Moonface

[1964-karina]

Does it ever go? Will it get better the lower my dose of prednisone? I know it shouldn’t matter but it does ☹️

[lesley2015]

Of course it matters - for myself - I didn’t recognise the person looking back at me.

I was on 40mgs now on 7mg pred - I have also lost some of my pred weight- through dieting though it didn’t just fall off , but my moon face and chins have gone but I still have a fuller face - I guess I will have to drop right down for that to go.

We are all different but it will go down honestly.

Best wishes

[Hidden]

I feel your pain... I look in the mirror and don't know who that person is, looking back me. She looks vaguely familiar, but that is NOT me. And lesley2015 is right, YES IT DOES MATTER! We've lived our whole adult lives looking a certain way... Oh, sure there were minor changes; maybe we aged, or put on few pounds, or lost a few pounds... but we looked, like we looked, we looked like us! Now, I have a totally different facial structure!!!! Yes, of course it matters, but from everything I have heard and read... this too shall pass. Hang in there! You're beautiful!!!!

[1964-karina in reply to Hidden]

This is why I love this forum! You all really do understand thanks 😊

[SnazzyD]

I hated it when I was in full puffer fish mode, what with the beard as well. Now at 7mg I’m still fuller in the face than I was, but I don’t think it screams out Cushingoid now. I never put on weight by strict low carbs from the start but the face didn’t listen. One thing that does make a difference still is salt intake. I try to keep it very low to stop puffy face and eyelids.

[1964-karina in reply to SnazzyD]

Thanks for the message 🙂

[Soraya_PMR in reply to SnazzyD]

“Puffer fish mode” LOL 🐡🐡🐡

My Dad has a photo on display of me when I was in my last year at school, so 18 years old. I had a fuller face, much like I do now. So I’m going to take that I have my teenage face back Yup! Came with acne again, but that’s gone since below about 15mg.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Mine went once I got my brain into gear and cut carbs drastically - and lost 35lbs of PMR and pred-associated weight gain. The first place the fat went was around my midriff and then the face started to go back to more normal. I'm fuller in the face than I'd like - but not Cushingoid and I could do with losing another 10lbs at least anyway.

I banned mirrors. Luckily I have to take my specs off at the hairdresser which minimises the time I am faced with "not me". And I detest this holiday flat and its 5 enormous mirrors...

[1964-karina in reply to PMRpro]

What is it with mirrors at the hairdressers! Think they should be covered until they have finished with you ! 😱

[HeronNS in reply to 1964-karina]

I think the hairdresser is also using the mirror, otherwise all they see is the top and back of your head! Like PMRpro, I can't see much more than a blur without my glasses!

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Does it ever go - yes!

Does it matter - yes of course it does, as others have said you look in the mirror and you see someone you don’t know, or particularly like.

At lower doses you will lose it. I’ve always had a round face, so I guess it was just more so, if your face is normally angular or thin, then I’m sure it’s a great shock.

Hang in there!

[1964-karina in reply to DorsetLady]

Thankyou for being the font of all knowledge 😃

[Pongo13]

If I were less vain, I would post a pic of my fat face, with it's Freddie Mercury Tash and david Bellamy beard, together with the rash at sides of mouth, poking out white fungal tongue, with twinkling eyes surrounded in huge black sockets, not forgetting fatty neck hump. We'd all have a laugh and perhaps feel better for that! Lucky for everyone I'm vain! karina, it's always going to matter, but there's still a beautiful person inside. Kindness shines through.

[1964-karina in reply to Pongo13]

Good to know it’s not just me 😂

[Hidden in reply to Pongo13]

You do make me laugh Pongo!!!!!!

[Mojo63]

Yes it does go! When i had GCA in 2011 i went to 16stone usual weight 12stone. It is a slow process with the pred. And did not go to weight watchers untill i had finished pred.

Weight then 13stone. Having a lapse in March last year had to take pred again moon face came back, then up to 14stone. In june i found i had 2 fractured Vertebrae's this limited my movements & Morphine was prescribed.

In July i went back to WW and gradually started to lose weight. In Oct i finished Pred. In December came off Morphine. Now i have lost 1stone 6lbs, need to loose at least another stone. Dont want my moon face or weight back. Hope this helps

[1964-karina in reply to Mojo63]

Really does, thankyou sorry for everything you’ve been through sounds rough

[SheffieldJane]

I know it matters Karina. It upsets most of us in spite of the erasing of wrinkles. Some of it is fluid retention - I had a crease on my face after sleep, for hours the other day. This will go on the low doses. The rest of it is simply due to weight gain caused by sugar and carbs. This has to be dieted away by giving up the afore mentioned. It helps that the abnormal cravings for these foods eases off on the lower doses as well. The very disciplined amongst us have stabilised their weight, whilst on high doses of Pred by changing their diet. Not me, not yet.

