Fantastic news

After 3 weeks of prednisilone, peaking at 120mg, currently at 90mg, tomorrow I start the reduction process at 80mg and so on.

Great cause for celebration, just taken the pak Choi and tofu out of the fridge for a “special” treat.

[RoadTrip]

Great stuff.

[SnazzyD]

I chuckled at the high dose version of a “treat”; it took me back. Well done, now the next step.

[Marijo1951]

Gosh, I thought I was on a high dose when I started on 60 mg, but you actually doubled that... Well done to choose such a nutritious and low carb treat. My main side effect at first (apart from insomnia) was a rampant appetite. A treat for me would have been something like beef stew with dumplings followed by apple crumble and double cream.

I hope your progress goes really well.

[Viv54 in reply to Marijo1951]

Sounds like we are on the same sort of treats ! Ive piled on weight in the first month of Pred ,going to try hard next weekto tackle it , never had hunger like it ! Makes me really low !

[Marijo1951 in reply to Viv54]

I'm beyond that phase now, thank goodness, and don't eat sugar or white carbs and limited amounts of other carbs. However I do remember vividly how intense that hunger was. It definitely diminishes over time as the pred is reduced.

[Hidden in reply to Marijo1951]

Not really having hunger issues, it is changing lifelong habits which I have to face. Thanks for the support.

[Marijo1951 in reply to Hidden]

Well, pred has 84 documented possible side effects. You were fortunate to escape the overwhelming hunger, whereas I'm always glad that I never developed the ''moon face'' that many people experience. Imagine being the unlucky person suffering all 84!

[Hidden in reply to Marijo1951]

Thanks such a positive response.

The biggest indirect impact for me is losing the ability to exercise hard, but grateful that I haven’t been impacted on harder. Glad that you didn’t get moon face, mine is starting, but after 4 weeks of 80+ no surprises there. End of October I start the 30mg regime and plan ahead from there.

Muscle wastage and redistribution of fat hurt my pride a bit, but pain free, sight saved, very positive and what’s the worst thing I have to worry about? Finding the article and discovering the 82 I haven’t noticed any sign of yet.

[Hidden in reply to Viv54]

Sorry to read that. May I ask have your tastes changed too, not just sense of taste? I loathe anchovies, yet I devoured them the other day in a Caesar said. Didn’t even insist the waiter told chef to remove them! Yet other things, such as crisps, coated nuts, a staple with a drink before supper, I don’t miss and am not interested in as my family devour them.

[Viv54 in reply to Hidden]

Yes in the respect that i know crave for salt ! this has never happened before. Never use salt in cooking etc ! Wow this is a strange journey on Pred !

[RoadTrip in reply to Viv54]

As well as low carb, I’m on low salt diet now, to reduce water retention. Seems to be working as initial puffy ankles and feet have now gone.

[Hidden in reply to RoadTrip]

Well done. I monitor my foods more more closely, particularly after visiting the British Diabetic Association site to take research on Diabetes induced Type 2. Research suggests people who are on high doses of steroids face an exponential risk. Not becoming obsessive, but taking advice here, changed diet subtlety. Breakfast today, two wholegrain cereals, then substituted berries for grapes, milk for yogurt(checked the carbs on low fat yogurt and was a shocked) avacado for banana: avacado might seem strange but, it worked for me.

Good luck with the salt. No snacks for me with that evening aperitif, and the evening aperitif is now decaf!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Hidden]

Yogurt has some carb anyway - they take the fat out and add sugar and a load of other stuff to make up the taste. Lots of us use full or half fat plain Greek yoghurt (not that 5% is particularly high fat food) and it is useful in cooking too for sauces and so on to reduce carbs.

[DogAgilityObsessed in reply to PMRpro]

Yogurt is also really easy to make. I buy milk direct from a local farm and use it for making yogurt and kefir. The kefir I then turn into a smoothie with a little banana, a few berries and chunk of frozen or fresh spinach. It may not be low carb because of the fruit but I know exactly what is there. And there are no refined carbs.

[Hidden in reply to Viv54]

My family are concerned regarding my resolve to avoid certain foods. Personally I am delighted that taking coffee in the morning I decline cakes and biscuits.

Keep persevering, it gives us a focus.

[RoadTrip in reply to Hidden]

Not a fan of avocado, but seems the go 2 thing. They were in the papers a few days ago, as selling 1.6 kg ones in the UK from Spain!

Hubby is maintaining roughly the same diet as me ( he has bit more salt, and a few more carbs), which makes for simpler meal preparation.

[Hidden in reply to RoadTrip]

Yes. I tend to focus completely on low salt/carb except for supper when I eat as normal with my wife and son. She has always cooked healthy food. “Bad items” I avoid or restrict, but my family are supporting me enough and I think I have the balance.

[SheffieldJane]

Brilliant!

[Viv54]

Great news , fingers crossed !

[Hidden in reply to Viv54]

Thank you.