After 4 months diagnosed with PMR with relief that at least some help with the pain and fatigue . Started off at 15 but then put up to 60 for few days due to possible GCA. Now down to 20 and trying to taper down to 15 by taking alternate days.
I’d already put on weight from little activity and comfort eating but it’s piled on on with a couple of months of Pred. My GP tells me not to worry as it’ll go once the dose is down and I know it’s preferable to the PMR symptoms. I’ve been able to slowly increase my activity (walking) but still need several naps a day. I’m trying to replace ‘naughty’’ foods (high sugar, fat etc) with ‘good’ (fruit, nuts) and have cut out comfort drinking (cava!) but finding it very hard. I feel ashamed and, having bipolar, struggle with my mood.
Have others struggled with their weight? What have they found helpful? I’ve successful lost weight before so my head knows what to do but with PMR???
I’m going to post this before I chicken out
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Enfin
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Welcome Enfin 🌷
Well Done you posted to the Group 🌷
I’m whizzing off to catch the train (which really means l’m going slowly!)
I will write more later but just wanted to say Hello 🌷
Tapering to 15 by alternating 15&20 can be hard on your body, as it doesn’t know where it is! You may find it easier to just plump for 17.5 each day, which is exactly the same dose, but offers your body stability.
You are being hard on yourself by cutting out carbs AND fats 😮 You should find that low carb but high fat is more acceptable and satiating. Are you aware of what insulin does? A quick lesson on insulin (forgive me if you know this): Insulin is released by the body when you ingest something carby and sweet, even as early as putting sweets in your mouth. It is responsible for the metabolism of glucose, laying it down as fat in the body. If you maintain high levels of insulin the the body will be prevented from using the body fat for energy. So switch away from carbs, reduce your insulin levels, and provide energy with fats and your body will metabolise differently, you’ll be able to burn the accumulated fat off and lose weight. Quite how low you should go with carbs is by experiment, but to lose weight probably 50g carbs or below. Also avoid sweeteners as that will trick the body into releasing insulin despite there being no sugars to metabolise. Pred does effect the body’s production of insulin causing sudden releases, by cutting carbs this should lessen.
GP is half right and half wrong telling you not to worry. Yes the fat will go as pred reduces, but regular pred can also make people susceptible to type 2 diabetes. The high fat low carb diet is what diabetics will use to control blood sugars and in dedicated patients this can often reverse type 2. So you can use it as a preventive and avoid the added problems that diabetes brings.
Hello, don’t worry you’re not the first person on this forum who has bipolar and there are others who have challenges with their emotional functioning. Keeping my weight down was the one thing I had that I could control, but hunger was one thing I couldn’t control. I cut out all carb based padding foods like sugar, potato, pasta, rice, all types of flour. But I ate when I wanted as long as it was protein or veg and some fruit, especially berries. I’d devour large bowls of cooked veg (jaws and patience gave out with chewing salad) and chicken with a bit of vinaigrette. I allowed myself 2 small glasses of wine a week and a couple of square of dark choc a day. I disagree with the GP about waiting because an awful lot of weight can go on in a short time, as you found, and the more you have to lose the harder the goal is to achieve. Also the extra pounds will put strain on your joints, risk diabetes and further lower your mood. I’d say leave the shame sentiment and try to think of it as just giving your body the best and not good and bad. Once you get into that badness/punishment loop there’s not much positive self nurturing and it’s easy to fall off the rails again because there’s nothing to lose in a world full of negativity.
The other personal note I’d make is that swinging in dose by 5mg would have done me in; to much chop and change. I did 2.5mg jumps at this point. I’m sure others will reply.
Glad you’ve summoned courage to post, we are very friendly!
As others have said cut down on the carbs certainly, but you do need some fats, trying to do both too rigorously won’t help your mood. Fruit and veggies are good, but some fruits have a lot of natural sugar so just be careful what you eat.
As for reduction, 20 to 15 may be too much in one jump, even the way you are doing it- try 17.5 as Soraya suggests. I know you want to get back down to a sensible level, but your body won’t like too big a drop.
Hi. Welcome. Everyone has said what I would say low good carbs/high good fats. Don't give up your cava if you don't want to.....no carbs!!
I lost over 2st on drop from 15mg to 6mg so it can be done. And I am not super, super strict all the time. But try and fill.you with a few nuts, full fat greek yoghurt with lower carb berries.
I don't know to be honest. I will check it out. I have seen other birds of prey/hawks and heard them screeching in the woods, but I am not an expert on birds. I just like seeing them.
I have decided I am going to some woods this week where I have always heard the cuckoo's. I will hear one!
It's a good excuse to relax. I always feel calmer and more relaxed after I have been for a walk in the woods and birdwatching helps you stop walking. Take a flask of coffee and find a tree trunk to sit on. I wish you luck with the cuckoo and I really hope you hear it.
Welcome to the forum and well fine on your first post.
You have received lots of useful advice already but I just wanted to say I did exactly the same as you and became best friends with my fridge, chocolate and crisps initially. I put on over a stone but have started to eat properly now and in just a short time I have noticed I dont want the rubbish I used to eat. Dont be ashamed of doing what a lot of us did. Keep in touch with us about how you are getting on.x
Blimey - are we that scarey? Welcome - and rest assured that the vast majority of us struggled with weight! There are a few who lost weight on pred but we try to ignore people with such delightful genes!!
Cut the processed carbs entirely, restrict the fruit and eat loads of above ground veggies, meat, fish and cheese/eggs. That will all help the hunger pangs because your blood sugar level won't shoot up and down as much. I had gained a lot of weight with untreated PMR because of inactivity, on pred it rearranged itself and then on methyl prednisolone I gained a lot more. I was switched to prednisone and cut carbs - and lost 35+lbs over the following 18 months. It was slow, I have to cut my carbs a LOT to lose weight but that's me. But now it isn't too hard to maintain my weight even on 15mg pred. It can be done.
Wow! Thank you for so much support encouragement and helpful advice . I can’t tell you how much it means to find such lovely people who understand from real experience.
I agree with low carb - but the body definitely needs the good fats - AND they help with reducing appetite. Very best of luck. Just a bit of useless information - but the United States Obesity crisis started to escalate with the LOW FAT FAD - it doesn't work! Someone just trying to sell another lying diet that doesn't work!
Yes Pippa, when they took the fat out of food they bombarded it with sugar. I gave up empty carbs years ago so have not put on weight with PMR. I do however down quite a bit of good fat daily - avocado, flaxseed oil, nuts, seeds, LSA and I slather stir fried veges and salads with olive oil. I wasn’t a big dairy eater but have added cheese to my diet for calcium and have kefir with my berries.
I have live yoghurt on my berries and am shocked by the different carb content of yoghurts! Plus of course the extra carbs in all "low fat" products. So glad I can read labels with my varifocals without needing a magnifying glass! Most of the time at least! I did a bought in low diet some years ago really taught me to read labels carefully. Collins do a pocket carb counter that is well worth having although you can find most things online now.
Enfin best of luck with your journey I have had the same thing with preds. I had just about reached a weight I was happy with four weeks ago when Bang 60 preds and hunger!
Hello Enfin, I’m relatively new here and can’t praise everyone enough. I have GCA and PMR. I actually lost weight. 15 pounds in all. No moon face either so I’m ever so happy. I’m a vegan of many decades and just stopped eating bread and potatoes. Weight dropped off. Good luck to you. David
Just reread your post. I have Bipolar Disorder 2. It is well under control these days d
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