[1964-karina in reply to SheffieldJane]

I need to get the right mind set and soon 😱

[SheffieldJane in reply to 1964-karina]

Me too!

[Mackrory276 in reply to 1964-karina]

I know exactly what you mean. I have gained 25kg and my moon face is huge with a big thick neck but as much as I hate what I look like I am finding it so hard to be motivated and cut down on my eating. It’s not easy when you are in pain and feeling awful to eat healthy and cut out carbs but from yesterday I am really trying. Hang in there girl. We can do this.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Mackrory276]

Why are you in pain? If you are on the right dose of pred it should be minimal.

[Mackrory276 in reply to PMRpro]

I have other issues on top of PMR - Disk degeneration and failed back surgery syndrome and my rheumatologist thinks that I also have fibromyalgia. Most of my pain is from my back.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Mackrory276]

Fair enough

[Mstiles]

Of course it does matter, I’m right there with you on 40 mg of pred 1964-Karina. Some days can be really depressing if you think about the long uncertain road ahead. Those who love and care about you see the beautiful soul inside.

[CT-5012]

The mirror is bad enough but while washing my face one day it didn’t feel like my face, like I was washing someone else’s face but my face was being washed so who was washing my face? That way madness lies.......😱

[Hidden in reply to CT-5012]

YES! CT-5012, you've nailed it! My face does not FEEL like my face!!!!!

It feels bigger, rounder and more taut... and it has bristles all over it that feel corse and horrible!!!!!

[CT-5012 in reply to Hidden]

I have only a half moon face, fat and taut one side wrinkled on the other. Wonderful. Have stopped thinking while washing! 🌜

[Hidden in reply to CT-5012]

Oh my! Best not to think about it!!!!

[Rugger]

Karina, search the forum for 'Kate Gilbert' and find her post from a year ago titled 'Moon Face' and you'll see it does go. She looked lovely before, during and after pred!

[bunnymom]

At 7 the Buffalo hump is almost gone and the cheeks are thinning. Appetite is decreasing and weight is slowly going thru portion control. I told my daughter I was finally looking like myself and she says Mom you've always looked like yourself! The baby of the family... How I love her ❤️! And yes it all matters very much.

[Jackoh]

What a lot of encouraging posts Karina. Yes it does matter to all of us and I've found certainly to concentrate on cutting down on carbs has been something I can do positively and although my face is fatter it is not massive. As you say keep thinking positively helps xx

[Sorop]

I was on 60mg pred and on returning to a couple of the clubs I belonged to they thought I was a new member! Because of moon face they did not recognize me and these were my friends! The good news is it does go but as I have found with all aspects of this journey patience is the key. They now tell me how well I look (even if I do not feel it) I did not like looking in the mirror either but you are your beautiful self on the inside.

best wishes Valerie

[powerwalk]

Yes totally agree with all who say "it does matter". I told myself for a long time like that - that I shouldn't care what it looks like - I was not on the GCA dose - but even on the PMR lower dose I didn't look like myself. Total different body, puffy eyelids and face - not cushingoid - but just as you say - not me! I found the body weight hard to take and got into the habit of not looking at myself at all in a mirror if I could help it getting in and out of the shower!! Its like you've been taken over by an alien!! Making you change the way you look. If I see a picture of me - I cannot believe its the same person. BUT it will go - I can feel a difference in my stomach - a SMALL difference but nevertheless - enough to give me hope!!! So hang in there - and best of luck with it all. Sometimes I get the overriding urge at times to get a t-shirt with "I'm not fat - I'm on steroids" printed on the front!!!!!

[Peep44]

The problem I have is that I had a buffalo hump and huge midriff before prednisone. Now my face and neck are puffy too and my face had a light furry look. I actually wondered if cushings was causing problems for me before.

[Mitziecat]

Hi 1964-Karina

It definitely does matter as ladies spend years trying to keep healthy and look nice and then this happens & is out of our control. Be positive as it does reduce. I had a fairly thin face so it just filled out the wrinkles and became a bit more rounded. Now on a lower dose of pred & I can see the face fat has reduced.

On the plus side people comment on the lack of wrinkles. I tell myself that people pay a fortune for facial treatment to eliminate wrinkles & mine disappeared for free. Keep positive, eat sensibly and gentle exercise when you can. You will get back to where you were.