Weight loss on Prednisolene

[DD25]

Good morning! I was diagnosed with PMR in July 2019 and put on 15mg of Pred. I managed to get down to 5mg by September this year but after a flare in October went up to 10mg and now on 8mg due to side effects.

This June I took an active decision to lose some of the weight I’d gained by joining WW. This has worked well for me up until 6weeks ago and I just don’t seem to be able to lose anymore, though approx 1/2-1 stone loss is still needed. Does anyone have any experience in this? I know Pred makes you hungry and put on weight but how can it inhibit weight loss? My joints would appreciate the extra loss😄 I have steadily decreased amount of food over the 6week static period, tried eating less fruit, my carb content isn’t high, can anyone advise me?

Thank you

[Koalajane]

I lost weight by walking and also by going the low carb high fat way. I lost about 3 stones and I walk over 12000 steps each day

[DD25 in reply to Koalajane]

Thank you, yes I upped my walking, until this last flare, sometimes up to 20,000 per day, so I guess it may be a reduction in this, though I’ve only stopped that in the last couple of weeks, not the full 6wks where my weight has been static. I’ll increase again as the pain goes, I definitely notice more loss when I’m walking.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

It is a normal event in weight loss - it is said your body adjusts to the new lower calorie count/restricted intake. That is one of the reasons the interval diets such as 5:2 seem to continue to work for longer.

mayoclinic.org/healthy-life....

healthline.com/nutrition/we...

You say your carb content isn't high - are you sure? Do you keep a food diary? Snazzy and I can only lose weight on a very very low carb intake.

It may be an insulin problem - the pred makes your liver release random spikes of glucose from body stores and they trigger the release of insulin - that can have a weight effect too.

[DD25 in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you those are both very interesting reads.

I do keep a food diary, so I will take another look at it and reassess my carbs.

I didn’t know about the glucose random spikes, more great information, thank you.

Right, it’s back to the drawing board for me and have another look at what I’m eating. It’s frustrating I can’t excercise at the moment, but that should be short lived🤞🏻I’m hoping my steroid injection from last week will kick in soon.

Thank you everyone.

[SnazzyD]

Personally I had to cut almost all carb, getting it from what was in fruit (mostly berries) and veg. Certainly not a scrap of pasta, bread, potato, rice etc.

[DD25 in reply to SnazzyD]

I’ll try the same. I don’t have bread but maybe twice a week have either brown rice or brown pasta, I guess these are going to have to go!

[SnazzyD in reply to DD25]

Yup, for some of us it’s a sad fact. Mind you now I’m mostly off Pred, I forget to apply carb to my plate now unless of course it’s a chip.

[DD25 in reply to SnazzyD]

😄

[piglette]

I use an app called MyApp Diary. You can get it for free and it is very easy to use and works out various things like calories, carbs, protein and various vitamins etc. You can get a full version which gives you further analysis on more vitamins etc. I find it great as I am a bit of a nutrition nerd. Worth a try.

[DD25 in reply to piglette]

Thank you, yes that is definitely worth a try.

[piglette in reply to DD25]

If you don’t like it just delete it!!

[diana1998]

I cut out all added sugar to keep weight down as well as the obvious carbs. No WWs desserts!

[DD25 in reply to diana1998]

😂 Yes I know what you mean, I haven’t had any of those this time, I promise!

[diana1998 in reply to DD25]

Sooo boring but a few raspberries and strawberries with nat yog is a compromise!