Swollen abdomen

[Horizon12]

Is it normal to have a swollen abdomen? I am on 15mg of pred now, can the pred be the cause of this? Very uncomfortable.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

One of the less attractive side effects of pred can be deposits of fat around your midriff, face and the back of your neck. Pred changes the way your body processes carbs - and under the influence of insulin turns the excess into fat. Cutting carbs, especially processed ones, can make a big difference. It also reduces the risk of developing pred-induced diabetes so it really wrth trying. Sugar and simple carbs are very pro-inflammatory so it often helps other things like the PMR inflammation and reflux.

[Horizon12 in reply to PMRpro]

Thank-you for your reply. Will defiantly try that, although I seem to have developed a sweet tooth for no reason. Am constantly hungry. Diagnosed on 14/02/18.

[piglette in reply to Horizon12]

Hi horizon, another side effect of pred, you are constantly ravenously hungry.

[Horizon12 in reply to piglette]

Wow don't I know it. Put on 1st 51b in just 6 weeks.

[piglette in reply to Horizon12]

My gosh, that must have been a bit of a shock. I gave up gluten and simple carbs on diagnosis as I was told that would stop the moon face, it did work although it may just have been luck.

[Horizon12 in reply to piglette]

Still getting used to this site and have just found all these helpful suggestions. Thank-you.

[Horizon12 in reply to piglette]

It's very annoying

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Horizon12]

In addition to the rises in blood sugar due to eating carbs, the pred makes your liver release extra random spikes of glucose into the blood stream - the high BS triggers the release of insulin to deal with it and it overcorrects, your BS falls too low and you crave sugar to bring it back up again - it goes too high, the whole process starts over. Cutting the amount of carbs you eat reduces the overall effect - and after a while the random spikes also seem to reduce.

[Horizon12 in reply to PMRpro]

Bugger I love carbs. Have just joined slimming world and lost 5 and a half pounds in my first week. Well excited.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Horizon12]

If SW works - stick with it. If it stops working or if you have blood sugar problems - think about lowering the carbs. My daughter is using SW and it does seem a lot of carb to me - but that is a by the by.

[Soraya_PMR]

What was your start dose? And how long have you been on pred?

We all acquire an extra podginess around our midriff. Some extra fat. Pred causes insulin spikes, and when insulin is in excess and has nothing better to do, it lays down fat in our bodies, and the prime place for that is our tummies. But it doesn’t happen overnight, took me a few months at PMR doses to get the rounded look. Best way to avoid it or reduce it is to limit carbohydrates in your diet, therefore less insulin, and less fat.

OTOH, if you mean swollen abdomen as in distended and tense, then no. That would require medical input.

[Horizon12 in reply to Soraya_PMR]

Start dose 30 mg now 15 mg. Seeing GP tomorrow so will mention it then.

[Pongo13]

I've cut out sugar and eat less carbs and strictly three meals a day. I find this helps curb the middle of the night hunger that I suffered before these tweaks. If I ate something sugary like cake, I was so hungry for more. Not worth the aggro. I don't drink alcohol either. I'm a very cheap date my hub tells me.

[Horizon12 in reply to Pongo13]

LOL

[SheffieldJane]

I got uncomfortable bloating. I think it’s Pred combined with foods like bread and pastry - all the nice things basically. I have had stomach pain with it too.

[Horizon12 in reply to SheffieldJane]

Thanks for your reply. Will try cutting out sugar and carbs but, very difficult.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Horizon12]

It really isn't as hard as you would think! After a few weeks of discipline the cravings do reduce and it really doesn't take long for sweetened food to taste very sickly. Cutting salt is also important - and the same applies there too.

[SheffieldJane in reply to Horizon12]

I find it difficult. My downfall is Maltesers chocolate bunnies. Criminally good. Fortunately they are only available around Easter.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to SheffieldJane]

Never met one...

I see the council has paused cutting your trees down after the outcry!!!!!!

[SheffieldJane in reply to PMRpro]

Have they? I thought it was still on going. They arrested a neighbour of mine for blowing on a small orange plastic trumpet. It’s been the miner’s strike in miniature. 30 police, paid bouncers, and Amey, to chop one beautiful tree down. It’s heartbreaking.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to SheffieldJane]

In the Grauniad

theguardian.com/uk-news/201...

[SheffieldJane in reply to PMRpro]

Thanks for posting. Nothing to do with the local elections of course.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to SheffieldJane]

Nooooo, of course not! How could anyone be so cynical?

[Hidden]

Just had a similar spell, and took pro-biotics for 3 days. Worst of it cleared right up in about 24 hours. Don't worry about taking it in higher dose. It's harmless that way.

[Marcy47]

Hi Horizon 12,

All my body fat from my thighs and legs has migrated to my abdomen, my trousers keep falling down as no hips, tried a smaller size but waist too tight. Will have to change to elasticated or tie waist ones! Not lost anything from bust unfortunately. Am cutting out bread, cakes and biscuits before my holiday, got to get into my swimsuit!!

[Horizon12 in reply to Marcy47]

Seems like a plan.

[Jamie345]

I have a very painful distended stomache gone very hard more under my right breast although I do get the pain on my right side anyway, I'm waiting for an appointment for a scan and I see my rheumy in 3 weeks. I've cut out such a lot of sugary cakes desserts etc. So cannot understand why it has caused this.

[Kcartney103]

I've packed on 20 pounds, disgusted with myself😝

[HeronNS in reply to Kcartney103]

It isn't your fault. Don't beat yourself up. Find a way to treat your body more kindly, like the suggestions I made to Horizon regarding diet, and think positive!

[Hirwaen in reply to Kcartney103]

I know how you feel, I have never been this heavy,( 13stone) can't seem to get a handle on it!! Tried to reduce or cut out carbs but still up and up the weight goes. Maybe it's the wine!!!!!!!!

[Kcartney103 in reply to Hirwaen]

If it weren't for the wine how would we get through🍷

[Horizon12 in reply to Hirwaen]

Probably is the wine, 30 syns on slimming world!!!!

[HeronNS]

When you are feeding yourself you are also feeding your gut microbiome. If you can change the balance of that microbiome, through diet (resist the sweets and other refined carbs) and the careful introduction of more fermented foods like yoghurt, kefir, kombucha, various fermented vegetables and some cheeses, you may find your sweets craving eases. In my case I find I now crave leafy greens if I don't get some every day!

[1Purplecrow]

Another point to consider, carb dense food can lend toward constipation. The earlier comments re carb reduction, especially the white carbs...is good advice.

Feel free to chomp on the colored carbs..eg., carrots, celery, beets, oranges, apples, beans, etc. not only do those carbs move through your gut more promptly, they help with constipation.

Drink the recommended amount of water daily, and you will quickly see an improvement in the way you feel, and your belly will not be so distended... just sayin...😁

[BonnyQuine]

I started on 40mg in Nov '16. In the early months I used to get this - distension - a lot. Presumed it was mainly due to the pred, but I was on so many meds at that time, it could've been due to a combination of things. There was fat deposition too, but most of the 'swollen abdomen' was due to distension. When I cut out carbs (steroid-induced diabetes), I noticed that the distension improved, and it has continued improving since.

Try cutting carbs, and don't despair. The overwhelming desire to eat all the time will gradually diminish - especially if you do manage to cut out carbs. Just give yourself a week or two, maybe a month, to adjust. Good luck.

[Horizon12 in reply to BonnyQuine]

On 10mg of pred now and not craving food all the time. Before on 30 mg of pred I was eating every thing I could get my hands on.