Body shape change

[9lives]

Since being on pred my body shape has changed, my stomach looks like I’m pregnant! And the love handles are more like large hangers!! for sure. So I’m not liking what I see, but reading posts I understand this can be side affects of pred. I was diagnosed in 2016 and was on initially 20 mg and have reduced down to 3.50. With a few ups n downs. So being on a low dose I would of thought my body might change back to its original form 😘any ideas ? I have reduced carbs as found I got to bloated if I ate too Many. I’m not a sweet tooth person, so not chocolate etc.

I do Pilates and yoga each week and have a physical job boarding cats and small animals. And walk lots . So not a couch potato 🥔 I do like my wine Though. I try not to worry too much about it as could be worse , but when having a bad day it does get to me.

Any help appreciated

Carole x

[MrsNails]

Hi Carole

Have a look at my post from earlier in the week, l’m more or less back to my Pre Pred Shape! Technically l could do with losing another half a stone (7lbs) but as l’m currently on 12mg & just on a 5day Boost at 15mg l don’t think l’m doing so bad! 😉

MrsN

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

[9lives in reply to MrsNails]

Hi Mrs Nails

And thank you for the post, I’ll take a look at the diabetic recipes on line and give it a go. Ive nothing to lose, only weight xx

At the moment I have a cup of coffee and one slice of toast for breakfast, then a banana for lunch, sometime a salad or very occasional a sandwich.

Evening meal tends to be meat/ chicken with veg and maybe some rice. Just can’t seem to eat big meals .

But I do like my glass of wine, so maybe just at the weekend then 🍷.

Carole

By the way you look great in the photos. Lovely dress xx

[MrsNails in reply to 9lives]

Hi Carole

Maybe ditch the banana for something else, sometimes it’s just changing the way you eat that can shake things up a bit.

Wine is high in Calories n Sugar do you like a G&T with a Slimline Tonic, you could alternate maybe just for a month & give yourself a kick start?

secondnature.io/guides/cate...

Good Luck

MrsN 🍀

[9lives in reply to MrsNails]

Aww Mrs Nails thank you so much for the attachment. The recipes look lovely

I think maybe I’m stuck in a rut and your advice is just what need to kick start me. And I will loose the banana . As you say xx

[MrsNails in reply to 9lives]

The Recipes are really lovely, we have some New Family Favourites now 😉

Good Luck & let me know how you get on ‘ Well Done with your Reduction! x

[9lives in reply to MrsNails]

Thank you I will let you know how it goes. I’m on a mission now xx

And thanks for your help much appreciate itxx

[9lives in reply to MrsNails]

I’ve just written my shopping list to include several of these recipes, they all look so tasty, so I’ve started with simple chicken dishes and omelette to see how I go xxxx

Off to the super market now...

Again thank you so much

[MrsNails in reply to 9lives]

Enjoy! It’s quite fun, not complicated & best of all tasty 😋

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to 9lives]

Your breakfast and lunch alone: 1 slice of toast 12 g carbs, banana 20+g carbs

Even salads have some carbs and the "wrong" veggies soon mount up, especially root veg, peas and beans,

[9lives in reply to PMRpro]

Yes you are right , when you break it down like that, I really need to start thinking about what’s going in my mouth. I’m going to have to make an effort to plan menus and get organised.

The thing is it’s easy to slip into the same old routine and eat the same old stuff day in and day out, cos it’s easy isn’t it? but that isn’t going to help me loose weight is it.?

So time for a change I think !!

I’m so grateful for all your help In Helping motivating me .

Thank you xx

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to 9lives]

It may do once you take the higher carb things out and replace them with goodies. I have a very boring shopping trolley - the biggest problem is that it limits me to one supermarket for about 10 items that simply aren't as good anywhere else! But by sticking to those things I don't need to go anywhere near certain aisles with the wrong foods to be tempted ...

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I did have the shape change when I was on methyl prednisolone - but not with pred. I'm still overweight - but when I cut carbs the typical steroid fat deposits melted away over about 18 months and I have a waist.

You say you have cut carbs - but by how much? I have to get right down to almost keto levels to lose weight. Maintaining is a lot easier.

[9lives in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you PMR pro for your reply.

Yes I think I need to look closely at my carbs. Having read Mrs Nails reply I am going to take a serious look at my food intake. And check out the diabetic menus, also reduce my wine glass to the weekend only. It’s good to know you have a waist now , it gives me hope xx!

Carole xx

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to 9lives]

It really is a shock to most people when they keep a food diary for a week and see where the carbs mount up!!!

[9lives in reply to PMRpro]

Now that a good idea xx

[allykat]

Hi Carole

I feel your pain! I started with 50 mg pred in 2015 and am still trying to decrease. I am now down to 4 mg and the belly is slowly going. It has been one of most frustrating side effects to manage. Throughout the process, I stuck to a very low carbohydrate diet and for me, avoiding the starch element of carbohydrates had quite an impact. It means no potatoes, rice or root veggies but you don't need too starve yourself. I have never given up my red wine. Be patient. You are not alone!

Take care

Kathryn

[9lives in reply to allykat]

Aww thanks for your reply, I do like my 🍷 dwell done on your reduction though x

[Snowy12]

I got down to 6mg with GCA then had a relapse back to 60mg blood pressure through the roof so BP meds upped then blood sugars through the roof so now on metformin as well. Moon face and 6mths pregnant look is back as is peach fuzz easy bruising, sweating all day but it’s the price we have to pay.

