time to eat like carrot sticks available, weighing daily.

But the weight still went up and had to come down later (and still hasn't all come off).

[Hope164 in reply to oldtimer]

Mmm carrot sticks, yummy xx

[helixhelix]

It’s crazy isn’t it. Like a demon has inhabited your stomach and demands feeding ALL the time...... Sips of water and carrot sticks. And don’t buy anything snack’y apart from veg. No matter what your family want just get it all out of the house so you can’t be tempted.

[Hope164]

Mmm carrot sticks, yummy xx

[medway-lady]

I love the picture and no idea except anything that takes longer to chew so gum or fruit but to be honest I gave up as found it too difficult. I took very high dose and at that stage didn't care anyway. It apparently changes the way food is metabolised so it may not even be a case of stopping the hunger because the moon face will happen anyway. Mine did go so it's not permanent so try not to worry.

[Hope164 in reply to medway-lady]

Thank you 💕

[Lolabridge]

It just occurred to me that as you are newly diagnosed perhaps you are on a fairly high dose of Prednisolone whilst you are waiting to start on the usual R.A. treatment like sulphasalazine, hydroxychloroquine or methotrexate (or a combination of those). If that’s the case may I suggest you contact your Rheumy/Patient Help Line and tell them your problem and ask if they can speed up getting you started on DMARD treatment.

[Hope164 in reply to Lolabridge]

Thank you, I am starting methotrexate on Monday xx

[Lolabridge in reply to Hope164]

Well that's good news. Do keep taking the Prednisolone though as it can take several weeks to get the full effect of the Methotrexate. I hope it works well and quickly for you.

[Hope164 in reply to Lolabridge]

Thank you 💕

[Green230461]

My doc suggested breakfast with porridge s

When I was on pred. It fills you up lines the tummy and absorbs the rubbish that gives you moon face.

It did work😎

[Hope164 in reply to Green230461]

Thank you, I’ll try porridge 😊

[AgedCrone in reply to Hope164]

There is flavoured sugar free range in one of the supermarkets....sorry can’t remember which one...I can’t stomach porridge au naturelle & most flavoured ones are full of sugar!

[shareasmile in reply to AgedCrone]

I only know porridge from the nursery jingle...."peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold....." What exactly IS porridge?

[AgedCrone in reply to shareasmile]

It’s Oats...& I remember being given it as a child and spitting it out ....it was like eating wallpaper paste ...back in the Olde Days of course you had to boil it with milk or water on the hob.

But these these days you can get it flavoured & you put it in the microwave....but as I said the flavoured ones usually have a lot of sugar in ...but the one I bought.....which I can’t find..... is supposedly sugar-free and it’s really pleasant.

Try it....easy Winter breakfast.....pop some berries on top & it’s yummy!

[shareasmile in reply to AgedCrone]

Sounds the same as oatmeal-- perhaps the US term for the same thing. Yes, I love oatmeal, but some fruit or flavor is a must! Sugar free syrup is tasty in it, too. Cold days require warm cereal!

[AgedCrone in reply to shareasmile]

Yes same thing....I love the Blackberry & Apple they sell in Walmart....over here the Raspberry is good.I sometimes make the regular flavour with Orange juice as I’m not a great milk lover.

[Hope164 in reply to shareasmile]

Hi, porridge is a Scottish dish made from rolled oats. Water added and then brought to the boil and then simmered until thick. The Scots eat it with salt and milk - 😩 ugh.

I eat it either with blueberries and maple syrup or with a little sugar and milk.

Hope that gives you an idea of what it is xx

[shareasmile in reply to Hope164]

And no peas, right? 😂

[Hope164 in reply to Green230461]

I actually love porridge, especially with blue berries 🥰

[Lolabridge in reply to Hope164]

Me too! I think I will try it too.

[Hidden in reply to Hope164]

My go to breakfast 🥰

[Hope164 in reply to Hidden]

🥰

[Cricket2013]

Try to get off them as quick has you can. They are the devils tic tac’s. lol......

[Hope164 in reply to Cricket2013]

🥰

[Rokosaki in reply to Cricket2013]

I second that! I took 10mg daily for 9 months, my sugar levels got scary high! the moon face is just looks and it'll go away but high sugar levels is no joke.

[Hope164 in reply to Rokosaki]

😘

[Hope164 in reply to Cricket2013]

Yes I know and I’ve got another eight weeks of them 😩

[Angjoplin]

I know the struggle. Its real.

My tips.

Concentrate on eating foods with low calorie density. So wholegrain, fruit, Greek yogurt, veg etc. These will fill you up. Think overnight oats for breakfast. Lots of salad, veg or wholegrain rice for tea.

Drink lots of water and try limit the booze.

Good luck.

[Hope164 in reply to Angjoplin]

Thank you 💕

[WillowsMother]

Oh I feel your pain, Hope! As tempting as it may feel to ditch the pred, you really need to keep going with it until you are sure the Methotrexate has properly kicked in. And even then, you'll need to wean off slowly. I did it too quickly earlier this year and got myself in a terrible pickle with withdrawal symptoms, which aren't funny...

As for the insatiable appetite, I've also found myself going down the slippery slope of indulging the hunger with all the wrong foods and gaining 3 stone in a year... I have, however, recently turned things around using the Slimming World principles of filling up on "superfree" and "free" foods - basically making big batches of oven roasted veg, eating huge bowls of crunchy salad, having pasta with homemade low fat sauces, eating low fat meat, fish and chicken and homemade soups. There's no restriction on these foods. You can literally eat as much as you like at any time of day or night when you feel hungry... and you still lose weight (or maintain, if that's what you want to do). No need to join a group, you can find loads of SW recipes and advice from members online. I figure that having RA is bad enough without having to suffer the torture of constant hunger or ending up with crazy weight gains!

Best of luck x

[Hope164 in reply to WillowsMother]

Oh bless you, I will try SW. I know Iceland keep Sw meals. xxx

[WillowsMother in reply to Hope164]

Yes, they do. Worth a try, although home made food is always best it you can manage it!

[Hope164 in reply to WillowsMother]

Agreed. Will make some soup as well I cook a lot of Greek food xx

[Hope164 in reply to WillowsMother]

Thank you has given me hope xxxx

[KittyJ]

I really hope that is photoshopped 😔😊

[Hope164 in reply to KittyJ]

Oh Kitty of course it was super imposed ha ha 😻xxx

[KittyJ in reply to Hope164]

😂

[Hope164 in reply to KittyJ]

😘

[Kags1068 in reply to Hope164]

Well, gullible fool that I am, I fell for it! I was wondering how on earth you'd managed to get it on him/her - silly, silly me!😁🙄

[Hope164 in reply to Kags1068]

😘

[Mmrr]

I found eating fresh food only, no processed stuff at all with lots of low calorie freshly made soup that you can fill up on helps a lot.

Today my soup is fresh tomatoe, basil and a couple of sticks of celery, all in the soup maker and 19 minutes later, a tasty very low calorie soup is ready.

[Hope164 in reply to Mmrr]

Thank you sounds tasty 😋

[Maggsie]

If I fancy something sweet I have a stock of sugar free werthers. Only 9 cals each

[Hope164 in reply to Maggsie]

On the shopping list xx