Steroids and Weight Gain

[TudorPurr68]

Hello fellow survivors. I had OC last year, ascites twice, drains, chemo, major debulking and total hysterectomy then more chemo. Now on Avastin, have polymyalgia rheumatica which is excrutiating and osteoporosis. I've been on prednisolone for months, variable dose, but have gained almost 3 stone since I started taking them earlier this year. I must come off these steroids. They've been miraculous for pain but I don't want to big again as I was before the cancer. I'm vegetarian (including no fish etc) and do have dairy.

Any advice is welcome as always.

Many thanks and God Bless x

[Manchesterlady]

I have PMR as well , there is no other treatment, only steroids , you have to reduce them very slowly or you could have a flare . The weight gain and moon face are horrible. As if we haven’t enough to deal with !!!

Good luck xxx

[Lindaura in reply to Manchesterlady]

I was on steroids for a year when I was a teenager. The moon face was unbearable, along with unwanted hair. Took 2 months to wean off and 2 years to recover adrenal function.

Ugh!

[Lyndy]

Hello

I have recently had the experience of progressively dropping down my steroids. I take them for Rheumatoid and had been left on 8-10 mg daily. What I discovered after trawling lots of forums was that between 8mg and zero is the most difficult to reduce because your body is being asked to restart it’s own production of the chemicals steroids mimic.

The medics said that I should drop one mg every other day and that after a month I could stop taking the 1mg ....no way! In my experience it took 3 months to drop 1mg. I am down to 5mg daily and I am having a ‘rest’ but plan to carry on reducing slowly. It is worth it- steroids have a devastating effect on bones, soft tissue and skin as well as weight! Good luck xx

[Neona in reply to Lyndy]

I resorted to decreasing by 1/4 mg at a time- took a long time but I got there. Doctors have no idea!

[Welshandproud]

So sad to hear that you have lost your lovely mom but delighted that she was able to share your special day with you. Sending you lots of love xxxx

[Welshandproud]

Sorry Tudor Purr. I sent this to the wrong lady. I sympathise with your issues regarding weight gain but know how good the steroids are for pain too. I hope you are able to get some good advice from the other ladies on here x

[Neona]

I was originally diagnosed with polymyalgia although I am inclined to think the inflammation was caused by the ovarian cancer that was diagnosed 2 years later. I was on steroids for 3 years starting with 15 mg. Recent dexa scan showed severe osteopenia and am now on Denosumab. I am back on steroids now for pneumonitis and am gaining weight although didn’t really put much on originally. I was given 30 mg this time and was obsessed with eating- just couldn’t help it. Now on 7.5 mg but still gaining weight slowly. Don’t know the answer other than to taper slowly - even as slowly as 1/4 mg per week.