Weight gain with PMR

[Robinre]

Has anyone else experienced the weight gain with tapering off and not when on high dosage. I have had to be on higher dosages 2 different times (not properly diagnosed the first time and Prednisone was stopped). I had a lot of energy and was actually hyper and had to take Ambien to sleep. Perhaps that is why I didn't gain weight. The second time around I wasn't as hyper and didn't need the sleep aid but still did not gain weight. Then when I tapered off to 3 mg I started to gain weight. I tapered off very slowly each time. Actually have had 3 flairs in between and would go from 1 to 5. When on 5 my weight was fine, then when down to 3 again the weight gain. Just wondering.

[SheffieldJane]

I have been craving sugar and carbs more irresistibly because my energy is so low, this maybe to do with a sluggish Adrenal system. This could be one answer, because I do know what you mean. Let’s hope this is temporary. I am on 7-6 mgs though but we are all a bit different.

[Qubbie in reply to SheffieldJane]

Oh the sugar salt cravings are the worst.

Trying the cucumber lemon h20

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Some people do lose weight on pred - and then it stops as they get to low doses. Maybe you are just somewhere in the middle! Have you had your adrenal function checked?

[Robinre in reply to PMRpro]

Yes the last time I tapered off when I was so lethargic I had the test. The injection was the absolultely most painful shot I have ever had. I almost fainted. Perhaps it was caused by maybe the nurse hitting a nerve or something, but I am afraid to ever have that again.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Robinre]

I think you should be laying the blame squarely on the person who gave the injection! In fact, IMHO, any decent unit would use the i.v option rather than the i.m and insert a cannula so there is only one stick.

But a nerve being caught is awful - a registrar inserted a cannula in my husband's hand for a minor procedure and OH nearly hit the roof. Then the doc had another go - which was no better. So, full of self-confidence, he'd have another go - and my husband told him he wasn't getting another go, fetch the boss (a colleague of my husband). Who annouced "I NEVER miss..." - luckily for him, he didn't.

I had a steroid shot (2 in fact) yesterday and the nurse was so funny - making a big thing about the injection "prick" just after the doctor had been poking my hip to find the most painful spot to inject - they go by where you squeal loudest! We explained to her afterwards that the injection was pretty small fry compared with what it was being given for

[Robinre in reply to PMRpro]

HI, I too, had an IV inserted on the top of the hand near the thumb and nearly fainted. I yelled "get this out of there" and they apologized. The nurse said she only had one other person that this happened to and that was many years ago. She told me to never have another needle in that area. Well, she didn't have to tell me that. Now that you mentioned to me INHO about the nurse erring and she probably hit a nerve, I do remember that the pain from the Cortisol function test injection was the same--so overwelming that it takes your breath away.

[Sandy1947]

I lost 5 pounds in the beginning (25mg) which I found on 11 mg. I needed the weight so I’m OK. However, I’m hungrier now and just started to watch what I eat...no more cereal twice a day! I don’t drink alcohol, eat bread, crackers, cookies, cake, pasta or potatoes but that’s been since the onset of illness. Pred makes me ravenous! I eat from dinner to bedtime. Yesterday I ate all vegetables to button it!

[1Purplecrow]

I,too, have found that tinkering with my pred dose, triggers some of the old appetite issues. I’m lingering at 2 mg, but due to some “flare type” symptoms, have kicked my dose up a couple of days, on 2 occasions.

What I have noticed is that my food cravings return, as in early days of prednisone use.

Odd, isnt it?! Tiny bumps in the dose have such potent effects?

Good reminder that we are taking a drug that is both known and unknown...

Food for thought...

Kind regards, Jerri

( PMR diagnosed 2013.)

[Marijo1951]

I couldn't believe the constant ravenous hunger when I started on pred. It has reduced since I began taking methotrexate in the sense that it isn't there all the time, but it can still suddenly flare up and be overwhelming. I've found that if I eat a large breakfast it helps to keep the hunger in check for the rest of the day. I might have a bowl of porridge with walnuts and prunes for my osteoporosis, followed by scrambled eggs on toast. Later I have a reasonable lunch and dinner without the need for any snacks, and I don't have to get up at night for food as I did at first.

[SheffieldJane]

Yes my pattern has been a bit like that too, as if Pred is having its last grab at me, especially sugar cravings. ( 7 mgs).