Hope you feel better soon it will go it did for me even more gutting when you get that far and it all comes back x

[Viv54 in reply to Snowy12]

Hi your post is so close to my symptoms !! Hate the extra weight , moon face etc ! But what is the worst for me is the sweating all day and the hot flushes !! It almost feels like the menopause again !!!! Got me wondering if anyone has found something to relive it ? So glad im not on my own ! Wish you luck x

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Viv54]

jinasc swore by sage - there are a few such supplements but check they are OK against your medication.

Many people have found cooling scarves helpful. search "cooling scarves" in your browser.

Some use wrist and headbands a la tennis players to soak up some of the sweat.

Having a fan running to keep the room air moving helps and layered clothing/bedding that is easy to remove and covering the pillows with a thick towel will reduce the damp bed syndrome.

[9lives in reply to Viv54]

Yes the sweat, I found once I got down to 3.5 Mg they seemed to subside

And that’s only happened recently xx

[Pixix]

Hi...I feel your pain,..mobile hairdressers/friend cane t’other day...first time in six months. Wow, she said, you’ve lost weight! No, said I, Ive out on six lbs in 7 months. She said but you’ve now got a tiny waist. It’s all re-distributed, we realised! Waist is back, but stomach is pregnant, moon face is here, & love handles, as you say, are coat hangers! I went on the keto low carb diet & lost a stone last December, but it crept back on while shielding, even though I tried to be active, I couldn’t have our two long walks in the forest each week. I’m bothered, but lack incentive right now. Walking one day a week, but shorter while I struggle with steroid reduction & other health issues, & lack of energy. I think this ‘journey’ is not without pain in the weight gain dept & mine will yo-yo for a while. My love of baking & my husbands sweet tooth are back...I’m usually too busy to bake! My next low carb diet or 5:2 diet due to commence mid-September! Doctor said not to struggle too much with steroid reduction, as it’s a walk, not a race (think I’ve read that here, too!) still have sweat pouring off my head day & night, tonsil stones from dehydration, peach fuzz (never heard that before but description fits so well) etc etc etc. Take care, S x

[Viv54 in reply to Pixix]

Snap , hate all these side affects !! There seems to be so many of us on here, i feel comforted in a strange way, not just me , but oh dear its such a battle ! Best of luck x

[9lives in reply to Viv54]

Yes it’s. good to know we are not alone in this and all the support we get is truly uplifting . It’s the one thing that keeps me hanging in there xx

Take care

[S4ndy]

My shape has changed to. The fat has moved to around my middle. Interestingly though it hasn't made much difference to my weight. I was heavy before Pred and I am now about the same weight but the fat has redistributed itself making my waist and hips thicker. Elastic waistbands are my friend. I walk and cycle and watch the carbs but fail miserably sometimes, usually with chocolate

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to S4ndy]

That happened to me - gained weight during the 5 years of PMR no pred and when I started pred it moved but I didn't put on any more weight

[Amkoffee]

I did not lose my moon face until long after I stopped prednisone.

[9lives in reply to Amkoffee]

Hi Amkoffee

We all seam to react differently don’t we?

I’m glad you lost your moon face xx

And hope you are back to normal now.

The good thing about this site is that we all understand what it is like to suffer with an autoimmune disorder.

It’s hard for others who don’t to understand us, I find xx

Carole x

[Amkoffee in reply to 9lives]

Nobody can understand us. Nobody understands the amount of pain PMR causes. I still have PMR but I am not allowed to take prednisone anymore because the three years I took it caused severe osteoporosis. I've had 10 fractions in about a year-and-a-half. And to top that PMR is not even my only painful condition. I have osteoarthritis in my back my neck and my thumbs. And my lower back is a mess.

[9lives in reply to Amkoffee]

Aww dear so sorry to hear you are suffering still.

I have rheumatoid arthritis in a couple of my fingers, so can’t imagine the pain you are in xx

My GP put me on aledronic acid after a year of pred. As I had a dexa scan and it showed I had osteoporosis in my lower back. That was nearly 3 years ago so will wait to see what the next scan says in January xx

Is there not anything they can do that can help you xx

Carole

[Amkoffee in reply to 9lives]

Despite taking osteoporosis medicine namely Prolia and reclast my last bone scan showed increased amounts of damage to my hips.

[Louisa1840]

It is SO comforting to read all these experiences from all you dear people. Pregnant Stomachs, Love Handles - nay HANGERS - and all! Ooh yes AND those lovely purple bruises all up my arms - they're SO cool!

We will all get there in the end. It's only vanity but yes, it does bother me. We are lucky to have a condition where our symptoms can be handled by our friend Pred and MAY not last forever (sorry Pro, I know that for you and others this may not be the case?) But at just over 3 years (given that's the median length of PMR) I could be over half way through - think positive!!!

Meanwhile, thank you and every blessing to all of you on this wonderful forum.

[9lives in reply to Louisa1840]

Hi Louisa

What a lovely upBeat post, you sound so positive and made me feel good about things.

Like you I am a few years in with pred.,4 to be precise, , So could be on the downward slope , but I hadn’t looked at it like that ! So made me start to think glass half full , so thanks for that xx

Anyway I’ve started these healthy recipes that Mrs Nails sent me on Friday and already I’m feeling better about myself, don’t know if it’s psychological or not but all I know is I feel more positive and have more energy than before xx

It’s so good to have this site to engage with .

Take care of yourself and good luck

Carole xx