Good morning
I have been laid low with a cold that has knocked me for six and due to see the Rheumy today.
I cannot stop obsessing about food.
Taking 40mg Pred for GCA symptoms. As my dad used to say I could eat a horse and chase the jockey. I am looking up recipes on Pinterest to torture myself. I imagine myself blowing up like a lilo. Help!
I did and it really wasn't funny, but I never did find a solution and my affliction did disappear after a few weeks. Even so, the damage was done and I'm still wearing a rubber tyre round my middle.
My daughters came up with some helpful hints (not) like buying a bar of chocolate and just smelling it (what, are you for real?) buying the heaviest fruit cake I could find on the grounds that I wouldn't eat so much of it (???? oh sure, and I would still want cheese with it) but the one I liked best was to get some icing sugar and inhale it!
They are very sympathetic, empathetic girls (and I don't know why I am still calling them girls as they are both pushing 50 without the brakes on)
Inhale icing sugar.
I have three girls myself and they are a piece of work aren't they? I will make a large salad today and tuck into it whenever I feel peckish.
So the hunger settled itself down or did you manage to get your head around it? Trying to work if it is physical or psychological
Settled itself down, but I've never had much of an appetite so I'm sure mine was physical, caused by the steroids Several small meals a day (which is my natural state) had come back by the summer, but by then I'd gained 3st. I've never been so unhappy! 2st did go quite quickly but the remaining stone sits found my middle to this day. I now haven't the mobility to do try anything new. But it's one of my three Christmas wishes every year.
Sometimes, just going and cleaning my teeth helps. But there are sooooooo many lovely recipes out there....
Hi Elaine-w, I find constantly snacking seems to cure it, especially chocolate! Seriously loosen your belt it's Christmas and eating is one of the few pleasures we have left right now. Have a happy one!
I found that cutting carbs drastically helped reduce the swings of blood sugar that often are the cause of food cravings. No processed carbs (except VERY dark chocolate, I defy anyone to eat a whole bar at one go) and very restricted fruit and root veg. All other veg and salads are fair play. Cucumber, bell pepper and carrot (only root veg I allow more than very occasionally) sticks ready in a box in the fridge to give your mouth something to feel when you do eat. And when you feel hungry - glass of water and do something else first - often you were thirsty not hungry or you have forgotten you were hungry 15 mins later.
I know it is Christmas and that it isn't what you eat between Christmas and New Year but what you eat between New Year and Christmas that puts the weight on - but even at this time of year, don't give in too easily. Otherwise at the beginning of January you will feel even worse about it.
'...it isn't what you eat between Christmas and New Year, but what you eat between New Year and Christmas that puts the weight on...' LOVE IT!! Brilliant.
Thank you once again for your detailed reply. I will take your advice gratefully. I would like to wish everyone a healthy and happy Christmas and 2017 to you and yours. Of course there will be challenges for us all to face. This group brings knowledge and a real feeling that we are not alone in fighting our battles. Humour and a positive attitude always helps and we have that in abundance also
Quite agree about doing something else. If I feel the cravings (usually for cheese in my case) coming on, I take myself to my laptop and forget all about it. Pre flight jitters have contributed to weight loss of 4lbs (thought at first I'd bust the scales by weighing my suitcase). But no doubt this will be regained over Christmas!
I agree with what PMRpro wrote and would add something that is often overlooked. A high dose of pred also causes a spike in sodium which our bodies seek to balance with potassium. This seemed to happen to me about an hour after taking pred. I found my food cravings diminished if I had a high potassium snack without added salt or sugar e.g. a banana or orange or a vegetable juice.
That's interesting.
Thank you very much for the advice. I will integrate your suggestions into my routine. I am very grateful for the effort made by contributors on this group and wish you all well
Wonderful Cure
Waiting for a diagnosis 
The Lighter Side: Today's 'Mission' - How are we doing for our Age and / or in the PMR context? Answers / Advice on a Postcard please..? ;-)
A Day in the Life
Every set back is a set up for a comeback. 
