Well, here is a thought: Could a weekly dose of the steroid prednisone combat obesity?

[PMRpro]

Here's some food for thought

medicalnewstoday.com/articl...

So a form of steroid where the antiinflammatory effects lasts a week ...

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Think it needs a lot more work -not to mention mice ! 🐭🐭

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to DorsetLady]

[Koalajane]

Just wondering how a weeks worth of pred would last for a week in your body and aid the inflammation. Plus we could all go hyper on a load more pred

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Koalajane]

You’d have a few days of being hyper, but what happens when the effect wears off before the next dose……a lot more work to make it super slow release!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to DorsetLady]

No - needs to be something longer acting than dexamethasone for example ..

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to PMRpro]

It does have potential for certain illnesses, but not sure it would work for PMR, and I don’t think I want to be subject to the doses required for GCA ….

…as Dr Baskin implies there are lots to consider with effects of one high dose instead of a number of smaller doses over a week….and obviously wouldn’t necessarily suit everybody, if the effects we get reported on here are anything to go by.

But certainly an interesting way forward.

[whitefishbay]

Thanks Pro. Always looking out for us. X

[Kendrew]

Would be completely life changing if this initiative became a safe option for humans and if it does ever become a viable alternative to the current steroid regimes I don't think it will be in my lifetime unfortunately. A very interesting piece of research though and definitely food for thought! 🐭

[piglette]

I think I see pigs flying past the window.

[Pixix in reply to piglette]

I thought that…then I realised they were piglettes! S x

[SheffieldJane]

Given my experience of missing a dose and how quickly PMR symptoms return they would really need to work on the chemical composition. It would be a great outcome though. It works for so many conditions.

[yogabonnie]

I want that. Shall I be our guinea pig

cute rodent.

[Bcol]

Thanks for this, an interesting read, but I don't see it coming to us any time soon. The size of a once a week dose for some sufferers would be pretty mind boggling.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Bcol]

Mmmm - but 20mg pred is the same as 3mg dexamethasone which also has a much longer effect, about 2 1/2 days.

[Grammy80]

😏🙄🥴 Hmmm! Given this theory and initial results; how come I have no appetite, eat little and have gained 'a lot of stones', 100 US pounds, since August of 2019 AND am not a lover of sweets. Maybe my metabolism is sleeping with my adrenal glands. 💕(●'◡'●)

[Hidden in reply to Grammy80]

You're unlucky Marilyn....I should be the size of a house with having my chocolate every single day coupled with almonds and brazil nuts. My weight this morning is 9st 12lbs....heaviest since taking Pred was 10st 4lbs So 114lbs at my heaviest. Normal weight for me is 9st 7lbs. Would love to get down to 9st but that's never going to happen. The Pred has put weight on my legs and face. Beginning of May I will try 6.5mg again and hope it works this time.

Take care and good wishes to you X

[Grammy80 in reply to Hidden]

Good to hear you are getting on so well~! My best...💕

At 81 and a half, so important when you are five, I still feel pretty lucky, chubbier but luck all the same.

[Iamfedup]

Perhaps when at a low dose ie; one mg a day it may work. Would be great if it did and could help you lose the weight!

[Frewen1]

How soon can I start? x

[Coffeebeans]

Now that would be fantastic and certainly worth investigating to where and how it could be applied.

I remain sceptical in the case of PMR however... But a great finding isn't it.